For a second, sophomore Jolee Baddeley thought she had to return her well-earned postgame awards, including a glitzy MVP belt presented by the Fiesta Bowl. 

Baddeley and her Scottsdale Christian program can also keep the championship trophy. The Eagles earned that as well after beating Heritage Academy Laveen 10-7 in the inaugural 3A flag football championship Saturday at Corona del Sol High School. 

“Do I get to keep this?” asked Baddeley about her Arizona Interscholastic Association Defensive MVP and Fiesta Bowl MVP rewards. "This is absolutely insane. This was definitely a team effort. I don’t want to take all of the credit for this. Our team worked so hard. We all deserve it. I love each and every one of them and so thankful for this opportunity.”

Yes, those awards are all yours Jolee Baddeley. (Jose Garcia photo/AZPreps365)The best teams in the 3A met in the conference’s season finale, and, as expected, it was a defensive battle that came down to a couple of plays. 

Scottsdale Christian, which recorded 12 shutouts, picked off the talented Savana Soltero three times, including during a 49-yard pick-6 by Baddeley with 1:16 remaining in the first quarter. The interception came during Heritage Academy Laveen’s first drive of the game. 

The Eagles ended their first drive with a 25-yard field goal by Nola Bynum for their only other points in the title tilt. Bynum also made a touchdown saving tackle in the first half during a Sieanna Soltero 57-yard reception.  

“Oh, my gosh,” said Baddeley about her interception return for a touchdown. "I couldn’t even believe it. I saw the ball coming towards me, and I was like, ‘OK. It’s mine.’ And I got it. 
“Then one of my teammates, Reagan (Gibbons), got in front of the girl who was about to pull my flag, and that’s what made it happen. Thanks to her I got the pick-6.”

Heritage Academy Laveen got its 7 after completing an 85-yard drive with a fourth down 8-yard touchdown pass late in the second quarter. 

The Laveen team at first wanted to attempt a 21-yard field goal, but Scottsdale Christian called a timeout to likely try and ice the kicker. During the timeout, though, Savana convinced her coach to go for a touchdown instead, and she delivered after finding Gloriann Blanco in the corner of the end zone.

“I have so much respect for Heritage,” Scottsdale Christian coach Ryan Fisher said. "What a great program. What a great team. Goodness, they ran through everybody. I knew we were going to have our hands full today. My playbook was limited based on how good they are. The game could have gone either way.”

Heritage Academy Laveen, which also shutout 12 teams this year, finished its 2025 season with a 15-1 record and will lose only four seniors. 

Heritage Academy Laveen will return plenty of skill players to make another run at the crown next season. (Jose Garcia photo/AZPreps365) Its defense forced three turnover on downs in the second half, but the Eagles’ Hannah Lopez and Baddeley stepped up for their own defense with second half interceptions. In the end, Scottsdale Christian ran out the clock to complete a perfect 18-0 season. 

“I’m just happy for the girls,” an emotional Fisher said after the game. "They put a lot of time in. Football players are built different. We don’t practice in gyms with air condition. We are outside with heat and ants and breaking bones and all type of stuff. I respect the work they put in.”

Scottsdale Christian sophomore quarterback Campbell Reader was named the Offensive MVP of the 3A flag football championship game Saturday at Corona del Sol High School. (Jose Garcia photo/AZPreps365)