The Hamilton Huskies flag football dynasty is entering a new chapter—and they're ready to prove the doubters wrong. After back-to-back 6A state championships and a jaw-dropping 38-game winning streak, the nationally ranked powerhouse will look completely different when the 2026 season kicks off.

Gone are 12 seniors, including two-time Arizona Republic Offensive Player of the Year Samaya Taylor-Jenkins. Also departing is sophomore quarterback Marlie Phillips, who transferred to Peoria Liberty after a historic season where she threw for a state-record 104 touchdowns and 6,079 yards. That's a lot of firepower to replace.

But don't count the Huskies out just yet. Spring practice opened on March 30, and the team is embracing an underdog mentality for the first time in years. "Our mindset is to prove everybody wrong because they definitely think that we're nothing without Samaya and Marlie," said freshman Kayden Kisler, who made a major impact last season with 51 flag pulls, 22 sacks, and four interceptions. "I think that's not true. We can prove them wrong again. We have so many great athletes."

The roster has slimmed to about 20 players—down from 29 in 2025—but the core remains strong. Key returners include juniors Demi Woods and Markiah Riley, freshmen Kisler and Athena Vasquez, and Demi's twin sister Daylee Woods, who missed all of last season and is back in action.

Head coach Stone, entering his 25th year as a teacher, sees this as a fresh challenge. "What I still love the most about coaching is that I'm teaching," he said. "It's a different classroom. This year, it's a more fun challenge, teaching brand-new ideas and concepts that we just haven't done. I'm finding that it's a blast."

The biggest question: Who will take the reins at quarterback? With Phillips gone, the offense is shifting to an option-based system that will feature multiple quarterbacks. The plan is to lean into the team's athleticism and speed, moving away from the deep passing game that defined last season. It's a new look for a program used to being the hunted—but if anyone can rise to the occasion, it's the Huskies.