U.S. MEN’S AND WOMEN’S FLAG FOOTBALL NATIONAL TEAMS WIN OPENING GAMES TO BEGIN THE WORLD GAMES 2022 IN BIRMINGHAM, ALA.

U.S. Flag National Teams earn a combined 3-0 record to open The World Games

The 2022 U.S. Men’s and Women’s Flag Football National Teams went undefeated Sunday, July 10, on the first day of Group play at The World Games 2022 in Birmingham, Ala. The World Games features the world’s 16 best flag football national teams from July 10-14, 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 71 nations across six continents. IFAF is a provisional member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The U.S. Women’s Flag National Team defeated Panama (31-25) and Austria (27-21) Sunday and will face France at 6 p.m. ET/5 p.m. CT Monday, July 11, to conclude Group play.

The U.S. Men’s Flag National Team defeated France, 38-13, Sunday and on Monday will play Panama at 4 p.m. ET/3 p.m. CT and Denmark at 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT to conclude its Group play schedule. 

Scroll below today’s game recaps to view U.S. Men’s and Women’s Flag National Teams rosters.

Scoring updates for the U.S. Flag National Teams’ games throughout The World Games will be posted on Instagram at @usnft. Media and fans also may follow both U.S. Flag National Teams through Thurs., July 14 on Twitter at @usnft.com.

Flag games will be livestreamed on CBSSports.com for The World Games’ flag semifinals (Wed., July 13) and Medal Games (Thurs., July 14). 

The World Games’ flag football schedules, results, and statistics reside here. 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 to compete in the 11-day event (July 7-17).

Sunday, July 10

U.S. Women’s Flag, The World Games 2022

United States 31, Panama 25

Stretching all of her 5-foot-5-inch frame in mid-air with clutch hands for the game’s final TD catch, U.S. wide receiver JOANN OVERSTREET (Lewisville, Texas) helped lead the Americans to a 31-25 opening game victory against Panama. Overstreet led all receivers with 10 catches for three touchdowns and a one-point PAT conversion.

With the score tied 25-25 with 7:50 remaining in regulation, Overstreet pulled down the go-ahead TD with a toe-tapping catch in the back of the end zone on a critical 4th and goal play from the Panama 14-yard line. The catch was the United States’ only second half score after forging a 25-19 lead at halftime.

In the first half, U.S. quarterback VANITA KROUCH (Carrollton, Texas) sliced through the Panama defense on 16 of 19 passing for 4 TDs on the 50-yard flag field. The Panamanian squad tightened its grip in the second stanza, limiting Krouch to 8 of 15 passing with one TD, which was the game-winner to Overstreet.

The U.S. never trailed but was deadlocked with Panama twice in the first half (6-6 and 12-12) and once more in the second half (25-25) before the third Krouch-to-Overstreet TD connection placed them ahead for good.

“The toe-tap is something I’ve been practicing for a long time,” said a jubilant Overstreet about her game-winning TD. “I just knew that when I got that foot down, it was going in – that it was good.

“We’re just excited to be here in Alabama – it’s been a long time coming for this moment,” added Overstreet. “We were just ready to go – we were fired up.”

U.S. defensive back AYANNA PATE (Riverview, Fla.) posted the first of two interceptions for the U.S. defense midway through the first half, stopping Panama for the first time in the game with the U.S. ahead 18-12. Pate picked the Panama QB at midfield and returned it to the Panama 2, leading to a short TD pass from Krouch to Overstreet for a 25-12 U.S. lead. U.S. WR/DB ASHLEY WHISONANT (Woodbridge, Va.) made a leaping interception on the U.S. 2-yard line to stifle a Panama scoring threat on the second half’s first drive.

Krouch threw the first TD pass of The World Games with a 1-yard toss to SHENIEKA ADGER-COMICE (Sun City Center, Fla.). She also stuck the Panama endzone on an 18-yard pass to CRYSTAL DANIELS (Houston, Texas).

