Yorkville Flag Football is going to the Pro Football Hall of Fame!
The Yorkville Youth Athletic Association is proud to announce that both its 14U and 12U Flag Football teams have qualified for the 2025 NFL Flag National Championships, to be held at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, from July 17–20, 2025. The national event will be televised on ESPN and Disney+.
The 14U team earned their spot by capturing the NY Giants Regional Championship in New Jersey, defeating several of the Northeast’s top-ranked teams. The 14U Yorkville Eagles squad, made up of athletes from Manhattan, Queens, and the Bronx, played outstanding football all day. In their first four games, Yorkville won each by two touchdowns or more. In the finals, they jumped out to a 7–0 lead thanks to a touchdown pass from Alex Kramer to Caleb Rivera — a score that proved to be all they needed. Yorkville sealed the win by stopping an extra point attempt in the final minutes, holding on for a 7–6 victory.
“We’ve been on the wrong end of a lot of close games this year. Sometimes as a team, you need to go through tough losses together to learn how to win,” said 14U Coach Sam Morris. “I’m really proud of the boys — when the game mattered most, we were at our best today.”
The Yorkville Eagles 12U team punched their ticket to the NFL Flag National Championships back in November by going undefeated in the Washington Commanders Regional Tournament. In the first four games, the 12U Eagles leaned on their defense, led by relentless blitzer RJ Rivera. The team gave up no points during that stretch, including wins of 2–0 in double overtime and 9–0. In the finals, the offense came alive, led by quarterback Nicky Krusiewicz and wide receiver Owen Saur, leading to a thrilling victory over the undefeated 12U Avengers.
“We are the definition of what a team should be. These boys deeply care about one another, and always play football in the right way showing sportsmanship” said Jesse Levine, Yorkville’s 12U Head Coach. “We won this tournament together, and we can’t wait to carry this momentum into the rest of the season and into nationals.” The 12U team has kept the momentum going winning 8 tournaments in the last calendar year and is currently ranked the #3 12U Flag Football team in the country.
Founded in 1968, the Yorkville Youth Athletic Association is a New York City-based nonprofit that has enriched the lives of thousands of young people through sports, arts, and educational programming. Yorkville’s mission is to provide high-quality recreational experiences that promote physical skills, life lessons, and personal growth.
To learn more, visit www.yyaa.org.
