National Player of the Year Keira Quinn Leads Eagles to Third Straight Big 33 Flag Football Title

The Maxwell National Flag Football Player of the Year scored all three touchdowns as the Eagles defeated the Commanders, 21-13.

Eagles coach Tim Quinn holds the Big 33 flag football championship trophy Sunday at Chapman Field. Philadelphia beat the Commanders 21-13 to claim their third straight title. | Josh Rizzo

SILVER SPRING TOWNSHIP, Pennylvania - Keira Quinn was motivated to play flag football because of the opportunity to go to Orlando. Quinn’s brother and cousin both played on teams that went to the flag football national championships.

“I really wanted to go to Disney, because we are a Disney family,” Quinn said. “That really got me into it.”

From Disney Motivation to Big 33 Glory

Quinn, who reached her goal of winning the national championship with the Athena Athletics, became part of her family’s long connection to the event. Quinn has been involved with all three iterations of the event. This year, Quinn quarterbacked the Eagles to a 21-13 win over the Commanders.

“My sister played the first year,” said Quinn, who attended Gwynedd Mercy High School. “The second year I was an honorary coach. This year, I finally got to play.”

Eagles quarterback/defensive back Keira Quinn, right, celebrates with Makayla Wilson-Randall during the second half of the Big 33 flag football title game Sunday at Chapman Field. Quinn scored all three of the Eagles touchdowns in a 21-13 win. | Josh Rizzo

An appearance to remember

The Big 33 game, which is just for seniors, has been dominated by the Eagles. Philadelphia beat the Steelers in the final before bouncing Washington this season. Quinn was named the Maxwell Football National Flag Football Player of the Year, was 30-3-2 with more than 115 touchdowns during her high school career.

National Player of the Year Delivers

Against Washington, Quinn scored all three touchdowns for the Eagles. Quinn scored the first touchdown of the game on a 1-yard run and added another in the second quarter.

She also ran an interception back for a touchdown in the final three minutes to put the Eagles ahead, 21-7.

Eagles coach Tim Quinn said his daughter continued showing why she earned so many accolades.

“There’s been a number of plays over the last six or seven games where she makes a play where I say to myself that’s why she was named national player of the year,” Tim Quinn said. “She made a great adjustment on the interception. She read it, made a great jump and went.”

Commanders quarterback Sophie Toole threw a touchdown pass in the first half and caught another after halftime. Washington fell short in the Big 33 flag football championship game Sunday at Chapman Field, losing 21-13 to the Eagles. | Josh Rizzo

Washington Makes It Tough

The Eagles didn’t have an easy road to another title. Washington, which scrapped and clawed its way to a 20-19 win over the Steelers in the semifinals, held Philadelphia without another point for the rest of the half.

The Commanders took the lead when Sophie Toole found Adriana Ortiz Mayorga for a touchdown.

Washington coach Tierra Reeves said the Commanders wanted to keep Quinn in the pocket as much as possible.

“We saw their quarterback was a running quarterback, so we wanted to contain her and keep her in the pocket to force her to throw,” Reeves said. “If she wasn’t going to make a bad throw, we wanted to keep the pressure on to try and get sacks.”

Commanders coach Tierra Reeves celebrates a stop by the defense late in the first half during the first half of the Big 33 flag football championship game Sunday at Chapman Field. | Josh Rizzo

Defense Turns the Game

The Eagles intercepted three passes in the second half. 

Amani Keys, who went to high school at North Penn will play flag football at Eastern University, said the second interception, which came on a trick play by the Commanders, fired up the Eagles.

“It amped us up and we were ready,” Keys said. 

Quinn’s late interception sealed the win.

In the final minute, Toole caught a touchdown pass from Julia Clark to cut the deficit to eight with less than a minute remaining.

“At halftime, they definitely came back and gameplanned and strategized,” Reeves said. “I know the coach saw what we were doing. They definitely were going to come in and attack the middle of the field. Offensively, we had to switch it up as well, but we weren’t victorious in it.”

Kaden Johnson, left, celebrates after intercepting a pass in the second half of the Eagles' 21-13 win over the Commanders in the Big 33 flag football championship game Sunday at Chapman Field. | Josh Rizzo

Representing Philadelphia

Quinn took her responsibility with representing the Philadelphia area seriously. He believes his players did too.

In three opportunities, the Eagles have raised the trophy each time. That’s what is most important.

“We always have to understand we aren’t at all our different high schools,” Quinn said. “We are the Philadelphia Eagles. We need to represent that organization in the best way possible, and they’re champions, and we need to play and carry ourselves in that way today.”

Josh Rizzo | rizzo42789@gmail.com| @J_oshrizzo