'Everything I wanted and more': Wachusett girls' flag football reveling in rapid rise in popularity

HOLDEN — What a day it was for the Wachusett girls’ flag football team. After starting the flag program with just nine players two years ago, Wachusett celebrated five players on Friday — Julia Daly, Maggie Jennings, Lucy O’Brien, Maria Petronino and Somer Staiti — with its second ever Senior Night and first ever National Letter of Intent signing. Oh, and Wachusett won both of its games, too. “Today was really chaotic, but it was amazing,” Jennings said. “It was everything I wanted and more.” “This is just an absolute dream,” Daly said. “Just starting with where we were my sophomore year to being a senior now, it’s just inspiring.” The Wachusett girls' flag football team celebrates senior Somer Staiti's first ever touchdown catch during Senior Night on May 22, 2026 at Wachusett Regional High School. The Wachusett girls' flag football team celebrates senior Somer Staiti's first ever touchdown catch during Senior Night on May 22, 2026 at Wachusett Regional High School. The Wachusett girls’ flag football team was started by Jordan D’Amelio in 2024. What initially began as a team with a roster you could count on just two hands quickly turned into a program with 30 players last year and now over 40 this spring. “It’s now just become our entire lives,” said D’Amelio, who recently wrapped up her freshman year at Providence College and attended Wachusett’s Senior Night ceremony on Friday and helped coach her former team. “It’s insane that it’s taken over our lives in the best possible way. It’s just unreal to see everybody here supporting something that just started as a dream.” Wachusett senior Maggie Jennings signs her National Letter of Intent to play flag football at Manhattan College during Senior Night on May 22, 2026 at Wachusett Regional High School. Wachusett senior Maggie Jennings signs her National Letter of Intent to play flag football at Manhattan College during Senior Night on May 22, 2026 at Wachusett Regional High School. To begin Friday’s festivities, Jennings put pen to paper pregame to commemorate her commitment to play Division I flag football at Manhattan University. The Wachusett senior captain is the first player from Central Mass. to go to college on an athletic scholarship for women’s flag football. “It’s so surreal. It doesn’t even feel real at this point,” Jennings said. “It’s such an amazing opportunity for me and I’m so thankful and blessed.” “She’s absolutely an icon,” Daly said. “I’m so proud of her, she’s paving the way for all the young girls.” On Wednesday, Staiti secured a third-place individual showing in the Mid-Wach girls’ golf championships at Quail Hollow in Oakham. Two days later, the Wachusett senior secured her first ever touchdown in a flag football game. “It’s my first year playing flag,” Staiti said, “and every time I dropped (a possible touchdown) I was like, ‘I’m saving one for Senior Night’ and now that I got one on Senior Night is just amazing.” Somer Staiti from Wachusett Regional High School tees off on the 16th hole May 20 at Quail Hollow Golf & Country Club in Oakham. Somer Staiti from Wachusett Regional High School tees off on the 16th hole May 20 at Quail Hollow Golf & Country Club in Oakham. Because girls’ flag football is currently not a sanctioned MIAA sport, Staiti and other high school athletes can compete in other spring sports while playing flag football. So, it was quite a week for Staiti, who also sang the national anthem pregame on Friday. “Just going from golf to flag is so cool,” said Staiti, who will compete in the North-Central-West sectional championship on May 26. “Like tomorrow, I’ll practice golf in the morning and today I got my first touchdown. I just love being able to have the opportunity to play so many sports with the people that I love.” Wachusett senior Somer Staiti (left) sings the National Anthem ahead of her team's flag football game on May 22, 2026 at Wachusett Regional High School. Wachusett senior Somer Staiti (left) sings the National Anthem ahead of her team's flag football game on May 22, 2026 at Wachusett Regional High School. With flag football set to make its Olympic debut at the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles, the sport continues its rise in popularity. Some hope the MIAA votes to make it a sanctioned varsity sport in this state. For Daly, she already has plans to bring flag football with her to college when she attends UMass-Amherst this fall. “I’m starting to see the growth and the future and seeing that it’s going beyond me or Jordan or anything we ever imagined,” said Wachusett coach Bridget D’Amelio, who is Jordan’s mother. “Now we have a whole new generation. There’s no stopping it. It’s like a train that’s going to keep on moving.” Wachusett girls' flag football senior captain Julia Daly reaches out the ball during her team's first win (of two games) on May 22, 2026 at Wachusett Regional High School. Wachusett girls' flag football senior captain Julia Daly reaches out the ball during her team's first win (of two games) on May 22, 2026 at Wachusett Regional High School. And Wachusett’s current conductors are Daly and Jennings. The two co-captains have put together some eye-popping stats this spring. Daly, a wide receiver and safety, has 628 receiving yards, 15 TDs, 9 extra points and 2 interceptions returned for a touchdown. Jennings, a WR and cornerback, has 420 receiving yards, 14 TDs, 7 extra points and 4 interceptions returned for a touchdown. Wachusett girls' flag football senior captain Maggie Jennings reaches forward during her team's game against Fitchburg on May 22, 2026 at Wachusett Regional High School. Wachusett girls' flag football senior captain Maggie Jennings reaches forward during her team's game against Fitchburg on May 22, 2026 at Wachusett Regional High School. “Julia’s been the heart of our flag family and Maggie’s just been the strength and the drive and the future,” Bridget D’Amelio said. The past, present and future of girls’ flag football (in this area) met at Wachusett Regional High School on Friday to celebrate the rapid rise of the sport — and their ascension to the top of the rankings. New England Patriots mascot “Pat the Patriot” and their cheerleaders were even on hand in Holden to celebrate. Wachusett is currently 12-2 and second in its conference. Wachusett will compete in the playoffs, which begin on June 4, and hopes to play for a championship on June 11 at Merrimack College. The Wachusett girls' flag football team poses for a picture ahead of their Senior Night on May 22, 2026 at Wachusett Regional High School. The Wachusett girls' flag football team poses for a picture ahead of their Senior Night on May 22, 2026 at Wachusett Regional High School. What a day, season and past few years it’s been for Wachusett girls’ flag football. With many more to come. “It has been crazy just seeing how much this sport can grow,” Daly said. “It means the world to me,” Jennings concluded.