West Chicago's girls flag football team built a 25-0 halftime lead and held off Fenton for a 25-12 victory Wednesday, Sept. 16, at Memorial Stadium.

Four Wildcats found the end zone. Junior Leah Ashline, senior Ana Hurtado, sophomore Sophia Rosales and junior Naomi Odom each scored a touchdown. West Chicago controlled both sides of the ball through the first two quarters, according to the Wildcat Chronicle, the school's student newspaper.

Junior Ariana Morales anchored the defense with three interceptions and gained several yards on the returns. Her play kept Fenton off the scoreboard until the second half.

The Wildcats scored twice in the first quarter and kept adding to the margin before halftime. Fenton had few chances to mount drives against a defense that forced turnovers and limited possessions.

The second half was a different story. Fenton broke through for a touchdown, and mental mistakes crept into West Chicago's play. Head coach Conor Zaputil acknowledged the letdown but said his players finished strong and got the win.

The victory came after a rough stretch for the Wildcats. Daily Herald score roundups show West Chicago lost to Downers Grove North 40-0, Glenbard North 24-0 and St. Francis 32-0 on Sept. 12. The team then fell to Rosary 41-6 on Sept. 14.

Against Fenton, West Chicago put up 25 points after being shut out in three of its previous four contests.

Girls flag football is in its early years at West Chicago Community High School. Statewide, the sport continues to grow. The IHSA adopted girls flag football in February 2024, and 226 teams with more than 6,500 athletes competed in the 2025 season, according to Shaw Local. The IHSA also shortened the 2026 regular season from six weeks to five to add a third week to the state series, NCTV17 reported.