Fitchburg Flag Football Teams Fly in Florida

FITCHBURG — Two youth flag football squads from Central Massachusetts turned a February trip to Orlando into a statement on the national stage. The Central Mass Gators 6U and 7U clubs competed at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex from Feb. 18-22 in the fourth annual Youth Flag Football World Championships, and both age groups left Florida with newfound respect for Massachusetts football.

The 7U Gators, captained by Lucas Queen and Ryder Loftin, shook off a slow start and steadied themselves behind vocal leadership that coach Brandon Hamilton credited for keeping the team locked into “sound Gator football” the rest of the way.

While the 7U group found its rhythm mid-tournament, the 6U team arrived at Disney already in high gear. Drawing opponents from Florida, Mexico, Kansas, Las Vegas, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Kentucky, the youngest Gators opened with a 3-1 record and secured the top seed among all Massachusetts programs in the Division 1 bracket.

Standout receiver Ezel Figueroa provided the offensive fireworks, while defensive catalyst Chase Burdett—described by teammates as a “speed demon”—helped limit opponents to just 32 points across the entire event. Their run ended in a 12-6 thriller against the nation’s top-ranked 6U squad, 32Sports, played before a packed house inside the complex.

“As a coach I couldn’t be more proud of these young men and these families,” Hamilton said. “We made strides this year and put a lot of people on notice as a program. We showed the world exactly why we are ranked one of the top 25 teams in the country.”

The Gators will celebrate the season during an awards ceremony today, March 1, at Game On in Fitchburg. Round-two tryouts for new players are scheduled there on Saturday, March 7, from 12:30 to 2 p.m.

The spring slate is equally ambitious: both teams enter the Worcester Invitational on March 15 at the College of the Holy Cross, the Spring Fling at Harvard Stadium on March 29, an AAU Jr. Olympics Qualifier, and the 7U squad has already punched its ticket to the 2026 AAU Junior Olympics in Des Moines, Iowa, slated for July 31.

For updates, follow Central Mass Flag Football on Facebook.