‘Season that never ends’: Commanders celebrate upcoming NFC Championship game, girls flag football at Clarksburg High

Washington's football team heads to contest for first time in 33 years

January 24, 2025 11:51 a.m. | Updated: January 24, 2025 3:25 p.m.

As former Washington Commanders players Josh Morgan and Rocky McIntosh walked to the center of the Clarksburg High School gym Friday morning, the air was alive with the cheers of students for two historic events: the NFL football team heading to the National Football Conference Championship game Sunday for the first time in 33 years and the Clarksburg girls flag football team winning the first-ever Maryland state championships in November.  

“This season is the season that never ends because all these great things are coming to us as a result of what these girls did,” Girls flag football head coach Kyle Landefeld told Bethesda Today. “This is just like the icing on the cake.”  

The Washington Commanders mascot, cheer team and former players came to the high school for a pep rally as the football team prepares to play its first NFC Championship game since 1991. The team faces off at 3 p.m. Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, with the winner headed to the Super Bowl.  

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For former Commanders wide receiver Josh Morgan, who was born and raised in Washington, D.C., the game was creating excitement and comradery in the D.C. area that harkened back to years past when the Commanders, then known as the Washington Redskins, won more consistently. But on Friday, Morgan was more excited to see the girl’s flag football team.  

“It’s an amazing group of girls,” Morgan said. “It’s gonna make my day a lot brighter.”  

Morgan said the celebration marked a full-circle moment for both teams. The transfer of ownership and rebranding for the Commanders that occurred last season felt very similar to the establishment this year of the first girls flag football teams in Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), Morgan said. 

In the fall, MCPS launched girls flag football as a pilot program. Adding the sport made MCPS one of four Maryland districts to add it to their roster of high school athletic teams while also providing county students an opportunity to participate in a typically male-dominated sport. In November, the Clarksburg High team went all the way to the first-ever state championships and won in a 21-12 victory over Boonsboro High School’s flag football team.  

Lauren Dommel, assistant head coach for girls flag football at Clarksburg, said the pep rally was exciting for the Commanders  to recognize the girls when the NFL team was headed to the playoffs. 

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“It’s huge that they are taking the time out of such a big weekend to come celebrate the girls,” Dommel said.  

The Friday morning pep rally included a touchdown dance competition, Commanders trivia and the unveiling of a special flag celebrating the championship win for the flag football team.  

  • Several girls pose with a flag that says "Congrats to the 2024 Maryland Girls Flag Football Champions"
  • Former Washington Commanders player Josh Morgan speaking to high schoolers
  • A group of people pose for a photo with signs that say "Fight for old DC"

Freshman Rahel Ambaye, a player on the girls flag football team, said the pep rally was an opportunity for all Clarksburg students to celebrate not only the girls flag football team, but the Commanders as well.  

For flag football player Somerlin Ford, the pep rally was a particularly “big deal” for the senior who last summer questioned whether she should even join the flag football team. 

“I’m excited for the next generation to see what they do,” Ford said. “And it’s really nice to see the Commanders come out and support us.”  

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