BY GENE NARDI
The Seminole Ridge High School flag football squad hosted rival Royal Palm Beach High School on Friday, March 28, handily defeating the Wildcats 37-6. The win for the two-time defending state champions preserved their unbeaten 6-0 streak on the season. Royal Palm Beach fell to 2-2.
The Hawks waited nearly until the end of the first quarter and finally put up back-to-back-scores to go up 12-0. Seminole Ridge quarterback Morgan Lauer connected with scores to Gabi Oliver and Kaitlin O’Hara. After a series of turnovers from both teams playing aggressive defense, Lauer scrambled 16 yards for a touchdown midway through the second quarter to extend the Hawk lead to 19-0. The Wildcats seemed poised for a drive until Hawk linebacker Sydney Fusco intercepted a Kasey Ellis pass and returned it 14 yards for the touchdown, setting up a 25-0 halftime lead.
Royal Palm Beach’s Sabrina Vargas intercepted a Seminole Ridge pass to give the Wildcats a spark at the start of the second half. The turnover ignited the Royal Palm Beach offense. Ellis connected with Sara Iman for an 80-yard touchdown pass to cut into the Hawk lead 25-6.
However, Seminole Ridge responded immediately with a score. Lauer connected with center Angelica DeStefano for a 12-yard score, making the Hawk lead 31-6. Fusco grabbed her second interception of the game to stifle the Royal Palm Beach offense. The Hawk offense would capture their final score of the night when Madeline Harding flipped the ball to Oliver for a 1-yard score, making it the 37-6 final.
Lauer had four touchdown passes for the Hawks. Oliver is credited with two touchdown receptions. Fusco reeled in two interceptions and a score for Seminole Ridge. Iman had the lone score for the Wildcats. Christi Porter and Vargas are credited with interceptions for Royal Palm Beach.
Seminole Ridge took on Palm Beach Central and Wellington high schools this week, but results were not available at press time. They next travel to Glades Central High School on Tuesday, April 8 for a 7:15 p.m. game.
Meanwhile, the Wildcats hosted Pahokee High School on Tuesday and Glades Central High School on Thursday. Results were not available at press time. They next host Palm Beach Central High School on Tuesday, April 8 at 6 p.m.
ABOVE: Sydney Fusco runs for the end zone as Sara Iman pursues.
