By Breven Honda

The rise in girls flag football has taken another step, especially in the state of Nevada.

Virgin Valley’s Ari Easton signs to play flag football at Nevada State College. (Photo courtesy Damon Jackson, Desert Damon)

Ari Easton, who recently graduated from Virgin Valley High School, has committed to be part of the first women’s flag football team at Nevada State University in Henderson.

“I think it’s really cool when you go watch her, because you can be close to home,” Virgin Valley high school girls flag football coach Joey Bowler said. “I think she has a shot to be on a team that the sky’s the limit.

“She’ll give you 110%. She’ll give you everything she’s got and more. Just a hard, hard worker, super smart, very intelligent about the game.”

Over the course of three varsity seasons under Bowler, Easton compiled 128 tackles, while setting state records with 47 career interceptions as well as 25 interceptions in her junior season alone.

Offensively, Easton caught 107 passes for 1,644 yards and 39 touchdowns, giving her the chance to play a role on both sides of the ball.

Her senior season was unlike the previous two. It started out memorably before a bump in the road. However, she finished off the season in storybook fashion, being on the field at Allegiant Stadium for the state championship.

Through the team’s first seven games, Easton had 26 receptions for 357 yards and 10 touchdowns while adding 204 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Defensively, Easton recorded 33 tackles with nine interceptions.

However, after that game in mid-December, she would be sidelined with a fractured tibia, not knowing if her season would be over.

But she told Bowler that she would be ready to play no matter what, as long as her teammates got to the playoffs.

“When you lose your best player, you know that’s tough,´ he said of Easton, who is still not 100% healed from the tibia injury. “I’m proud of the girls, because they rallied and did what they did without Ari, who’s their leader on defense. She said, ‘I don’t know if I’ll be back for the season. I guarantee you want to be back for the playoffs then state.’

“I’m like, ‘Oh, okay, take this thing is one at a time.’ But she was pretty adamant.”

However, as the weeks rolled on, Virgin Valley continued to rack up wins and Easton still played an active role, despite not suiting up.

“She watches film, she studies the other team’s tendencies, she moves girls around,” Bowler said. “She’s just a leader on the field.”

As the playoffs rolled along and about eight weeks after initially suffering the injury, the team was able to figure out what she could do to be an integral piece on the gridiron.

Easton was able to play offense, but not defense, due to pain tolerance when running forward versus backwards.

However, in the 3A State Championship game inside Allegiant Stadium, Easton caught two passes for 34 yards and a touchdown, in addition to having two scores that were called back as Virgin Valley defeated Boulder City 19-6.

“I’m proud of Ari. I know if she works hard in college like she did in high school, she’s going to be very, very successful,” Bowler said. 

As a result, Nevada State University is getting a player in Easton, who has won three straight state championships.

Women’s flag football will be one of two sports the university is starting first, along with men’s track and field. Competition for both sports is slated to begin in Spring 2026. Nevada State will be independent and not be affiliated with a conference as the athletics department continues to evolve.