The Tapejara Dragons will make their debut appearance at the Copa Montenegro de Flag Football on November 29, 2026, traveling to Montenegro in Rio Grande do Sul for a single-day tournament featuring five men’s teams, Rádio Tapejara FM reported.
Tournament Field and Opening Format in Montenegro
Organizers structured the competition around a single round-robin format where every team plays four matches across the day. The complete schedule of matchups remains pending. Alongside the visiting squad from Tapejara, the tournament features host team Montenegro StoneGiants, Carlos Barbosa Ximangos, Porto Alegre Lions, and Bravos Academy from Porto Alegre.
For the Dragons, the tournament brings another chance to test themselves against familiar regional rivals. Both Montenegro StoneGiants and Porto Alegre Lions featured on the team’s schedule during earlier state competitions this year.
Runner-Up Finish in the Liga Gaúcha Sets the Stage
The team arrives in Montenegro following a string of state and national appearances, highlighted by a second-place finish at the inaugural Copa da Liga Gaúcha de Flag Football on May 2, 2026, in Bom Retiro do Sul, according to Rádio Tapejara FM coverage. The Dragons finished the tournament with three victories from four matches.
The campaign opened with a narrow 34–33 win over Erechim Coroados, followed by a 26–7 victory against Pelotas Farrapos and a 39–0 shutout of the Montenegro StoneGiants. A 33–32 loss to the Porto Alegre Lions ultimately decided the title in favor of the capital side. The performance also brought individual honors, as Josias Mainardi earned the tournament’s offensive MVP award and Guilherme Miranda took defensive MVP recognition.
The club’s broader calendar also includes national representation. In June 2026, the Dragons traveled to Curitiba, Paraná, for the Southern Regional stage of the Campeonato Brasileiro de Flag Football, facing opponents from Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, and Paraná. That appearance followed the team’s trip to São Paulo for the 2025 Taça Brasil de Flag Football.
Fifteen Years of Growth in Tapejara
The program traces its roots to 2011, when five friends—Joziel Mainardi, Gabriel Bortolanza, Eduardo Della Vechia, Charles Bortolanza, and Josias Mainardi—gathered to practice American football with limited equipment and no prior playbook. Over the past fifteen years, the group evolved into one of the pioneering flag football organizations in Rio Grande do Sul.
Tapejara has increasingly become a hub for the sport in the state. In 2024, the municipality hosted the Campeonato Gaúcho, with the Dragons securing a third-place finish by defeating Vila Lângaro Renegados in the bronze-medal match. The city subsequently hosted the Southern Regional stage of the Brazilian Championship on June 14–15, 2025.
Match Schedule and Unresolved Details
While tournament organizers confirmed the November 29 date and the five-team round-robin structure, exact match times and field allocations for the Copa Montenegro have not yet been released. The Dragons enter the tournament awaiting those final logistical announcements from the host club.
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