U.S. MEN'S AND WOMEN'S FLAG FOOTBALL NATIONAL TEAMS ADVANCE TO GOLD MEDAL GAMES AT THE WORLD GAMES IN BIRMINGHAM, ALA.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (July 13, 2022) – The 2022 U.S. Men’s and Women’s Flag Football National Teams won in semifinal action at The World Games 2022 in Birmingham, Ala., on Wednesday night to advance to Thursday’s Gold Medal Games.
The U.S. played Austria in men’s and women’s semifinal play Wednesday. The U.S Men’s Team won 54-19 and the U.S. Women won 36-32.
The Men’s Gold Medal Game will feature the U.S. (5-0) and Italy (3-2) at 7:10 p.m. CT Thursday, followed by the Women’s Gold Medal Game between the U.S. (5-0) and Mexico (5-0) at 8:10 p.m. CT. The Women’s game is a rematch of the 2021 International Federation of American Football Flag World Championship Gold Medal Game last December in Jerusalem, Israel, with the U.S. winning 31-21.
Scroll below for Wednesday’s U.S. Women’s and Men’s game recaps and U.S. Flag National Team rosters.
Wednesday, July 13
U.S. Women’s Flag, The World Games 2022
United States 36, Austria 32
For the third time in five games in Birmingham, the U.S. Women came through in the final minute to pull-out a heart-stopping victory. This time it was a 36-32 come-from-behind (twice) win over Austria (3-2) to advance to Thursday’s Gold Medal Game against Mexico.
Behind the laser-sharp passing of QB SASKIA STRIBRNY, Austria’s offense was a problem for the U.S. The relaxed drop-back passer was 8-of-12 passing with 2 TDs before the U.S. recorded a first down, jumping to a 13-0 lead. QB VANITA KROUCH (Carrollton, Texas) then responded with five consecutive completions, three going to WR SHENIEKA ADGER-COMICE (Sun City Center, Fla.), including a 3-yard TD pass.
Undeterred, Austria scored on its first three possessions to open a 19-7 lead with 2:00 left in the first half, ultimately extending it to 32-22 on Stribrny’s fifth TD pass with 10:00 to go, putting the Americans between the Alps and a hard place. Stribrny was a brilliant 29-of-40 passing with 5 TDs and one interception, which came on a Hail Mary to end the first half.
Down by 10 with 10 minutes left and no margin for error, Krouch blistered Austria with five consecutive completions, the fifth being a 6-yard TD pass to WR JOANN OVERSTREET (Lewisville, Texas) to cut the U.S. deficit to 32-28. Krouch connected with Overstreet again for the 1-point PAT, making the score 32-29 with 7:15 to go.
Austria’s Stribrny went back to work with a three-point lead, marching her team down the field from her own 5-yard line to the U.S. 6 where on third-and-goal, Overstreet came up big again to deflect a would-be TD from her defensive back position, setting up a 4th-and-goal. Tight coverage and a charging U.S. rusher in MARIAH GEARHART (Orlando, Fla.) forced a poor throw that bounced to the turf for an Austrian turnover on downs with 3:30 remaining and the U.S. still trailing, 36-32.
The U.S. had the Legion Field crowd on its feet when it took the lead on the ensuing drive’s second play as Krouch reared back from the U.S. 12 for a deep corner route to her center, DELIAH AUTRY (Tampa, Fla.). Autry broke open on the out route, catching the ball in stride at the Austrian 15 and kept her balance on a tightrope down the sideline for a TD and a 35-32 lead, which was extended to 36-32 on a successful 1-point PAT, also on a Krouch-to-Autry connection.
Just as big as her catch was the balancing act to get into the endzone, seemingly a blade of turf away from stepping out of bounds when turning up-field. “So, you know what’s funny? Everybody – every time I get the ball – they tell me that I fall on the ground, so when I got the ball, everybody was saying, ‘Oh, I was scared you were going to fall,’ and I said, ‘Not today, Satan!’ I knew I had to get in, so I was a little more aware of the sideline than I usually am.”
Austria had a last-gasp try to win in the game’s final seconds, moving the ball from their own 5-yard line to the U.S. 8 with :07 left, trailing 36-32. Stribny’s 40th pass of the game was thrown in the middle of the U.S. endzone to a sea of American and Austrian hands, only to bounce off the bunched players and fall to the ground as the clock hit 0:00.
“Oh, Austria is a great team,” said a relived Comice postgame. The 5-8 receiver caught 8 passes for two TDs along with a 1-point (5-yard) PAT catch. “They are fine-tuned. Now we’ve got to get ready for Mexico. They’re a very fast team, a fast-paced team. Mexico will take shots – quick shots – so we just got to get our mind ready for the game and go for gold.”
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Wednesday, July 13
U.S. Men’s Flag, The World Games 2022
United States 54, Austria 19
A race car powered by jet fuel driving downhill would have struggled to keep up with the U.S. Men on Wednesday night. The Americans were fast and on-point in a 54-19 semifinal win over Austria and will face Italy Thursday at 7:10 p.m. CT for The World Games’ first goal medal in flag football.
With the U.S. ahead 14-7 midway through the first half, U.S. DB AAMIR BROWN (Philadelphia, Pa.) drew the first turnover to loosen Austria’s wheels. Brown notched his first of two interceptions on a first-and-20 play from the Austria 5-yard line when sprinting to make an over-the-shoulder catch 45 yards downfield in the U.S. end zone. The Americans converted Brown’s pick into a TD when QB DARRELL “HOUSH” DOUCETTE (New Orleans, La.) completed an out route to WR JOHNNY REMBERT (Miami, Fla.) on the Austrian 7 where Rembert evaded two defenders and bounded over the goal line. Followed by a successful 2-point PAT on a 10-yard Doucette rush, the U.S. went ahead 22-7. Austria responded with a 6-play TD drive to trim the U.S. advantage to 22-13 with 2:50 left in the first half but would get no closer. The U.S. drove to a commanding 36-13 lead at the half.
