DANVILLE — Ever since she was 4 years old, Danville junior Lindsay Porter has been a competitive swimmer.
That changed this year as Porter decided to join the Vikings first-ever flag football team.
On Saturday, Porter caught four touchdown passed from freshman Kali Bacys, three in the championship game victory over Peoria Manual as Danville claimed the Silva Pool in the Inaugural Girls Flag Football Jamboree at Danville High School.
“It was hard at first, trying to juggle both,’’ Porter said. “I don’t plan on swimming after high school and I was looking for a new opportunity, a new start. I’m a junior and I have one more year. This is my time to have fun and I’m definitely having fun with flag football.’’
It obviously doesn’t hurt when the team is able to win its first-ever home tournament, beating Urbana 20-8 Saturday morning at the Wayland-Young Athletic Complex and following that a 26-8 win over Manual in the championship game at Ned Whitesell Field.
“This is very special for all of us being the first flag football team at our school and winning on our new, home field,’’ Porter said. “It’s a great memory that we will all have forever.’’
In addition to the three touchdown passes from Bacys to Porter, the Vikings also got an 83-yard touchdown run from senior Nickiya Shields, who eluded defenders with a sideways shuffle at midfield before turning on her state track speed.
“It took a while to get chemistry on offense, probably three of four games ago, but once we’ve hit our stride I feel like everyone has their niche where they can be beneficial to the offense,’’ said Danville coach Bryan Simmons. “Lindsay is one of those options. She can outside or inside and she has the ability to jump up over defenders and snatch that ball out of the air.’’
In the first game on Saturday, Jada Bell and Wisdom Lipscomb also had touchdown receptions for the Vikings.
While defensively, Danville held both of its opponents to just one score and during the Vikings current five-game winning streak, they have given up just 24 points.
“You can see the growth of these girls since the start of the season,’’ Danville coach Taylor Williams said. “I’ve been telling them to be patient, let’s see what they are going to do.
“It’s taken them a minute to see it, before they get beat. But they have been taking their time, watching it, talking to each other, playing as a team and getting it done on defense.’’
In other competition on Saturday, Kankakee claimed the title in the Eberflus Pool, while Bradley-Bourbonnais won the Zavala Pool.
Danville is idle until this Saturday when it travels to Joliet for games against Joliet West and Tinley Park Andrew.
Danville 26, Peoria Manual 8
Manual 8 0 — 8
Danville 12 14 — 26
First half
Danville — Lindsay Porter 2-yard pass from Kali Bacys (pass failed)
Danville — Porter 21-yard pass from Bacys (run failed)
Manual — Makya Maxwell 15-yard pass from Sincere Wesley (Wesley run)
Second half
Danville — Nickiya Shields 83-yard run (Amara McFarland pass from Bacys)
Danville — Porter 13-yard pass from Bacys (pass failed)