Delaney Fifield has been waiting a long time to celebrate in the end zone.
An eighth grader on the Frontier Middle School football team, the tight end has been playing since she was in fourth grade but hadn’t yet recorded a touchdown.
That was until Wednesday’s season opener against Pioneer. Lined up on the left side of the line of scrimmage with the ball around the Pioneer 10-yard-line during the first quarter, Fifield released into her route for a passing play. She beat the linebacker up the seam and separated from the safety, with right-handed quarterback Kaden James rolling to his left and firing a pass into the end zone.
Fifield came up with the tough catch in traffic, gaining six points for her team and becoming the first female in Frontier history to score a touchdown.
“That was a huge accomplishment for me,” Fifield said. “I hope I can go far with this sport and this little milestone makes me want to work harder. It’s a huge confidence boost but it just makes me want to keep getting better.”
When the play call came in, Fifield knew she’d be looked at on the route. Passing plays aren’t a common occurrence in middle school football, so she knew she wanted to make the most of the opportunity.
With it being the first game of the season after a long layoff, she made sure to be extra focused on the play.
“It’s exciting [when the pass play comes in] but it makes you nervous at the same time,” Fifield said. “You don’t want to mess up and drop it. I was just hoping to catch the ball and catch it in the end zone and secure the ball.”
She was able to do just that, making the catch and holding on despite being hit by a pair of Pioneer defenders as soon as the ball hit her hands.
The score also tied the game, as Frontier trailed 6-0 at the time of the touchdown.
“It was kind of a crazy game,” Fifield said. “We kept ourselves up after they scored, trying to score ourselves. Our quarterback Kaden is amazing out there. It was a great pass he made into the end zone. I couldn’t have asked for a better pass.”
From the outside, you would have thought it was just another play for Fifield. There was no ‘Gronk Spike’ or flashy dance after, instead a calm flip of the ball to the ref before celebrating with her teammates.
While she didn’t show it on the outside, on the inside she could barely contain her excitement.
“I wanted to act kind of calm because I didn’t want to get a penalty,” Fifield said. “It was a huge moment for me. I worked so hard for this and it wouldn’t have been possible without all the help from my coaches and teammates.”
Fifield has always had a passion for football, growing up watching NFL and college games. When she saw the registration to play in fourth grade, she knew she wanted to play but needed to convince her mom who was hesitant about her playing a contact sport.
Her mom made her write a 100-word paragraph on why she should let her play, to which she obliged and was convincing enough to receive approval.
The first couple practices were difficult to adjust to, but from there she’s enjoyed getting out there with her teammates.
“I’ve always liked football,” Fifield said. “It was hard at first playing because I didn’t know anyone. As soon as the first game came around, it was like a breath of fresh air that was needed. Everyone was nice and nobody thinks of you differently because you’re a different gender. They see me as a sister which is nice, everyone has treated me well.”
With the Red Hawks having just 12 players on the roster, Fifield and her teammates are all getting great playing experience. Not only does she play tight end, she also lines up at linebacker on the defensive side of the ball.
Frontier came out with a 20-6 victory against Pioneer, and with two more games left this season, Fifield said she’s hoping to catch a few more touchdowns and win both games along the way.
She expects her football career to keep going at the high school level next year.
“I want to keep moving up,” Fifield said. “I want to keep progressing and keep proving myself.”