As girls flag football is quickly becoming one of the fastest growing sports in the country, Maryland has found itself as the latest state to join in.

The announcement came just a few hours before the second round of the NFL Draft kicked off. Ahead of Baltimore's second round pick Friday night, former Ravens running back and 2009 Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram took to the stage alongside current girls flag football players from the state.

Ingram took a shoot at Pittsburgh before giving a shoutout to the girls on stage and making announcing the Ravens' pick of Zion Young.

With the state sanctioning flag football as a varsity sport, Maryland becomes the 18th state to do so. Kansas announced that it was dong the same a day before.

Girls flag football is Maryland's 26th state championship sport and got its start in 2023. That year, 10 Frederick County schools participated, and as of this past season, more than 90 schools in the state were fielding a team.

Maryland's officially sanctioned season will begin on August 12, when fall sports practices in the state start up, and will add to the eligible states that are part of the USA TODAY Sports Super 25 flag football rankings.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY Sports: Maryland makes girls flag football a sanctioned varsity sport