 

United States 27, Austria 21

Trailing Austria 21-20 with 54 seconds remaining, the U.S. Women hit paydirt on a fourth-and-goal play from Austria’s five-yard line on a left corner route deep in the endzone from VANITA KROUCH (Carrollton, Texas) to JOANN OVERSTREET (Lewisville, Texas) for a thrilling 27-21 victory to end the first of two days of Group play with a 2-0 record at The World Games.

Despite stopping Austria’s first two drives with interceptions by defensive backs MARY KATE BULA (Charlotte, N.C.) and ASHLEY WHISONANT (Woodbridge, Va.), the Americans trailed 14-7 at halftime. That’s when the U.S. Women’s Team got on track, outscoring Austria 20-7 in the second half.

“The (second half) rhythm happened when we stopped thinking and started reacting,” said Krouch, who finished the game on 22-of-30 passing – completing 13 of her 15 pass attempts in the second half – with four TDs in the game. “We got into the huddle and I didn’t have to talk too much.”

Fueling the comeback was Bula’s second interception of the game in the U.S. end zone to shut down an Austrian scoring threat on a 2nd-down-and-goal play at the U.S. 2-yard line, keeping the score 14-14 early in the second half.

“In a possession that close to the goal line it’s always tough,” Bula said. “I knew the ball was going to come out fast, so I took the first receiver who came to me and went with it.”

Krouch’s favorite second-half target was WR SHENIKA ADGER-COMICE (Sun City Center, Fla.). In the second half alone, Comice caught four passes – two for TDs – to go with a pair on one-point PATs from the Austrian 5-yard line. She also caught one pass in the first half.

WR CRYSTAL DANIELS (Houston, Texas) gave Austria fits as well with six receptions for 79 receiving yards.

“The team stuck together when there was adversity,” said U.S. Women’s Head Coach CHRIS LANKFORD (Dallas, Texas). “They dug down deep. They dug down and they did what they needed do to.”

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Sunday, July 10

U.S. Men’s Flag, The World Games 2022

United States 38, France 13

A smothering defense with a dizzying rotation of laser-sharp quarterbacks propelled the U.S. Men to a 38-13 win against France in the Americans’ lone game on Sunday night in Birmingham.

Deflating the French offense was a fierce defensive rush, led by two first-half sacks and several disruptive QB pressures by U.S. rusher GEOFF BRYAN (Opa Locka, Fla.), which helped the U.S. race to a 20-0 lead. Flag rushers stand seven yards from the line of scrimmage, running unimpeded to the quarterback. Fellow American defenders JORDAN OQUENDO (Spring Hill, Fla.) and LAVAL DAVIS (San Antonio, Texas) both tallied a sack on the night as well.

“I came in with a plan,” Bryan said, “I stayed focused and took away the inside lane – (the French quarterback) was right-handed, so I went after the hip that he gave me. It was very exciting. I have my kids, a lot of family and friends cheering me on here in Birmingham. I’ve been playing the game for 18 years – we’re finally on the main stage and here I am. I’m so happy to be here.”

Five U.S. players threw a pass Sunday night with two of them throwing a total of six touchdowns – DARRELL “HOUSH” DOUCETTE (4) of New Orleans and LADERRICK “PABLO” SMITH (2) of Pompano Beach, Fla. The U.S. Men scored TDs on five of their first six possessions to seize a 38-6 lead. Smith also caught a pair of TD passes in addition to throwing for a pair. U.S. receiver BRUCE MAPP (Carrollton, Texas) hauled in two TD receptions on the night as well.

“The athletes that we have at quarterback are two-way players – they’re receivers and quarterbacks,” said U.S. Men’s Head Coach JORGE CASCUDO (Miami, Fla.). “So, we’re showing something now in this tournament that not many teams have seen before. We have quarterbacks that bring another dimension to our offense.”

“My teammates put me in a good position today,” said Smith. “I just let the game come to me. My teammates trust in me, I trust in myself and we made it happen. It’s very exciting to be here and I’m glad to be playing for Team USA.”

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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; San Antonio, Texas

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; Hemet, California

No. 22; David Price; DB/WR; 6’0”; 215; 30; Baldwin, 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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