They don’t care what their tackle football peers have to say. They block out the noise and embrace flag football. In the end, they realize they’re playing for something bigger than themselves.
They’re playing for their country with the 2028 Olympics in their sights.
Both women’s and men’s flag football will be added to the 2028 Olympic Summer Games in Los Angeles. This should give enough time for Brophy Prep sophomores Ryder Noche and Greg Riddell, and Gilbert Perry freshman Amos Augustine to make that climb.
All three play on their schools’ tackle football teams. But this week, Noche, Riddell and Augustine are part of USA Junior Flag Football, competing in the Junior International Cup in Carson, California, battling for a gold medal against other countries. The games are Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Noche, a defensive back/receiver, and Riddell, a running back/linebacker, are on the U17 team. Augustine, a wide receiver, was able to break away from Perry’s camp this week in Show Low to play for the U15 team.
The rules are very different from even the June 7-on-7 passing tournaments the tackle teams participate in each summer. The flag games are 5-on-5 with no contact, on a 50-yard field.
There is a quarterback, a center and three eligible receivers. On defense, there is a “blitzer” and a rusher, and three cover guys. The blitzer lines up seven yards away from the line of scrimmage, then, a second before the ball is snapped, he raises his hand to signal he is blitzing. This grants him the right of way to the quarterback.
The rusher does not give a signal but can legally cross the line of scrimmage, following a handoff.
Last year, Noche not only made the USA flag team, but he won a gold medal. He ended up walking the red carpet at NFL Honors in Las Vegas during Super Bowl week, as the NFL Flag Football Player of the Year.
“They take a lot of heat from players, and even coaches, because they still like to play flag,” said Tricia Noche, Ryder’s mom. “But they don’t let the haters get to them.
“After Ryder won NLF Flag Football Player of the Year and did the red carpet, we got back and he played a 7s tournament. There were boys taunting him, calling him, ‘Mr. NFL, Mr. Red Carpet.’ That’s the kind of stuff that fuels his fire.”
Ryder tunes it out.
“I don’t really care what they say, because they know I’m good in tackle, and I’m committed to playing tackle,” Ryder Noche said. “So when I play flag football to represent my country, I don’t think there is anything to criticize.”
Noche tore it up on the freshman level last football season at Brophy. When he got called up to varsity, he made an impact when inserted in games. He is expected to start in the secondary this fall at Brophy.
One of his good friends is Augustine, with whom he formed a strong bond through flag football. Augustine already has an Arizona State football offer. He’s so good now that he could make an impact on Friday nights as a freshman this fall for the Pumas.
“I don’t listen to what anyone has to say about playing flag football, especially international flag football, because it’s totally different,” Augustine said. “And, overall, just a great experience to even be on the team and meet new people, players and cultures.”
To play in the International Cup, players had to survive multiple tryouts.
Noche is inspired by the idea of wearing USA on his chest for the Olympics some day.
“It would mean a lot to try and win a gold medal at 18, 19 years old, because not many young people at that age win or go to the Olympics,” Noche said.
Riddell said the 5-on-5 flag concept is different from 7-on-7. It took getting used to for a young athlete accustomed to lowering his shoulder and punishing running backs as a linebacker in tackle.
“The flag fundamentals are hard for me to adjust to when all I know is physical football,” Riddell said. “With 7-on-7, you can get a little bit physical within the boundaries.”
To the critics who say it’s not real football, Riddell said they need to try playing it.
“I say play a tournament of flag, then talk after, because I was the same way until I played and seen how competitive it is,” Riddell said.
Richard Obert has been covering high school sports since the 1980s for The Arizona Republic. He also covers Grand Canyon University athletics and the Arizona Rattlers. To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @azc_obert
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona HS football standouts also play flag with Olympic dream
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