Sep. 3 -- An 11th-hour coaching change isn't generally what you want in a program, but it appears the Flathead flag football squad isn't going away
Jess Hensley, a teacher at Edgerton, was highly interested in the sport when it hit Montana high schools in 2022. She was due to have her son, though, and the timing wasn't right.
Now she's coaching the Bravettes, but not in the longtime-assistant-moves-up sort of way. She got the call 4-5 days before practice was due to start.
"Instead, I just cannon-balled right in," she said. "My two qualifications are that I'm into the business of human beings; I teach third graders.
"My second is I am a big football enthusiast. I get so fired up on Sundays for the Dallas Cowboys."
Hensley quickly assembled a staff of three: Herself, defensive coordinator Carl Hennell, who teaches at Flathead, and health and wellness coach Nikki Randall from Logan Health.
"We put quite the dream team together," said Hensley, whose season begins in earnest Wednesday, with game in Butte against the Bulldogs and Missoula Big Sky.
This past Saturday Legends Stadium was host to a jamboree that included Flathead, three-time state champion Glacier, Hamilton, and Missoula schools Hellgate, Sentinel and Big Sky.
Things went swimmingly, Hensley said.
"I feel like we did a great job for two weeks of practice," she said. "We have 16 returnees to the program, which is exciting."
Among them is quarterback Julia Kay, a 5-foot-11 senior. On Saturday she threw a pass 42 yards in the air, completing a go route. "She has an arm," Hensley said. "She's a great leader."
Among the receivers is newcomer Hannah Cantrell, a senior who caught seven passes in eight targets Saturday, and sophomore Makenna Korf, who had three interceptions on defense, two of them pick-6s.
Senior Norah Armstrong will play running back, though a broken finger may sideline her for an undetermined amount of time.
Soraya Warden is a leader up front as another senior.
Freshman Lexi Herion, who stands 6-1, played free safety Saturday and made a pair of interceptions. Senior Olivia Clark is another standout in the defensive backfield.
Missing action is senior Casi Clemons, a senior who suffered a torn ACL playing lacrosse. She's a "peer player advisor," in Hansley's words, and at every practice.
In all 38 athletes came out for the Bravettes, who played in the first two state championships before coming up short of last year's title game.
"It's like they have a chip on their shoulder," Hensley said. "Glacier has been setting the standard for flag football for a couple years."
The Bravettes have been right there and own some regular-season wins over the Pack. Hensley sees a healthy, respectful rivalry continuing. They want that elusive state title.
"It shows in practice," Hensley said. "They're working really hard."