There’s something special about a champion that refuses to quit — and Badin High School’s Addi Marshall personified that grit under the bright lights of Paycor Stadium.
The senior wide receiver grimaced after injuring her foot early in Monday night’s tournament action, but she never slowed down. Marshall fought through the pain to deliver a series of highlight-reel touchdowns, earning Offensive MVP honors as the defending state champion Rams secured the Cincinnati Bengals regional girls flag football championship. The win punches Badin’s ticket back to the state tournament for a shot at back-to-back titles.
“It’s really exciting,” Marshall said. “I’ve never been doing this, obviously, so going to state is really fun. … I’m just hoping to pull out a state victory before my last year at Badin High School.”
Playing with the determination of someone who knows this could be her final high school season, Marshall hauled in deep passes from junior quarterback Bella Heile, made tough catches in traffic, and turned several receptions into long touchdowns — all while refusing to let the injury slow her down.
“Honestly, I just forgot about it,” she said. “I just try not to think about the pain and just keep going through it. I play multiple sports, so it’s nothing big for me.”
Marshall admitted she entered the season unsure what to expect in her first year playing flag football. Now, she’s one of the tournament’s brightest stars, shining under the lights at Paycor Stadium.
“It’s honestly a really cool experience,” she said. “I love the environment. I love the playing field. It’s just a fun game for me to play.”
The Rams’ defense was equally impressive, with senior Blake Sakach earning Defensive MVP honors after snatching multiple interceptions throughout the tournament.
Badin coach Mike Sebastian said the team found its groove midway through the opener against Walnut Hills — a 26-6 victory — and never looked back.
“From that point on, we were hands down the best team on all three fields,” Sebastian said. “It’s just a testament to the girls.”
Nerves were high entering the regional after watching several top teams struggle early, but once the Rams settled in, they looked every bit like a team built for another deep postseason run. Badin defeated a strong Mount Notre Dame squad 39-20 and closed the night with a dominant 46-13 win over St. Ursula to capture the regional crown.
“We don’t have a lot of returning players,” Sebastian said. “This is a special group.”
The Rams will compete for a second straight state championship on Saturday, May 16, at Tom Benson Stadium in Canton, with kickoff set for noon. The state tournament features the top four teams from both the Bengals and Browns regional tournaments.
For Marshall and the Rams, the mission is clear: finish what they started, and bring another title back to Badin.