The Undefeated Ridgewood Girls Flag Football team heads to the State Championship
photos courtesy of Ridgewood Schools
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, The Ridgewood High School girls flag football team isn’t just winning games—they are establishing a historic sports dynasty.
Following a dominant 40-0 shutout victory against Harrison in the North-Central semifinals, the #FlagMaroons are officially heading into State Championship week. They will face off against Bayonne at Kean University at 7 p.m., looking to lock in their fourth consecutive state title.
With a perfect 16-0 record this season and a mind-boggling 62-2 overall record across their five program seasons, Ridgewood has not lost a single match to a New Jersey opponent since their inaugural 2022 season.
1. The Pioneer of the Dynasty: QB Penelope Pace
At the center of this unstoppable offense is junior quarterback Penelope Pace, a frontrunner for North Jersey Player of the Year.
Pace previously divided her athletic focus between track and flag football, but she chose to commit solely to the gridiron this spring. The gamble has paid off massively. In their recent matchup against Passaic Tech, the dual-threat QB had a direct hand in all six Maroon touchdowns.
“The reason I’m taking this seriously is because we are the standard. We are the pioneers. This is our 40th game in a row undefeated… we are the future of this sport, so let’s just ride with it.” — Penelope Pace, Ridgewood QB
Her impact stretches far beyond passing yards; Pace also serves as a critical asset on the defensive side of the ball, even locking down a 25-yard pick-six just minutes into a recent playoff game.
2. Leaving Historic Legacies Behind for the Gridiron
Ridgewood High School is traditionally known as a New Jersey lacrosse powerhouse, but the culture is shifting as flag football takes center stage.
Senior receiver Danielle DeNoy made the monumental decision to quit lacrosse to join the football squad as a freshman. Now a senior, she has the rare opportunity to finish her high school career with four straight state championship rings.
The team’s incredible rise caught the eye of the NFL, with the New York Jets previously producing an all-access documentary highlighting Ridgewood’s championship matchups at their Florham Park headquarters and MetLife Stadium.
3. An Elite Defense Allowing Just 3 Points Per Game
The Maroons’ offensive explosiveness is mirrored by a historically suffocating defense. Head Coach Mickey McDermott, a veteran defensive coordinator of Ridgewood’s traditional tackle football program, has built a defensive unit that allows an average of just 3.0 points per game.
This season alone, the starting defense has secured 10 on-field shutouts.
McDermott credits the team’s historic run to a rigid culture of accountability, film study, and weight training: “All the girls know the expectations of hard work… the whole team has bought into that process, and they know there’s no one left behind.”
The Future of NJ High School Sports
The timing of Ridgewood’s dominance couldn’t be more perfect. Club status for girls flag football officially concludes at the end of the 2025-26 school year, paving the way for the NJSIAA to officially sponsor the sport as a varsity staple starting in Spring 2027.
As the sport prepares to go mainstream across the state, the Maroons have already cemented themselves as the blueprint for every program that follows.
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