FORT PIERCE, Fla. — Two Fort Pierce Central High School seniors are being nationally recognized for their flag football talent on the gridiron while turning the flag football program into a powerhouse.
Quarterback Adrienne Rivera and linebacker Joselyn Rosas share the same football field at the school.
"When I was really young, around three, I played soccer. I didn't really like it," Rivera said. "My brother played football for a very long time and I was always there, just with him and I wanted to try it out."
Rivera recalls her first practice with coach Nick Clements and how she made the varsity team.
"I went back there and threw a go ball, and they were like wow she can throw," Rivera said.
Now, Rivera is one of 32 players in the country to be running for the prestigious Maxwell Award for National Flag Football Player of the Year. Rivera was nominated by the Miami Dolphins, with the NFL choosing the winner of the award.
Joselyn Rosas started playing flag football in 8th grade.
"I just started playing and ever since then I've been in love with it,” Rosas said.
When the two girls started at Fort Pierce Central, the flag football program was a hardly known as a flag football program, according to Rivera.
"Originally when I got to Central, I heard that the past season when I was in 8th grade, that Central was like 2-12," Rivera said.
The duo was quick to prove themselves, with Rosas having 100 tackles and six interceptions in her junior campaign, and Rivera completing 67% of her passes for more than 4,000 yards and 67 touchdowns.
Now, the two players were selected to play in the first-ever Under Amour Next Girls All-America Game.
"It was really cool getting to play against some of the best players in the country," Rivera said.
The All-American athletes say their goal for their final high school season is a state title.
