The Lady Cavalier Flag Football season has begun and the team is ready for action. Even though the sport of flag football may have a significantly smaller spotlight than boys’ tackle football, the Lady Cavaliers are certainly just as dedicated and are willing to show the grit and grind that it takes to compete.

With Coach Strachan and Coach Welsh on their side, the Lady Cavaliers are being taught and coached by the elite high school coaches.

During the 2019 spring season, the Lady Cavaliers did not achieve what the team had hoped. After attaining just four wins and five losses, the girls are working hard to rise above what is expected for this upcoming season.

Unfortunately, there were no preseason games for the girls’ flag football teams in the district. Thus, the girls went directly into their district regular season games starting from square zero. 

Practicing tirelessly every single day from 2:40 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. since Feb. 10, the girls have been eager to compete in their first matchup of the season.

On Tuesday, Mar. 3, their wish came true as the girls took on the Braddock Bulldogs. During the 2019 season, Gables lost to Braddock twice, so triumph and revenge were their only goals in mind.

The Lady Cavaliers had a major advantage in the first half, scoring a touchdown right before halftime, and their defense was not letting anyone from the opposing team get through.

The girls’ offense continued to push down the field after halftime, where the quarterback and running back scored two touchdowns.

Even before time expired, Gables beat Braddock 21-0, as the referees stopped the game because the Lady Cavaliers reached the target score of twenty points. 

“I was very nervous going into this game since the first game is always one of the scariest games. We went in with full energy and came out with an awesome win, which I was very proud of,” senior Ayelen Escaurido said.

Their triumph came to an unfortunate end when Gables faced Felix Varela High School on Mar. 6. The Lady Cavaliers were not performing at their highest potential with the starting quarterback, Coach Strachan and one of the first-string defensive corners were absent.

The girls tried to adjust to playing without their backbone, but had difficulty in getting the job done. With the Lady Cavaliers’ defense not allowing any touchdowns to pass through, Varela’s punting is what brought the Lady Cavaliers their demise.

The Varela Vipers saw an opportunity to score and took it, as their offense caught the ball and they ran it down the field. Unfortunately, Varela made the touchdown and even made the extra point for the field goal in the end.

Meanwhile, the Lady Cavalier offense kept dropping balls and failed to make a successful run for a touchdown. There was a moment of hope in the last four seconds of the game, when one of the girls ran down the field and made what everyone thought was a touchdown. Unfortunately, the referees overturned the call and claimed that it was not valid. 

“We need to correct the repeated mistakes we made as a team that Friday. The intensity of the team was low, the desire and effort to win was not where it should have been. The girls need to put their one-hundred and ten percent when they are on the field and if the girls do what they are capable of, we could even win districts,” coach Frank Welsh said.

With their heads held high, the Lady Cavaliers had to leave the field in defeat, but with the mindset of only working harder and improving on their mistakes. As of right now, the season has been suspended due to protection against the coronavirus, but the team is determined to make sure that this loss is their last and will work to make this new season unforgettable.