Calvary Day wins opening game at national flag tournament

Calvary Day turned its first trip to Canton into a statement, blanking Willowbrook from Illinois 29-0 in the opening game of the Unrivaled Flag High School Girls Nationals at Hall of Fame Village. One of only 22 teams invited nationwide, Calvary Day looked ready for a national field rather than a routine summer stop.

The tone changed almost immediately. Julianna Kitchen picked off a pass in the opening minute, and Page Stewart later uncorked a 66-yard throw that stretched Willowbrook and opened space for Calvary Day’s offense. Kitchen finished the opening game with a touchdown of her own, and the Cavaliers carried a 6-0 lead into halftime before the margin widened sharply in the second half.

Defense drove the breakout. Kitchen added a second interception, and Riley Grassi returned a pick for a touchdown in the third quarter as Calvary Day pulled away from a Willowbrook team that never found a way to answer.

The rest of the day was tougher. Calvary Day later fell to the Florida Stampede 26-14 and then lost its third game 13-6, a reminder that the national field punished even small mistakes. The opener gave the Savannah program an immediate proof point: its speed, defensive playmaking and ability to hit a big pass translated when the competition expanded beyond Georgia.

Calvary Day started girls flag football in 2020, won the inaugural Georgia High School Association Class 1A-5A state title that same year and finished 15-8 with a GHSA Elite Eight run in the 2025-26 season under Nick Grassi and Anna Barron. College coaches were in attendance at the 2nd Annual High School Girls Nationals.