SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (October 11, 2025) – Continuing its efforts to advance the sport of girls flag football in Arizona, Fiesta Sports Foundation hosted the inaugural Fiesta Bowl Copper State Invitational, a new midseason tournament and the first of its kind in the state.

Held October 9 and 11 at Arizona State University Recreation & Sports Fields at Dorsey, the Copper State Invitational featured a pool play tournament with the top two teams from each bracket advancing to a single elimination playoff. Eight teams from across Arizona competed in the tournament, which included top teams from the 6A, 5A and 4A conferences.

Hamilton, ranked No. 1 in the country by USA Today, faced No. 12 Highland in the championship game on October 11. The Huskies took down the Hawks 40-14 to become the first-ever Copper State Invitational champions, with their sophomore quarterback Marlie Phillips named MVP after throwing five touchdowns in the championship.

"What we want to build and what we're going to get to in the years to come happens by bringing the best teams – not only from Arizona, but from other states," Hamilton Head Coach Matt Stone said after the Huskies' championship win. "What [Fiesta Sports Foundation] has done here is elevate Arizona in not just flag football, but to the preeminent spot in the world of flag football. From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much."

Four local colleges had flag football coaches in attendance as spectators: Arizona State's Jesse Pap, Grand Canyon's Brian Tice, Arizona Christian's Michael Maccagnano Jr. and Benedictine Mesa's Brian Winstead. Flag football is a club sport at ASU and GCU and an official sport at ACU and Benedictine Mesa, which are both in the NAIA.

The Fiesta Bowl Copper State Invitational is the latest installment in Fiesta Sports Foundation's grassroots flag football engagement initiatives, joining its support of the Arizona Interscholastic Association's girls flag football state championships. The Foundation also elevates youth football year-round through its weekly High School Football Showdown, youth football clinics, and the naming of its annual high school all-state teams in both traditional and flag football.