Doucette was near-perfect against a tall and athletic Austrian defense, completing 12 of 14 passes for 258 yards and 6 TDs without an interception on the 50-yard field. Committed to the deep ball tonight, four of his completions went for 40-plus yards while three of his 6 TDs were hauled in by the speedy Rembert. Receivers BRUCE MAPP (Carrollton, Texas), LAVAL DAVIS (Jacksonville, Fla.), DAVID PRICE (Callahan, Fla.) and LADERRICK “PABLO” SMITH (Pompano Beach, Fla.) scored the remaining U.S. touchdowns, with Smith playing QB on the TD pass to Price.
“We saw their corners biting down early,” said Doucette, “If they’re going to invite us to beat them over the top, that we’ll beat them over the top. If they were to play back, we’d take the short stuff. We’ll take what they give us and keep moving the ball. We trust in each other to make plays.”
Three of the Americans’ seven TD drives consisted of one play, two of which covered 45 yards after beginning on the U.S. 5-yard line, which in lieu of kickoffs is where a possession begins by rule. The other one-play scoring drive spanned 17 yards following Brown’s second interception on the night.
“Our team is special, offensively and defensively,” said U.S. Men’s Head Coach and former U.S. Flag National Team QB JORGE CASCUDO (Miami, Fla.). “This is one of the top defensive teams we’ve had in a long time in the U.S. National Team program. This was a perfect game on both sides of the ball and I’m hoping it continues through the championship.”
Added U.S. defensive back and co-captain FRANKIE SOLOMON, JR. (Dallas, Texas), “We’re just clicking on all cylinders. Guys are trusting in each other. Guys are out here having fun. Football is about being relaxed and having a good time.”
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Scoring updates for the U.S. Flag National Teams’ games throughout The World Games are posted on Instagram at @usnft. Media and fans also may follow both U.S. Flag National Teams through July 14 on Twitter at @usnft.com.
The World Games 2022 (July 7-17) feature the 16 best flag football national teams on the globe, marking the first time that flag is part of an international, multi-sport event. U.S. Flag National Teams are built and managed by USA Football, the sport’s national governing body and a member of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee. All competing national teams are members of the International Federation of American Football (IFAF), comprised of 72 nations across five continents. IFAF is a provisional member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
The World Games, supported by the IOC, are held every four years and feature of 30 of the fastest-growing sports in the world. More than 3,500 athletes from approximately 100 countries are in Birmingham this week.
The World Games’ flag football schedules, results, and statistics reside at www.twg2022.com/results.
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2022 U.S. Women’s Flag National Team Roster
Jersey #; Player Name; Position; Height; Weight; Age; City of Residence
No. 1; Joann Overstreet; WR/DB; 5’5”; 130; 39; Lewisville, Texas
No. 2; Mariah Gearhart; Rusher/WR; 5’8”; 130; 33; Orlando, Florida
No. 4; Vanita Krouch; QB; 5’5”; 143; 42; Carrollton, Texas
No. 6; Sheneika Adger-Comice; WR/DB; 5’8”; 160; 34; Sun City Center, Florida
No. 8; Nadia Bibbs; WR/DB; 5’7”; 134; 37; Houston, Texas
No. 12; Ashley Whisonant; WR/DB; 5’6”; 150; 25; Woodbridge, Virginia
No. 13; Deliah Autry; WR/DB; 5’5”; 130; 27; Tampa, Florida
No. 14; Mary Kate Bula; DB/Rusher; 5’4”; 125; 28; Charlotte, North Carolina
No. 15; Ayanna Pate ; WR/DB; 5’4”; 150; 29; Riverview, Florida
No. 16; Michelle Roque; WR/QB; 5’4”; 120; 28; Pompano Beach, Florida
No. 27; Crystal Winter; Rusher; 5’3”; 130; 38; Delray Beach, Florida
No. 69; Crystal Daniels; WR/DB; 5’5”; 140; 30; Houston, Texas
Head Coach: Chris Lankford; Dallas, Texas
2022 U.S. Men’s Flag National Team Roster
Jersey #; Player Name; Position; Height; Weight; Age; City of Residence
No. 1; Bruce Mapp; WR/DB; 6’1”; 220; 28; Carrollton, Texas
No. 2; Johnny Rembert; WR/DB; 5’11”; 198; 26; Miami, Florida
No. 3; Jordan Oquendo; DB/WR; 5’10”; 145; 29; Spring Hill, Florida
No. 4; Laval Davis; WR; 5’11”; 185; 29; Jacksonville, Florida
No. 5; Dezmin Lewis; WR; 6’4”; 225; 29; Melissa, Texas
No. 7; Darrell Doucette; QB; 5’7”; 140; 32; New Orleans, Louisiana
No. 11; Aamir Brown; WR/DB; 5’9”; 175; 25; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
No. 14; Laderrick “Pablo” Smith; WR/Rusher; 5’10; 155; 25; Pompano Beach, Florida
No. 15; Frankie Solomon; DB/WR; 5’10; 205; 35; Dallas, Texas
No. 21; James Calhoun; DB/WR; 5’11”; 200; 33; Riverside, California
No. 22; David Price; DB/WR; 6’0”; 215; 30; Callahan, Florida
No. 24; Geoffrey Bryan; Rusher/C; 5’7”; 155; 35; Opa Locka, Florida
Head Coach: Jorge Cascudo; Miami, Florida
Assistant Coach: Patrick Alley; Richardson, Texas
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