WINDSOR – Don’t look now, but those Bertie boys can play some football.

The county that has produced two state high school football championships is finding their success younger these days.

The Bertie Falcons flag football team for children ages six through eight has had three straight winning seasons since debuting in 2003 and has lost only one game in that span – to another Bertie County team.

This year the Falcons, coached by Ron Cooke and Bobby Harmon, won six straight regular season games followed by a playoff win and a Championship victory.

&uot;I am very proud of these guys,&uot; Harmon said. &uot;We were aggressive on both side of the ball, averaging 38.5 points on offense while giving up just 11.5 points.

&uot;Our players came to practice ready to work and I think it showed when we took the field,&uot; he added. &uot;We appreciate all the support from parents and friends.&uot;

The Falcons started the season with a 40-0 win over Edenton’s Blue team and followed that up with a 48-6 victory over the Edenton Red team.

After getting a forfeit in week three, they rolled to a 58-20 win over Blue, a 40-12 win over Gold and a 58-20 win over the Red team.

That success was based on the fact the team worked hard, according to their coaches.

Cooke said he was grateful for having worked with the youngsters on the team.

&uot;They are a great bunch of kids,&uot; Cooke said. &uot;I was well-pleased with the way they worked.

&uot;We were able to do a lot of different things on offense – pitches, option, dives – that other teams didn’t do,&uot; he added. &uot;On defense, we were able to run a lot of different things as well. They worked hard and played well.&uot;

After the regular season ended, Bertie won 24-8 in a playoff game with the Edenton Red team before beating the Edenton Gold 40-26 in the Championship game.

Team members for the Falcons included Bobby Askew, Anthony Barber, Brandon Cherry, Stephan Cherry, Alex Harmon, Tyrisse Holley, Trevor Mizelle, Javier Pagola, Cameron Rawls, Kemonte Reid, Brandon Roberson, Jamarii Satterthwaite, Catrell Speller, Raequan Speller, Demonte Watson, Archie Wesson and DaQuan Wilson.

All of those players contributed and made the team successful, Cooke and Harmon stressed.

&uot;I got excited about it, because the kids were excited,&uot; Cooke said. &uot;They are just a great bunch of kids.&uot;

The team is sponsored by the Bertie County Recreation Department. Director Donna Mizelle said she was proud of the team and their coaches.

&uot;These flag football kids have a true sense of teamwork and play together as if they were pros,&uot; Mizelle said. &uot;Coaches Bobby Harmon and Ron Cooke would practice with these kids two nights each week.

&uot;The practice and coaching abilities paid of during the season,&uot; she added.

Mizelle, Harmon and Cooke each said they were appreciative of the dedication of the team, their parents and the community.

The Falcons finished 8-0 this season, their third consecutive championship.

The kids who are playing well now could bode well for the future of a county that knows success in football.