Santa Fe Flag Football Advances To District Championship

ALACHUA — The Santa Fe Raiders flag football team continued its postseason run to the championship Tuesday after eliminating the Keystone Heights Indians, 20-6, in the semifinals of the 1A-District 4 Tournament. Santa Fe (10-1) is ranked 67th in the nation following the win that puts it the championship game at 6 p.m. Thursday.

Defensive Battle Early On

The first quarter ended with neither team scoring. With a defense-heavy first half, the Indians (9-8) fought for any chance to disrupt the Raiders from getting into the end zone.

The teams battled to a scoreless stalemate in the first quarter. The Raiders reached for a first down in the second quarter, but were interrupted by Keystone Heights with a block on fourth down.

Brooke Zeller scrambles for a fourth down conversion for Santa Fe with 4:30 to go in the half pic.twitter.com/PIiyS5evTh

— Christian Haas (@ChristianH58745) April 15, 2025

Junior Brooke Zeller made an impact as Raiders’ quarterback running the ball for a fourth-down conversion. That set up senior Ranilah “NiNi” Smith for the game’s first touchdown. With two minutes to go before halftime, junior Jewel Alexander made the extra point to put Santa Fe up 7–0.

Smith has guided the Raiders through a successful season. She received her first official offer from Lees-McRae College, a Division II school in Banner Elk, N.C.

https://twitter.com/SDZTilly_7/status/1906913475051520426

Zeller later made another key play in the semifinal with an interception to build momentum nearing the end of the second quarter.

The change in possession allowed for Zeller, now at quarterback, to complete a long pass to Alexander, who gained yardage for the Raiders.

Zeller then ran the ball into the end zone to score a touchdown and put Santa Fe up 13-0 at the break.

Brooke Zeller scrambles for the Raiders’ second TD. It’s 13-0 at halftime. pic.twitter.com/lqetAuTeDH

— Christian Haas (@ChristianH58745) April 15, 2025

Fight For The Championship

Smith scored her fifth touchdown of the season in the third quarter.

Keystone Heights completed a play that put it on the scoreboard late into the third quarter. Keystone Heights junior Ashlyn Brown scored the team’s only touchdown to cut the deficit to 20-6.

Ashlyn Brown races Keystone Heights’ first touchdown in. It’s 20-6. pic.twitter.com/Amv6ImlhOC

— Christian Haas (@ChristianH58745) April 15, 2025

Up Next

The district championship game will be held in Starke, where the No. 2-seeded Raiders face top-seeded Bradford (9-8). Bradford, ranked 183rd in the nation, won the district championship last year.

2025 Flag Football District Championship Tournaments 1A District 4