South Kitsap’s female flag football athletes are back on the turf for a second consecutive winter season, and coach Cody McCulley hopes they’ll do so soon under a WIAA sanction.

For now, the Wolves’ club team is doing what it can just to move up in the South Puget Sound League’s rankings. Those efforts drew split results Dec. 10, losing in overtime to Yelm 23-21 before mercy ruling Sumner 32-0.

“I think we’re still finding out our identity,” McCulley said. “We have some things to work on as always, but happy with how the girls came back after suffering such a close loss.”

This year is about new faces mixing with the old, returning players like running back Gwyn Bridges and Reagan Dale who helped form last year’s inaugural team tasked with leading the program’s newest recruits.

The offense, quarterbacked by Eva Spencer, got off to slow starts in both contests. Yelm led the whole way before South Kitsap managed a second-half comeback to tie the game and force overtime. Yelm took the field for offense first and, in a shoot-out style of tiebreakers, converted two one-point conversions and failed a two-point conversion. The Wolves were unable to answer any of their three attempts, giving Yelm the win.

Defense was key when the offense started cold early in game two. A fumble in Sumner’s own endzone gave South Kitsap an early 2-0 lead, and Spencer would cap the Wolves’ fourth drive of the game with a passing touchdown to Bridges. Another endzone fumble by Sumner extended the lead again, and while a long touchdown run by Haylee Leibrandt would be called back for flag guarding, Spencer connected with Madilyn Aaenson in the back of the endzone for a last-second touchdown before halftime.

Boasting an 18-0 lead at the break, a Leibrandt interception on Sumner’s first drive set up Liah Lauifi for a rushing score. SK’s second and final drive of the half ended with another score courtesy of a Dale touchdown reception.