Bella Rasmussen, an 18-year-old running back on the Laguna Beach (California) High School varsity football team, has become the first girl to score two touchdowns in a game.
Rasmussen completed the feat in the Laguna Beach Breaker’s 48-0 win over Santa Ana Godinez on Oct. 14. To Rasmussen, however, it’s no big deal.
“I had no idea that was such a big deal,” the 18-year-old senior said during an interview with NBC’s TODAY show on Thursday. “I felt that I had just played a great game with some of my favorite people.”
Rasmussen scored on a one-yard run in the second quarter of the Breaker’ dominant win and capped off the first half with a four-yard touchdown run. Rasmussen is just the eighth girl in state history to score a touchdown on the varsity team, according to to CalHiSports.com.
“I was like, just in case you didn’t get to (see it) the first time, I’m going to do it again,” she told the TODAY show.
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This season, Rasmussen has racked up 23 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries.
Rasmussen started playing football at age 3 and has played running back and defensive end for the Breakers for four-years, despite being the only girl on the field.
“I get it all the time,” Rasmussen said of naysayers. “Those boys are going to hurt you. They’re not going to want you, this is a male sport.'”
But Rasmussen said she’s only received support and love from her teammates, who she compared to “having 80 older brothers.”
“They’re all super irritating, but I love them all to death. I know they all love me, and they want me here and they want to see me succeed,” she continued.
Coach John Shanahan told the Los Angeles Times that Rasmussen is a “really tough kid.” He added, “Any time we want someone to run against the first defense, she steps in. She takes a beating, never whines, never gets hurt.”
In celebration of her historic touchdowns, the defending Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams invited Rasmussen to SoFi Stadium for their Oct. 16 win over the Carolina Panthers.
“Thank you @RamsNFL !! We really appreciate this once in a lifetime opportunity,” reads a tweet from the Breakers that features a smiling Rasmussen.
Rasmussen plans to attend the University of Utah to study interior design after her senior year.
