The Coffee County flag football team checked off a program milestone at Carden-Jarrell Field Thursday night.Taking on Warren County, the first-year Lady Raider squad may have fallen 21-0, but it marked their first time suiting up for a home game in front of their fans.

“I’m not gonna let the scoreboard spoil the history that tonight is. This is a huge milestone for Coffee County, for the Lady Raiders. This is a school that, frankly, has built dynasties of women’s sports,” Coffee County coach Bobby Butler said. “We had more people in the crowd than I thought we’d have. I heard noise back there, I was impressed with the support from the community. I just hope that the community realizes, and I think they will, this is a good, tight-knit community, just how important this sport is to the school.”

Down 7-0 after the first quarter, Coffee County fell further behind shortly before halftime following another Warren County touchdown and extra point. The Lady Pioneers were able to add one more touchdown in the third quarter before the game’s conclusion, bringing the game to what was its final score.

“It didn’t go the way we wanted to. I think the girls fought hard. There’s a reason why this team is No. 5 in the state and I think they’re better than that. I think they’re the third or fourth-ranked team,” Butler said. “I thought it was best for the program and best for these girls to see these very good, highranked programs early to know where we need to be. I think we matched up well. This team usually puts 40, 50 points on people. Defense held strong, offense, we’ve got a lot to work on. I think tonight was a lack of experience most of all, but I think that we have a good squad and a good program and a lot to improve on.”

Despite the outcome, Andon Selvog made her presence felt on defense. The junior finished the game with three interceptions, including one each in the first quarter, second quarter and fourth quarter.

“We have a few things we need to work on, but with each game and each rep, we’re learning something new and getting better,” Selvog said of the game and her defensive performance. “It’s really fun, I like being able to pick up the team when I can. I don’t want it to be about me. I can’t do that without the help of my other defenders helping me out and telling me when people are coming down the field.”

While there is still work to do to get the team where they want it to be, Butler said that the girls who took part in Thursday’s game should hang their heads high knowing they were a part of Coffee County athletics history.

“It’s a matter of knowing not to let the moment get too big. Yes, it is a milestone, it’s a historic event and they’re part of that. Their picture will be in the school for as long as Coffee County Central High School is alive. They will have their picture up there. When you walk through the halls and you see those pictures of those teams, nobody looks at the scores of the first home game, they see that’s the first team and I think that’s the big thing,” Butler said. “Like I told them in our first game against the defending state champions, Ravenwood, the score on the scoreboard does not dictate who they are as a person, who they’re gonna be as spouses, as mothers, whatever they want to do in life. It’s about helping them grow into adults that they want to be.”