It's not that they couldn't have mistaken the girl for a boy, it's that the "helmet reveal" is Hollywood cliche that's based on how well it works on camera, not reality.

Entirely plausable. Like she got passed to maybe twice in clear "Heave it or sack it" moments and people kinda felt bad that she got leveled by a backer while just standing there. And then it's like "Holy shit never again." Like my team knew this one kid who went on to play P5 football as a "Don't punt it to him cause he'd house it" after one play in a 24-17 rumbler that we lost, "Don't even allow the girl to get mauled by some Bavarian unit destined for Washington" for her.