Bradley-Bourbonnais girls flag football takes 2nd at Bears tournament

Fresh off of a fourth-place finish at the inaugural IHSA State Finals last year, the Bradley-Bourbonnais girls flag football program made an early statement this week as a state contender yet again in 2025.

The Boilermakers took second place at the Chicago Bears’ Nike 7s competition hosted by Willowbrook High School on Monday and Tuesday. Scores were calculated by combining total points scored in six games with points allotted for finishes in individual skills competitions. The Boilers scored a total of 365 points, bested only by host Willowbrook’s 434.

Included in the 16-team field were all four state finalists from last year – defending champion Fremd, runner-up Guilford, third-place Young and the Boilers – as well as state qualifiers Lane Tech and Willowbrook, with all 13 of the 16 teams in the field earning regional titles last year.

Boilers head coach Tremaine Turner credited the lack of ego, even after last year’s tremendous season, for allowing them to find their summer stride before the season officially begins next month.

“This is a team; we go as the next person goes,” Turner said. “It’s that all-in concept we preach every time we’re together. We were able to channel our inner self and put that ego to the side.”

While the defense featured several seniors last year and they do have to replace all-state center Suttyn Hop on the offensive side, the Boilers are coming back with sophomore quarterback Elise Munsterman, junior running back Nevaeh Brown and junior receivers Amber Melchor, Kylie Stanek and Sophia Brandenburg.

With Brown away at the USA Track and Field Junior Olympics, junior wide receiver/defensive back Bristol Schriefer, junior defensive back Avery Moutrey and other softball-playing teammates away from the football team for softball and impact newcomer senior Nia Lawrence absent for soccer, the Boilers were able to have success despite entering the tournament severely short-handed.

Turner said that the way sophomore running back Maddie Walters stepped up with more than 300 yards in three games Tuesday was the perfect example to explain why this year’s depth can be a strong asset for the Boilers. And it’s also why the best is still yet to come.

“That says a lot about a girl who never really played and was on JV last year,” Turner said of Walters. “To tell her Nevaeh was out and you’re next up, she did exactly what we asked for and more. ... When you look at it like that, we have so many girls that are multisport athletes and have family obligations, so it’s just a matter of getting them together.”

As second-place finishers, the team was awarded $1,000 from the Bears to go toward the program. The Bears also made it so that no schools would need to pay for anything, covering meals and water and providing all players with new shirts and other gear.

“It’s amazing,” Turner said. “They went above and beyond for us.”