Gage Nutter
@GageNutter
On what was without a doubt the coldest night of the school year so far, two flag football teams faced off for glory, bragging rights, and most importantly, a T-shirt.
The matchup saw the creatively named team of “Post Mahomes”, take on the even more creatively named team of “Team Cameron Glover”.
Team Cameron Glover got the best of Post Mahomes by a final score of 27-12. Team Cameron Glover quarterback Cole Pecora finished the game 12-21 for 124 yards and a touchdown through the air, and 87 yards on eight attempts for two touchdowns on the ground. Post Mahome’s Steve Comee had a big day receiving the ball, reeling in six receptions for 100 yards.
Team Post Mahome’s played the game without key player Devan Valdes due to soreness in both ankles. Post Mahome’s also had to compete without elite pass-rusher Jakob Calvini who missed the game due to fatigue.
Team Cameron Glover did not waste any time getting on the board. With 14:52 left in the first half, Pecora scrambled and ran 15 yards for the game’s opening touchdown. On the ensuing Post Mahome’s drive, Team Glover’s Jack Moriarty intercepted a pass in the middle of the field to stall any type of momentum Mahome’s was building for itself.
A couple drives later, team Glover drove itself into the redzone and created a scoring opportunity. Pecora threw a dart to Kyle Murakami in the end zone from six yards out to go up by two possessions at the end of the half.
“We are getting to the outside and they are doing a good job of covering it up in the middle,” said Team Cameron Glover’s Ian Leonard at halftime. “But we are finding holes and making plays. Hopefully we can keep that going in the second half.”
In the second half, team Cameron Glover started to tighten its grip on team Post Mahomes. With 13:01 left in the game, Pecora ran and then tiptoed down the sideline for a 10 yard touchdown run, his second of the game. After the failed extra point conversion, the score sat at 20-0.
With 9:48 left, Post Mahomes got its first points on the board in exciting fashion. Quarterback Ryan Downs scrambled and ran down the sideline for what appeared to be a short gain, but Team Glover defenders missed Downs flags every time they reached for them. This allowed Downs to turn a short run into a 25 yard touchdown.
Unfortunately for Post Mahomes, team Cameron Glover had one final knockout blow up its sleeve. With 6:02 left in the game, Murakami scored his second touchdown of the game when Pecora threw him a pass in the middle of the end zone from ten yards out.
Team Post Mahome’s Ryan Downs scored a touchdown from one yard out with 1:11 left, but it was too little too late.
Team Cameron Glover’s Kyle Reinstadtler finished the game with three sacks.
“I was starving all year, and when Cole [Pecora] came up to me and said ‘We need someone to eat quarterbacks all season’, I just said ‘Bro, I have been starving!’,” said Reinstadtler.
Team Cameron Glover’s Jack Moriarty almost feels bad about how good he is at flag football:
“It is really hard being this good at flag football,” said Moriarty as seriously and definitely not as sarcastically as possible. “I don’t play flag football for myself or my teammates, I play because I am just better than everyone.”
Post Mahome’s Andrew Nguyen had a tremendous game on the defensive end. In the game, and all season, Nguyen has become known for his athletic dives for rusher’s flags. Every time he can pull it off, it always gets his teammates fired up.
“[Andrew] is an all-american flag grabber,” said teammate Dave Poirier. “This guy leaves his heart on the field. No matter whether it’s win or lose.”
STATS:
Team Cameron Glover
Passing:
Cole Pecora – 12-21, 124 yards, one touchdown
Rushing:
Cole Pecora – eight attempts, 87 yards, two touchdowns
Jack Moriarty – one attempt, 28 yards
Receiving:
Cam Glover – four receptions, 37 yards
Ian Leonard – one reception, eight yards
Michael McKenna – two receptions, four yards
Kyle Murakumi – six catches, 77 yards, two touchdowns
Dakota Carter – one reception, ten yards
Defense:
Kyle Reinstadtler – three sacks
Jack Moriarty – one interception
Team Post Mahomes
Passing:
Ryan Downs – 10-20, 155 yards, one interception
Rushing:
Ryan Downs – five attempts, 36 yards, two touchdowns
Receiving:
Adam Gigliotti – two receptions, 27 yards
Steve Comee – six receptions, 100 yards
Nick Casagrande – two receptions, 13 yards
Jake Garrity – one receptions, 15 yards
Defense:
Dave Poirier – one sack