The seniors defeated the juniors 14-7 in the annual Power Puff flag football game last Friday night, continuing a long standing tradition of class rivalry and school spirit.
The game remained close throughout the first half with both teams trading big defensive plays. The seniors struck first midway through the second quarter after a pass was thrown into the end zone connecting to the wide receiver, Elle Samuels, for a touchdown pass in the corner of the end zone. After a successful extra point attempt the seniors took a 7-0 lead into halftime. Samuels loved getting to celebrate scoring with her teammates.
“When I caught the ball it was amazing to have all of my friends running up to me and cheering. I felt like I was able to help the team win and it was very rewarding,” Samuels said.
The juniors responded quickly in the third quarter when junior quarterback Julia Katz scrambled for a long gain before finding receiver Shaila Esparza, who ran a very strong route through the players making it into the endzone for a touchdown to tie the game.
“Since I have never played quarterback this whole game was a little nerve wracking for me and I was scared to mess up. So when I got to throw a pass that made the whole team happy it was reassuring and kept me motivated to keep pushing throughout the game,” Katz said.
Despite the momentum shift, the seniors regained control late in the fourth quarter. Senior receiver Sailor Platt broke free from her defender and caught an amazing ball in the end zone, giving the seniors the lead for good.
“We knew the juniors were going to come out strong but we were able to get the touchdown back and trust each other to win the game,” Platt said.
The game drew several loud reactions from the crowd, especially during several close plays and interceptions. Junior Luci Miller played a big part on the defensive side and even though the juniors fell short this time, the competitive atmosphere and school spirit made the night memorable.
“Obviously we wanted to win, but it was still a fun night to remember and we all hope to play again and win next year,” Miller said.
The annual matchup has become a very anticipated and fun school tradition, bringing students together before the end of the school year.
