Last Night, October 16, the Brunswick girls varsity flag football team played North Hagerstown girls varsity flag football team.

It was senior night for Brunswick and there was a solid attendance of fans. Although it was freezing cold for the girls. With temperature in the 40s—it would be a tough game. Now flag football has some unique rules. The first down marker is always at every 20 yards. Even if the girls get a big play and are one inch away from the next 20 yards on the field it is still first down. Also the football field is 80 yards instead of 100. They also only play two 20 minute halves with a running clock. Now every punt and every start to a half the girls get the ball on the goal line. So really there is no punting. There are also no field goals. Teams can go for one point which is like going for two in real football. And to go for two the play backs up a little bit. 

In the first half Brunswick started with the ball. They did a lot of halfback tosses to Kate Virgilio (freshman). After getting a few first downs Brunswick had to go for it on 4th down but they couldn’t convert. Now North Hagerstown came out hot and they were fast. After an illegal blocking call that pushed them back to a 4th and 10 North Hagerstown would go for it on 4th down. They would be able to convert with a rushing touchdown by #3. North Hagerstown went for one but they could not convert and the score was 6-0 North Hagerstown. Brunswick would get the ball and wouldn’t even be able to get a first down and North Hagerstown would run out the clock heading into halftime North Hagerstown was up 6-0.

North Hagerstown would start with the ball in the second half. Brunswick would play some incredible defense and force North Hagerstown to punt. On Brunswick’s first play Ella Sadiku (junior) would get a big rushing play rushing 72 yards to put Brunswick in the redzone for the first time this game. The drive would be capped off with a 8 yard pass play to Andie Welsh (senior). She would also catch the pass to get Brunswick the extra point putting them up 7-6. We talked to Welsh after the game:

You were able to keep the score close with your touchdown catch, what do you think worked well for the team?

AW: “My height! Being one of the taller players it’s easier for the quarterback to see and read when I’m open for a pass.”

North Hagerstown would have a little bit of a tough time working the ball back down field, but on 4th down North Hagerstown goes for it and gets a first and goal. Nearing the end of the game on 4th and goal North Hagerstown goes for it and get a rushing touchdown rushed by #11 for North Hagerstown. North Hagerstown would go for 1 but they could not convert leaving the game open for Brunswick. With just 3 minutes left in the quarter Brunswick tries to get a touchdown but after an incomplete 4th down Brunswick turns the ball over with a minute left in the game and that would be the ball game, with a final score of 12-7 North Hagerstown. After the game Madi Kean (senior) shared her thoughts. 

You had a lot of flag pulls today, how were you so effective on defense?

MK: “I am not one of the fastest girls on the field so I used angles to catch up to the faster players.”

What do you think the defense can take away from this game moving forward?

MK: “How to react to speed. Our opponents tonight were faster and we need to work on taking angles to pull our opponents flags moving forward.”