Four Borregos CSF players and one Tec graduate from the Guadalajara campus played for Mexico in the 2024 IFAF Flag Football World Championships in Finland.
By José Longino Torres | CONECTA NATIONAL NEWS DESK - 08/30/2024 Photo COVER PHOTO: X / NFL MEXICO, , X / MEXICAN FOOTBALL FEDERATION, X / IFAF MEDIA

The Mexican women’s national team won silver at the 2024 IFAF Flag Football World Championships held in Finland, after losing 18-31 to the United States in the final.

The Mexican team included Diana Flores, Ángela Funes, Victoria Chávez, and Andrea Martínez, from the Borregos Santa Fe campus, and Ana Aguayo, a Tec graduate from the Guadalajara campus.

Despite their defeat, Mexico proved to be a powerhouse in women’s flag football, which will be an Olympic sport for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

In addition, they qualified for the World Games to be held next year in China by placing in the top 8 of this tournament.

“Our team consists of 12 powerful women who will leave everything on the field for Mexico. We’re very proud to be able to represent Tec de Monterrey, Borregos, and the Santa Fe campus,” said Ángela Funes.

 

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The final duel

The U.S. defense was able to contain the Mexican offense in the first half, which took advantage of the situation to go into halftime with the score Mexico 6-United States 18.

In the second half, the Mexican offense reacted, led by quarterback Diana Flores. However, the effort was not enough, leading to a final score of Mexico 18-United States 31.

Quarterback Vanita Krouch led the United States to become world champions.

In the finals, the United States had three wins over Mexico, which won a championship against the Americans at the World Games in 2022.

In the duel for third place, Japan defeated Austria 41-40.

 

 

 

The road to the World Championships

Up to this point, Mexico had made it through the tournament undefeated.

  • Semifinals: Mexico 40-Japan 31

In a close game, which was settled in the last minutes, Mexico defeated Japan 40-31.

The national team scored on its first 3 drives, but an interception in the diagonals near the end of the first half brought the Japanese team closer at 21-19.

In a give-and-take duel in which the Japanese team came within 33-31 near the end, the Mexican squad had the mettle to take off definitively with a touchdown and a 2-point conversion to leave the final score at 40-31.

  • Quarterfinals: Mexico 35-Canada 20

Mexico once again came up against its group rival and managed to recover from adverse scores to finish 35-20.

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  • Round of 16: Mexico 42-Israel 6

Diana Flores threw TDs to Tania Rincón and Valeria Carranza, and threw extra points to Ana Consuelo, Andrea Martínez, and Valeria Carranza.

Ana Aguayo also connected with Tania Rincón for a TD.

Defensively, Victoria Chávez and Fines made interceptions for the national team.

With this victory, Mexico secured its place in the World Games by finishing in the top 8 of this tournament.

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Undefeated in the group stage

During their first day of activity, the national team defeated Italy 45-6 and Denmark 57-6, who joined the Mexicans in group B, along with South Korea and Canada.

On the second day, Mexico defeated South Korea 58-0 and Canada 38-28 to finish with a record of 4 wins and 0 losses.

  • Mexico 45-Italy 6

In their first game, Mexico overcame the Italians by a score of 45 to 6, in which the quarterback (QB) Diana Flores threw for 260 yards and 4 touchdowns (TD), one of them for her teammate Andrea Martínez, who made her debut as a national team member.

Ángela Funes, a Tec student of Business Strategy and Transformation and Business Intelligence, also made her debut on the team’s defense, getting 2 interceptions, returning one of them almost all the way to the end zone.

 

The Mexican national team debuted with 4 victories in the group stage. Photo: X / Mexican Football Federation
Selección femenil flag football

 

  • Mexico 57-Denmark 6

For the second game of the day, Mexico defeated Denmark 57-6, in which Borregos CSF players Diana and Andrea combined for 5 receptions and 90 total yards, reaching the best aerial record of the Mexican team.

Martínez also found the end zone on two occasions, the first on a pass from Diana Flores and the second when she intercepted a ball on second chance for 10 yards and the touchdown.

Defensively, there was total jubilation. Victoria Chávez and Ángela Funes consolidated the defense, stopping the Danes based on intercepted passes, incomplete passes, and steals.

  • Mexico 58-South Korea 0

For the second day, Mexico defeated South Korea 58-0, with Diana Flores throwing for 7 touchdowns. Defensively, Funes got an interception.

 

Diana Flores, the team’s quarterback and a Borregos Santa Fe player, led the Mexican offense throughout the tournament. Photo: IFAF Media
Diana Flores

 

  • Mexico 38-Canada 28

Against Canada, an interception and a safety to Diana Flores put the national team up against the wall, down 21-18 at halftime.

But the defense stepped up in the second half, and the offense managed to rally to win the game 38-28. Diana Flores ended up throwing 3 TDs and scored a touchdown on the ground.

Ana Aguayo scored 2 TDs and 2 extra points.

 

 

 

 

World flag football championships

The 2024 IFAF World Flag Football Championships was held in Finland from August 27-30 in the women’s and men’s categories.

The opening ceremony took place on August 26 with the participation of more than 600 athletes from 32 countries.

Tec graduate Diana Flores, global ambassador for flag football, delivered a message of fair play and safety for all.

This championship is important on the road to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, where flag football will become an Olympic sport.

 

 

Mexican sports ambassador Diana Flores called for fair play.  Photo: X / IFAF Media
Diana Flores

 

  

 

 

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