The St. Martin High School girls’ flag football team recently won the inaugural Mississippi High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) state championship. They defeated George County High School in the final game, which was part of the first-ever MHSAA flag football season. The team, along with several of its seniors, has been recognized for its historic achievement and its impact on the sport in Mississippi.
Jackson County School District had all three of its schools represented in the inaugural girls’ flag football season: St. Martin, Van Cleave, and East Central. Head Coach Charlie Pavlus is also the St. Martin High School boys’ basketball head coach and was preparing for postseason basketball play when he received the news that he’d add girls’ flag football coaching to his resume.
“The Sunday before our basketball district tournament, in February 2025, my athletic director gave me a call and said, I need a favor,” shared Coach Pavlus. “He said, we’re starting high school girls’ flag football, and I want you to coach it. Excited, I asked when it started, and he said “Now!”
Two days after the phone call, Coach Pavlus held a meeting in the St. Martin High School gym to gauge interest.
“We had 72 girls show up in the gym, and I was blown away by the number of girls that were interested,” shared Coach Pavlus.
Yvette Nathan, already an accomplished basketball player, was one of the first players Coach Pavlus sought out to join the team. Nathan became a middle-linebacker and wide receiver for St. Martin.
“Coach Pavlus came to me and told me he wanted me to play,” Nathan shared. “At first, I was nervous, of course, but I was also very excited because girls could never play football until now. So when I got the chance, I was very excited and ready to do that.”
Jalyn Nguyen, St. Martin’s first quarterback, was no stranger to sport, and Coach Pavlus knew she would be up for the challenge.
“Whenever I heard about it, I wanted to be the first to sign up and try out,” shared Nguyen. “I’ve always wanted to play football. And this was a big opportunity for me to show what I could do, and what I’ve done in my backyard or at the beach, and put it out there on the field.”
Nguyen would go on to be Mississippi’s first flag football Athlete of the Week winner.
D’Kylah Jenkins grew up with the game of football. Her dad is the head football coach at Moss Point High School, and her brother is a collegiate football player. Jenkins got to add to the family’s football legacy and proved herself on the field as a safety for St. Martin.
“I wasn’t interested in it at first”, shared Jenkins. “But when the opportunity came, I took it and ran with it. It gave me opportunities that I never thought I would have. My father is a football coach, so football has been in my life since I was born, but never did I think it would be for me.”
“I picked on D’Kylah’s dad,” shared Coach Pavlus. “Said, you didn’t know that the best football player in your house was your daughter.”
As seniors, Jalyn Nguyen, Yvette Nathan, and D’Kylah Jenkins set the bar high and paved the way for future female student athletes. All three ladies continued to break glass ceilings by becoming the first girls in Mississippi to receive college scholarships for girls’ flag football at Bishop State Community College. They hope that more girls will choose the sport and continue growing girls’ flag football in the state of Mississippi.
The St. Martin High School 2025 team has been honored by the Jackson County Board of Supervisors and other organizations for their accomplishment. The team’s success has already inspired young athletes and contributed to the growth of girls’ flag football in the state of Mississippi.
“The inaugural season had 12 total girl flag football teams,” shared Coach Pavlus. “I’ve heard that 38 schools are going through the process with MHSAA to join the league for the 2026 season.”
*Photos courtesy of Charlie Pavlus
