EDWARDSVILLE — Sophomore wide receiver Serena Shapiro helped Edwardsville High School’s girls flag football team stay unbeaten with a 32-0 victory over Peoria High on Oct. 5, 2026, at Tiger Stadium, advancing the Tigers to the IHSA regional final as they pursue a return to the state tournament. She also did the same against Belleville East on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, with another stellar performance.
Edwardsville improved to 16-0 with the Belleville East win.
Serena is an Edison’s Entertainment Complex Female Athlete Of The Month for the Tigers.
In a postgame interview after the Peoria victory, she said the Edwardsville team’s confidence reflects its continued work.
“Things are going great,” Shapiro said. “Our team is looking super confident, and I know we all feel like we’re going to make it to state. We just keep putting in work on and off the field.”
Shapiro made a key catch on Edwardsville’s opening possession against Peoria, helping set up Kennedy Gieseking’s touchdown for the game’s first score. The drive followed an opening play in which the snap went too far back.
“We got back up; we didn’t let that get us down,” Shapiro said. “We were all the way down to the other 10-yard line.”
The Tigers are seeking another state tournament berth after losing by one point in the quarterfinals last season. Beyond the regional final, the sectional is scheduled for Oct. 10 and 13 at Belleville East’s Charlie Woodford Field. The state finals are Oct. 16-17 at Willowbrook High School in Villa Park.
“We want to keep things going,” Shapiro said. “We’re going all the way to the state finals, like, we’ve got this.”
Shapiro said she believes the Tigers can handle the challenges ahead if they play to their potential. She said the team is focused on its daily progress.
“Our goals are really to conquer each day, one at a time,” Shapiro said. “We’re looking at the big picture, obviously, but it’s step-by-step.”
She also expressed appreciation for the school and community support for the Tigers’ flag football girls.
“School’s going great, and we feel so supported,” she said.
