DANVILLE — In the midst of a season of firsts, the Danville High School Flag Football team is set to achieve yet another one.
The Vikings will host their inaugural jamboree today from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Wayland-Young Athletic Complex and Ned Whitesell Field.
Danville is coming off a 20-8 win over Urbana on Wednesday at Whitesell Field and have won their last three games in its first season.
“The season is going great,” Danville co-head coach Taylor Williams said. “We played a lot of great teams and different varieties of how teams play and what to look forward to in the upcoming years as well as what our program can develop. We have developed amazingly and we just tell to go out and learn and have fun.”
Senior players like Amara McFarland, Nickiya Shields, Jazzmine Williams, Imonee Hubbard, Ta’Ziyah Smith and Jhakira Harris have set the groundwork for the team this season. Shields had two touchdowns in Wednesday’s game.
“We have some really talented seniors and we are saddened that they are going to go after the season,” Williams said. “But they have set the tone for the younger class about how to be a leader and do what you have to do.”
The idea of a jamboree was planned when the team was started and Williams said it is a chance to see teams that they may face down the road.
I think our biggest thing was to get enough games to get into the state series, but the turnout has become great,” Williams said. “A lot of teams want to play different teams because they are developing and learning new things. The experience is great and to have eight to nine teams is exciting. You get to see different level and different teams and how they play, so we are excited.”
The nine teams are split into three pools: Danville, Peoria Manual and Urbana will be in the Silva Pool. Peoria High, Bradley-Bourbonnais and Belleville East are in the Zavala Pool and Peoria Richwoods, Belleville West and Kankakee will be in the Eberflus Pool.
The day starts at 10 a.m. with Danville re-matching with Urbana at Wayland-Young and Peoria High playing Bradley-Bourbonnais at Whitesell Field. At 11 a.m., Belleville West will play Peoria Richwoods at Wayland-Young, while Peoria Manual will take on Urbana at Whitesell Field. Peoria High will play Belleville East at noon at Wayland-Young, while Kankakee and Peoria Richwoods will play at Whitesell Field. Belleville West will take on Kankakee at 1 p.m. at Wayland-Young, while Belleville East will take on Bradley-Bourbonnais at Whitesell Field. Danville will finish the tournament at 2 p.m. against Peoria Manual at Whitesell Field.
“It’s fun because we get to play on grass and turf, so we get to figure it out,” Williams said. “We haven’t played Manual yet and we are glad to play them. The Peoria teams seem to always be the toughest teams around, so we are going to see how Manual plays because we don’t know who we will play in the state series.”
With some teams playing the game a couple of years ahead, Williams hopes that it will be a chance to observe and help the Vikings catch up quickly.
“Coach (Bryan) Simmons and I are always about what the other teams are doing because some of them have been around for three years and they know what they are doing. We are always looking for new ideas to look forward to,” Williams said. “I want people to come out and see what Flag Football is all about. I want them to see what it has done for young ladies who have never played a sport before.”
Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for students with a High School ID and Senior Citizens are admitted for free. Spectators will receive a wristband upon payment of admission, granting them access to both venues.