In windy and wet conditions, Sequim’s girls varsity flag football team won the school’s first ever home games in their inaugural season.

The Wolves defeated Klahowya 28-14 and Port Angeles 35-6 in the doubleheader on Dec. 18 with the win over the Eagles avenging a big 35-6 loss the week prior.

Head Coach Kathleen Rose said they went back to work the next day after the loss discussing ways to minimize scores against them and how best to take the Eagles down.

While Klahowya scored first in the contest, Sequim’s Ruby Moxley-Horgan responded to even the game with a rushing touchdown, followed by an interception by Stella Dennis for the Wolves. Senior Kiley Winter came up big for the Wolves with three touchdowns each in both games.

Asked about the wins, Winter said she’s proud of how they worked so well as a team.

“We’ve come so far in just connecting, and it feels really great to just be showing everybody that we’re winning,” she said.

Against the Roughriders, Winter scored three straight touchdowns for the Wolves to open the game, and she recorded a sack.

Sydney Thomas-Harris also threw a touchdown pass to Lily Sparks for another score — the duo share quarterbacking duties — and Thomas-Harris threw a second score to Raimey Brewer.

Sequim made a safety on Port Angeles late in the game too.

With games on break for winter break, Sequim is 5-1 and in first place in the Olympic League.

They’re set to play in Bremerton on Jan. 8 against Kingston and Olympic, and they’ll next host games Jan. 29 (against Bainbridge and Bremerton) on Myron Teterud’s Field.

Rose said the girls will practice a few times during break to ensure they keep moving.

Photo by Emily Matthiessen/ Ruby Moxley-Horgan tries to avoid her flag being pulled during a match-up with Port Angeles.

Growth mindset

Girls flag football was sanctioned by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) representative assembly in August, and approved locally as an official high school sport by the Sequim School District’s board of directors in November a few weeks before practices were tentatively set to begin.

Sequim’s last sanctioned sport was girls bowling in the 2001-2002 school year; the WIAA had sanctioned it in 1999.

There was a large interest from girls in Sequim High School to play leading to the formation of varsity and junior varsity squads.

Players admitted there was a learning curve about the sport, but Rose said their growth has been substantial with fewer questions about rules and more about strategy, such as clock management and in-game situations.

“It’s gotten so much better,” Winter said of players’ understanding of flag football. “We’ve all grown and learned the game so much more. We’ve made a lot of progress.”

Rose said it was important for the girls to play home games at their home stadium, and they advocated for playing there rather than on turf somewhere else.

“That was important to them,” she said.

As mentioned, girls are playing multiple positions throughout a game, such as quarterback, running back or receiver, but depending on the play that can change.

“We have plays where running backs and receivers throw on reversals,” Rose said. “Our goal is to get everyone involved.”

Winter said the team is gelling well in its communication and offense.

“I think that we all know what each other’s moves are,” she said.

Sequim players surround a Port Angeles player on Dec. 18 during a windy and rainy game.

Sydney Thomas-Harris receives the ball as Lily Sparks (6) and Kiley Winter, in background, await the play to commence against Port Angeles on Dec. 18 in Sequim.