October 1, 2025—As the sixth season of the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) sanctioned flag football gets underway, female athletes across Cobb County are preparing to bring the district its fifth state championship. What follows is a preview of the teams and players to watch this year.
Cobb Schools has quickly established itself as a powerhouse in GHSA flag football. In the five previous seasons, Cobb teams captured four state titles—Hillgrove High School in 2021, Pope High School in 2023 and 2024, and McEachern High School in 2024. Cobb teams also earned state runner-up twice, Hillgrove in 2020 and Allatoona High School in 2023. Clearly, excellent flag football is being played within our district.
This year, due in part to the growth and popularity of the sport, GHSA has increased the number of divisions across the state. Based on enrollment, Cobb teams were previously split between Division 3 (D3) and Division 4 (D4), with Pope winning their state titles in D3 and McEachern earning the championship in D4. Now all 16 Cobb high schools will compete in the newly created Division 5 (D5). The Cobb teams will split into two separate Areas, much like Regions used in other sports.
AREA 3 PREVIEW
Area 3 is where the Pope Greyhounds will begin their title defense. The return of quarterback Abbey Bensman, the 2024 Georgia AAA Player of the Year, will play a significant role in that quest. The senior QB threw for an impressive 4,660 yards and 83 touchdowns last season.
“Having Abbey back is huge,” notes Pope head coach Kevin Fraser. “She’s like a coach on the field and even calls plays at times. Her knowledge of the game, strong arm, accuracy, and decision-making really set her apart.”
Bensman and the defending champs know there’s a hungry list of challengers in Area 3 looking to prevent a Greyhounds three-peat.
Allatoona is one of those. The Buccaneers’ flag football team hopes to return to their 2023 form, when they advanced all the way to the state finals. They will be led offensively by senior quarterback Lyla Paradiso, whose 3,742 passing yards were the fourth most in the state according to MaxPreps. Senior receiver Alex Harris, who pulled in almost 25% of those receiving yards (837), will likely be a favorite target. The Allatoona defense is less proven, but head coach Jordan Davis says that senior Aubrey Moore, a full-time starter for the first time, “is an incredible all-around athlete who will be a difference maker.”
The Harrison High School team begins the new season with a new head coach in Griffin Wattley. The Hoyas look to build on their school-record nine wins from last year, and junior Nickeal Pruitt is poised to be a big reason why. “Her ability to affect the quarterback and the entire offensive play is unlike anyone else in Cobb,” Wattley offers proudly.
The Kell Longhorns return a talented team featuring a trio of juniors in quarterback Maddie Harden, wide receiver Marleigh Grace, and All-State defender Brynna Burrus. Burrus is already the all-time program leader in flag pulls with more than 150 in her career.
At Lassiter High School, first-year head coach Campbell Price hopes to transform last year’s up-and-down team into one that’s on the up-and-up. The 2024 season “laid a strong foundation,” Price says. He will be counting on returning players senior Emma Andrews and sophomore Kate Campbell to contribute both offensively and defensively.
The North Cobb Warriors have a star in Amaia Hardy. The two-way senior player flashes from both the running back and safety positions and looks to lead the ladies in orange in a deeper postseason run than their first-round exit last season.
Last season was a disappointing, injury-plagued campaign for Walton High School. They look to put that behind them now with freshman quarterback Lola McMasters getting comfortable behind center. Her frequent target on the outside is sure to be junior wide receiver Aniyah Boyette.
Kennesaw Mountain High School and Sprayberry High School round out the all-Cobb schools Area 3.
AREA 4 PREVIEW
In Area 4, McEachern is coming off a perfect 29-0 record, which has led to great anticipation for their pursuit of back-to-back state titles. Head coach Jake Burgdorf humbly admits, “We will be very competitive again this season. I’m excited to see what we can accomplish.”
Burgdorf’s team brings back a talented core led by seniors Saniyah Dickens (linebacker/center) and Desirae Holley (receiver), but he also has a major hole to fill. The Indians need to replace the 2024 Miss Georgia Flag Football, graduate Chelsea Njoku, who accounted for 89 touchdowns, passing and rushing, last season.
Holley is ready to take up the slack. She was rated as the No.9 overall player in the state of Georgia by MaxPreps for 2025 and called “one of the top big-play threats in the country.” With 90 catches, 1,256 receiving yards, and 27 TDs last season, it’s hard to imagine her production increasing.
Trying to knock off the Indians in the D5 Area 4 are some programs on the rise, as well as a few newcomers to the game.
Beginning their inaugural season, the Campbell Spartans and head coach Jaaran Nesbitt are anxious to get into the flag football action. Senior Kennedy Lee will take the snaps and will likely be throwing to freshman Akachi Basil on occasion.
Hillgrove made it into the first round of the playoffs in 2024, but 2025 might be a rebuilding year for the Hawks. Junior Melanie Dansby was an offensive stalwart for the team last season, and they will need her leadership with several young athletes around her this year.
The Osborne Cardinals are going into their second season as a flag football program. According to head coach Rico Reese, “Last year’s 1-14 record does not tell the full story of the grit and determination our program displayed in every game.” Coach Reese is looking forward to watching senior QB Faith Harvey throw to some new athletic receivers, including sophomore Saanyla Cameron and junior Airis Jacobs-Alston.
Pebblebrook High School narrowly missed the playoffs last season; however, many of the Falcons’ faithful feel that proved to be “the end of the beginning” for their program. Head coach Asim Narcisse-Williams says optimistically, “With a solid core of veteran returners and an exciting influx of young talent, our team’s energy and focus are stronger than ever.” Senior quarterback Mequiziya White and senior WR Amiracle Page will lead the offense.
The South Cobb High School flag football program experienced their first winning season and playoff appearance in 2024. Despite graduating three productive players from that team, the Eagles feel confident with junior Aliceson Lewis returning at the quarterback position. She accounted for 29 TDs as a sophomore, and expectations are high for her as she takes the field in her first year as an upperclassman.
Wheeler High School joins the other Area 4 teams in trying to dethrone the reigning champs as well.
Eyes on Cobb
As the sport grows, Cobb continues to place more and more talented athletes on the flag football field. With that, increased attention follows.
National attention has already been received by several Cobb athletes in the sport. This past summer, four current flag footballers from the district – Dickens, Holley, and senior Zoey Moriarty from McEachern, as well as Hardy from North Cobb – participated in the Atlanta Falcons Regional Flag Football Competition. Their team won the Falcons championship to earn a spot in the national NFL Flag tournament played in Canton, Ohio. These players helped their squad finish in the top half of the tournament and experienced the thrill of playing on national television.
Cobb female athletes are consistently achieving impressive heights in flag football. Clearly, it’s an excellent time to witness greatness between the lines of another Cobb County sport.
