Southwest Guilford Looking to Continue Deep Playoff Run
Courtesy of Mike Fanning for GreensboroSports.com
The Southwest Guilford Cowboys Ladies Flag Football team is gearing up for a high-stakes showdown this Wednesday in Concord, facing off against the formidable Eastern Guilford Wildcats in the 3rd round of the playoffs. The Cowboys, fresh off an impressive win over Page, will rely on a blend of veteran playmakers and emerging young talent as they look to punch their ticket to the Championship Weekend.
I caught up with Head Coach Michael Connolly, who made the successful transition from coaching tackle football at Southwest from 2017 to 2023 to leading the ladies’ flag program in 2024.
“A lot of the same concepts I saw in tackle football translated well to the flag football game, so it made the transition easy,” Coach Connolly explained. He emphasizes that the core principles of the sport remain constant: execution, discipline, and understanding the situation. However, in the 7-on-7 flag format where you need 20 yards to get a first down, getting key players involved is even more critical. “Finding those speed players in space plays is critical,” he added.
-A Reloaded Offense Led by a Sophomore Sensation-
After winning the Guilford County Championship in 2024, a season driven by strong Senior leadership, Southwest has reloaded rather than rebuilt. Leading the charge on offense is sophomore quarterback #10 Elliotte Alderman.
“Alderman has improved tremendously as the season has gone on,” praised Connolly. “Her arm strength has gotten better to the point where we feel we can run our whole playbook with her at the helm. She has been making some great decisions and showing the kind of leadership you need from your quarterback in the playoffs.”
The offense is packed with versatile weapons, none more versatile than senior #20 Aniya Harris. “She is like a Swiss-army knife, she does a little bit of everything, and she does it well,” Connolly stated. Harris’s ability to line up in the backfield, wide, or in-motion makes her a defensive nightmare. For the deep threat, the Cowboys look to senior #3 Camila Ayala, described as a great route runner with reliable hands, providing a dangerous target down the field.
-Defense is the Difference-Maker-
In a year where Coach Connolly notes that defense is generally ahead of the offense across flag football, leading to many low-scoring games, the Cowboys’ defense has been a stone wall.
Anchoring the unit is starting OLB #11 Mia Cartwright, whom the coach simply calls “a beast.” Cartwright is the team leader in “flag pulls” (tackles) and has even tallied four touchdowns on defense. “She is the leader on the defensive side that really makes this team go. Her senior leadership and ability to make plays is key,” said Connolly.
Cartwright is complemented by junior Free Safety #6 Aamelia Figuereo. “Figuereo is like an air traffic control, getting everyone in the right spot,” the coach beamed. “She has great vision, reading the QB eyes and jumping routes.” This tandem, with their high football IQs, has made scoring on the Cowboys a genuine challenge.
Finally, the field position battle is one Southwest is ready for, thanks to CC Perez, whose strong punting leg can consistently flip the field on special teams
The Southwest Guilford Cowboys will need all hands on deck—the emerging leadership of Alderman, the playmaking of Harris and Ayala, and the defensive dominance of Cartwright and Figuereo—to overcome the Eastern Guilford Wildcats and continue their deep playoff push. Stay up-to-date on Greensborosports.com for game updates on Wednesday night.