April Sablan isn’t mommy’s little girl anymore.

These days, the 14-year-old Canyon Park Junior High eighth-grader dons a blue-and-gold uniform and tackles boys on the football field.

Mom Lori can’t help but laugh when she recalls April’s early years.

“When she was little, she like cried when she got her hair combed. You know, she wore little dresses and little white tights that couldn’t get dirty,” she mused.

When the ball is snapped, it’s go time for the 5-foot-3 girl with the big smile, dimples and tough demeanor. Her hair and jersey could probably use a pretty good cleaning after games, as well.

“When you hit someone really hard, it feels really good,” April said Oct. 27 following her team’s season finale at Skyview Junior High. “I just really like contact sports.”

April, who plays on the offensive and defensive lines, just finished her first season of football action and she’s ready for more next year. She also plays on the boys Lynnwood Tigers lacrosse team.

A pair of Skyview players, Justin LeRoy and Vivek Patel, lined up against April and had their work cut out for them last week.

“She did very well. The first time, she caught me off guard. And then the second time, I started playing harder because I wasn’t sure how good she was,” LeRoy said.

Added Patel: “I think that she was one of the best on her team, actually. Like on the line, at least, she was doing pretty good.”

April experienced both pleasure and a bit of pain against Skyview. In the first half, she chased down a running back and helped a teammate smash him to the ground. Later, an opponent knocked her down with a bang, but like any trooper, she got up, smacked her hands together and prepared for the next play.

Lori said she was nervous when April decided to play tackle football, but mom has rolled with it this season.

“I said, ‘OK, if you’re injured, we’re taking you out,’ but she’s done well. She rolled her ankle, but other than that — nothing. Some bumps and bruises,” Lori said. “She’s a big girl. She can take care of herself. She doesn’t complain at all — I’m real proud of her.”

Canyon Park team manager Angie Velskus befriended April this year when she joined the squad. At first, she was surprised that a girl was playing football, but now she’s an April fan, calling her “a very strong, brave player.”

Aside from a pony tail that flows out of her helmet and down her neck, Velskus said April’s just one of the guys.

“At the beginning, they were like, ‘Oh, it’s a girl, we shouldn’t tackle her as hard.’ But then, they just go for it because they see her as another guy,” Velskus said. “She can hold it, and sometimes better than the other players.”

April, who is a New England Patriots and Tom Brady fan, said her teammates never give her any guff for playing football, but her opponents have made wisecracks.

“I think you have to be pretty tough. Guys are much more experienced than me, and some of them are maybe more athletic,” she said. “I think that any girl who wants to play football should just go out and do it. They’d like it.

“(My friends) think it’s awesome. They come to my home games — they love it.”

When the final whistle is blown and the game is over, April takes off her shoulder pads and cleats and hangs out with the girls and collects Care Bears.

“She can sometimes be very girly … but she doesn’t like to shop and stuff. She’s still kind of boyish at the same time,” Velskus said.

April’s all about the jeans, even when she attends dances. Her current wardrobe is a far cry from the dresses and white tights of old, but sometimes she’ll mix things up a little.

“I’ll wear pink one day, and they’ll be like, ‘Oh my gosh, April’s wearing pink!’” she said with a laugh.

Just never on the football field.