Hernando girls flag football tops Weeki Wachee, advances to regional semis

Hernando’s flag football team is one win away from another regional final, and the Leopards will get that chance at home. After beating Weeki Wachee 25-13 on Tuesday at Tom Fisher Memorial Stadium in Brooksville, Hernando will host Clay on Monday, May 4 at 7 p.m. in the FHSAA regional semifinals.

The Leopards improved to 13-3 overall and advanced through the Region 2A FHSAA Girls Flag Football Tournament by controlling the game early with defense and a sharp night from quarterback Carlie Grant. Grant accounted for four touchdowns, including a long scoring strike to Kenderlyn Hart, as Hernando pulled away from a Weeki Wachee team that entered the matchup at 12-4.

Coach Tyson Ellis said the Leopards leaned on a “bend-but-don’t-break” approach and shuffled players around defensively to create the right matchups. That adjustment mattered against a Weeki Wachee offense that had been productive all season, and Hernando’s defense answered with sacks and multiple interceptions to shut down rallies before they could build.

The matchup with Clay will bring another demanding test. Clay entered the game allowing just 3.1 points per game, while Hernando was giving up 12.4, a contrast that sets up a semifinal built around defense and field position. The Florida High School Athletic Association lists regional semifinals for Monday, May 4 and regional finals for Thursday, May 7, with digital tickets for playoff games available through GoFan.

For Hernando, the stakes go beyond one more home date. A win would send the Leopards into Thursday’s regional final and keep alive a path back to the state tournament’s final weekend. That would extend one of the strongest runs in county flag football history, after Hernando became the first Hernando County team to win a regional championship last year.

In 2025, the Leopards beat undefeated Clay 18-6 in the Region 2A-2 final at Tom Fisher Memorial Stadium to reach the Final Four. Ellis said then that the program was only in its third year and had climbed from 5-9 to 15-3. Now, with Grant directing the offense and the defense again producing in the biggest moments, Hernando has another chance to turn a home playoff game into a season-defining win.