St. Charles North High School captured the state girls flag football championship on Saturday night, defeating Prospect High School 32-13 in the title game held at Willowbrook High School in Villa Park. The victory capped an undefeated season for the North Stars, who finished with a 26-0 record.

Senior quarterback and safety Kaelie Tomalak played a pivotal role in the win, contributing a touchdown pass, a rushing touchdown, and an interception. Tomalak’s all-around performance demonstrated her versatility and leadership on both sides of the ball. She completed 15 of 20 passes for 176 yards and rushed four times for 63 yards during the game. A key moment came late in the first half when Tomalak intercepted a pass from Prospect’s freshman quarterback, Madelyn Searle, and shortly after threw the go-ahead touchdown pass to senior Adeline Shook.

Tomalak’s interception was her 14th of the season, a testament to her defensive prowess. She credited her experience as a quarterback for anticipating opposing plays. “I kind of had a feeling she was looking there as soon as she motioned in,” Tomalak said of the interception. “That’s something I probably picked up from being a quarterback, thinking ‘what would I do?’”

Alexzandria Richardson, another senior for St. Charles North, also stood out with 97 rushing yards, three touchdowns, five receptions for 50 yards, and four sacks. Meanwhile, Prospect’s Searle completed 20 of 38 passes for 190 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions, and she added 73 yards and a rushing touchdown on the ground.

Coach Mike Taormina credited Tomalak’s dedication to her development, noting her offseason commitment to quarterback training and participation in a spring league. “She’s put in the work behind the scenes when nobody was looking, and that clearly shows,” he said.

Teammate Richardson praised Tomalak’s leadership and composure under pressure, noting her agility and ability to rally the team. “She has amazing character. She’s always bringing so much energy,” Richardson said. “No matter what the game looks like, she’s always telling us to keep pushing and trying to be an inspiration to others.”

Tomalak, who initially played basketball before being encouraged by her father Brian—a former college quarterback and assistant coach of the North Stars’ football and flag football teams—to try flag football three years ago, has emerged as one of the state’s top players. This season, she threw for 4,292 yards and 60 touchdowns while rushing for 1,460 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Despite her individual success, Tomalak emphasized the collective effort behind the championship run. “I knew we had something special, but it’s because my team is so driven and competitive,” she said. “These are the most caring, competitive girls I’ve ever played with, and I knew they had what it takes and that we would collectively have what it takes to make it far.”