Desiree Camacho is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Mesquite High School for AZPreps365.com

Mesquite flag football is on a four-game winning streak and looking to finish strong with just two games left in the regular season.

The team played flag football previously as a club sport, but the stakes are higher with it now being AIA sanctioned.

“My team goal was just for us to be more organized and better than our spring team,” captain Jordyn Flores said. “That’s definitely gotten there. We’re all way more serious.”

Senior Brooklynne Murray echoed this, noting that, compared to last season, players really need to know what they’re doing.

The team’s record reflects this increased focus. In the spring season, it won only three of its seven games and ended the season on a three-game losing streak. This season, the team is 8-3 and is ranked fifth in its conference. It has also held opponents scoreless in seven games, something it achieved just once last season.

Players noted that some of their big improvements this season have been in reading the field and running routes. Head coach Chad Montgomery also credits the players’ coachability.

“I think they’ve been really good at being on their feet as far as learning, because a lot of these girls have never really played football before,” he said. “So they’re not only learning how to gel together as a team, but they’re also learning how to learn or play football. The girls have been very open.”

Another factor that has propelled the team’s success is its unity.

“I feel like, especially compared to a lot of the teams, we’re very close and you can even hear us on the sidelines just screaming for each other,” Flores said. “When we all get super hyped, we play way better.”

Even through a successful season, the team knows there are improvements to be made. Montgomery said that the focus this season hasn’t been on just wins, but on continuous improvement, as both a coaching staff and a team.

“There’s another level for us to go offensively and defensively that we haven’t gotten to yet,” Montgomery said. “We’re a good team, but that would take us to a team that would be very dangerous, especially come playoff time.”

Senior Illyana Flores mentioned the need to start games with high energy, as opposed to waiting until the second half as they have previously done. This will be important for players to implement as they go into their last two games of the regular season.

Their next game will be October 17 against Williams Field. The two teams faced off last season pre-AIA sanctioning, and Mesquite won 10-2. This season, Williams Field has a 6-3 record and is ranked 11th in the conference.