On Wednesday, September 17, the LHS Lions Flag Football team played against the Conifer Lobos at home, winning the game with a final score of 28 to 7.
“I think it really hyped us up and that it showed that we have team chemistry and we can beat hard teams if we play better,” said senior team captain Cierra Wilburn after the exciting game. Indeed, the team brought an infectious energy and competitive drive which helped carry them through some ups and downs of the game.
At first, the victory was not cemented yet, with good plays going back and forth between the teams. Going into the second quarter of the game, the score was 9 to 7, with the Lions just barely in the lead. However, the team persevered and surged ahead tremendously.
“I think, even though they scored a touchdown and we were only up by two, our endurance and our willingness to just keep going and keep our heads held high really helped us push through and get three more touchdowns,” said team captain Campbell Osher, a junior. I
After a rough patch where Conifer intercepted the ball and sacked sophomore quarterback Halle Patterson, key catches made by juniors Josie Wallrath and team captain Olivia May turned the tide back in the Lions’ favor for the third quarter.
The adversity continued near the end of the third quarter when Osher experienced an injury scare. All of the players knelt until she stood back up again, mostly alright. She showed tremendous grit by pushing through the pain, and the contributions she brought to the team while she was on the field were enormous.
“A key moment of the game for me was when I fumbled the ball at first, but then in the end I caught it and regained my footing and continued to run,” said May, smiling. This is an apt metaphor for the entire game, a game full of challenges and mishaps that were then conquered quickly.
“Flag football is really challenging because it’s just a total team effort. Our blockers and center have to work together. Our wide receivers have to play their role, and the quarterback has to make sure that they are there. It’s so different from other sports,” added May.
Despite the hardship, this match was one of the Lions’ best this season. Another highlight was a touchdown scored by Wallrath, quickly followed by an interception by Wilburn. This enabled sophomore Delaney Hrouda to score another touchdown almost immediately after Wallrath’s touchdown, further asserting Lion dominance.
On the defensive side of things, senior Yara Soto had sack after sack, helping freeze the Lobos’ offense.
LHS brought a fire to this game, and Conifer felt it. But they also had a strong sense of team spirit and sportsmanship that set them apart. “The community that we have on this team is unlike a lot of other teams, a lot of club teams. I feel like we have a really strong bond,” said Wilburn.
Flag Football’s next game is against Wheatridge on September 19 at 10:00 AM.
