COVID-19 wasn’t going to stop it (but did delay it). Neither was sketchy weather. The traditional fifth-grade flag football game at Eleanor Roosevelt Elementary School took place, albeit with a revised timeline, reports Jeff Warner for Bucks Local News. 

Amid pandemic precautions, Principal Lisa Follman sought a safe way to stage the game. She established a health plan, revised it as needed, and got approval. 

Four teams competed: the Kean Kongs, the Toledano Tornadoes, the Wells Warriors and Miller’s Mean Machine. Each named reflected its homeroom-teacher quarterback. 

“It was really important to us to get this game in,” Follman said. “We’ve done it for 11 years. It was the number one thing the fifth graders asked for… at the beginning of the year. They were really worried this wasn’t going to be played.” 

By the final whistle, the Mean Machine had snagged the Super-Duper Bowl Falcon trophy. 

But there were more winners than just the footballers. The game raised funds for the Bucks County Emergency Homeless Shelter in Levittown. 

Roger Kean, Kongs’ titular QB, called the day beautiful. “After this long year with COVID restrictions, just to see them out there with smiles on their faces, having fun, ending the year on a positive note, you can’t get any better than that.” 

More on this long-awaited game is at Bucks Local News.