For the first time in school history, the North Carolina A&T State University flag football team was named the South-Atlantic regional champions.

They defeated the University of North Florida in convincing fashion with a 32-7 beat-down on November 8.

“It was a proud moment,” said head coach Rob McNair.

“Not only for us, I think just the university as a whole, an HBCU winning a regional tournament. You don’t find that at most Regionals.”

This was the next step for A&T’s Finest, the back-to-back to back state champions who fell short against North Florida at last year’s national championship game.

It was sweet revenge for the tournament MVP, wide receiver and safety Darius Cobb who said the loss from last year didn’t sit right with him.

“I had to prove a point from last year when they beat us by two points,” Cobb said.

Even with the taste of redemption however, the season still isn’t complete. The Aggies have their eyes set on the national championship. They will never fully avenge their loss against North Florida unless they win the title that UNF kept them from winning last year.

Wide receiver and cornerback Lay Johnston said it would mean a lot for him but he also wanted to win for coach McNair.

“I want to bring my coach a championship,” wide receiver Lay Johnston said. “I want to win this for him and his wife and his family. He’s like a father figure to me.”

The South-Atlantic regional victory gives A&T’s Finest a free entry and travel stipend to the national tournament at the University of New Orleans.

Though anticipation for that game is clearly building, linebacker, safety & center Olajdie Pullen says the team is focused on what’s next at hand.

“We never try to get too far ahead of ourselves,” Pullen said. “You can never overlook your opponents or never look too far ahead in the future.” 

On Friday, A&T’s Finest will go to compete for another regional title in a different division at the University of Maryland.

The national championship will follow this weekend’s tournament.

• Prince Askew