Blair flag football falls to Richard Montgomery in dramatic overtime loss

On Wednesday, Oct. 23, Blair varsity girls' flag football faced off against Richard Montgomery in a thrilling senior night game. Despite numerous displays of adaptability and resilience, the Blazers fell short of attaining a memorable win in overtime, with the final score tied at 12-12 before overtime rules determined the outcome.

Before the game started, Blair's family and friends celebrated the seniors, acknowledging their hard work during the regular season. They created signs and posters as each senior walked through an aisle formed by teammates, with cheers from a supportive student section being heard from the field.

The pressure was on for the Blazers as the ceremonies concluded and the ref's whistle blew. From the kickoff, it was clear Richard Montgomery was going to bring the intensity as they started on offense. But no worries as Blair contained the opposition well for the first few plays, with a standout performance from senior linebacker Joni Chuka, who was a pillar for the defense when the match was at its inception. However, disaster struck when Richard Montgomery made a huge play and gained a substantial amount of yards to put themselves close to the end zone. With Blair on the back foot, Richard Montgomery was in a very advantageous position, which they managed to capitalize on as they broke the deadlock, scoring the first touchdown after progressing the ball effectively. Luckily, they failed at the two-point conversion attempt, putting them up 0-6.

It was a disappointing opening play for the Blazers. They needed to bounce back and respond to Richard Montgomery's touchdown, but failed in the opening play. The offense initially struggled, failing to make good passes and catches, as they gave possession back to Richard Montgomery, struggling to even gain some yards. Richard Montgomery consistently got passes to land, but Blair played some solid defense, winning back possession. During this possession, the momentum shifted when senior running back Sarah O'Connor executed a phenomenal run, sprinting 35 yards all the way to the end zone on just the second play of the possession. The crowd and players erupted as Blair tied the game 6-6 after a failed two-point conversion.

Flag football

Photo: Senior Sarah O'Connor fires a pass downfield

Senior Sarah O'Connor fires a pass downfield Photo courtesy of Bruno Resetarits.

In the second half, the Blazers became much stronger and full of energy. The standout player early was senior wide receiver Emma-Charan Acquoi, who was putting up an offensive masterclass as she caught every ball thrown at her for the first few plays. Following the initial catches, she made a breakthrough catch and ran the ball into the end zone, scoring a touchdown. However, it was surprisingly called back due to an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for taunting —a controversial decision that cost them dearly. According to the rules, taunting results in a 5-yard penalty from the line of scrimmage and an automatic first down for the opposing team. "We put all that we had into it," she said after the game. "I knew it wasn't the right call, but you can't fight against the refs."

Junior wide receiver Camille Wade later caught the ball and made a crucial run to the end zone, tying the game at 12-12. The Blazers didn't score the extra conversion, and with the game tied, they went into overtime.

Overtime was intense, with each team getting one play from either the 3-yard line (1 point) or the 10-yard line (2 points). Both teams failed to score in their initial attempts. The game moved to a final scenario: each team got one play, and whichever team gained the most yards won.

Blair was up first, and they decided to throw the ball to gain some yards. Unfortunately, they failed to catch the ball. It was now up to the defense to contain Richard Montgomery. Richard Montgomery conversely opted to run the ball, which ended up winning them the game as they were able to secure a yard.

Reflecting on the game, head coach Morgan Patel praised the team's effort. "This was one of their best performances," she said. "They moved the ball more than they ever have. It sucks that we lost that way [in overtime], but we learned a lot from the moment."

When asked about her thoughts on the game and its unfortunate outcome, freshman Kayla Bonilla said, "We won in our hearts. It's frustrating, but we put everything we had on the line just like every other game."

The season for Blair varsity girls' flag football is not over yet. Be sure to support the team at their upcoming playoff game. Check the team's Instagram @mbhsflagfootball for updates, and cheer them on as they continue their season!