The girls’ flag football team lost 6–0 to the Washington Eagles in their last game of the regular season on April 7, ending their chances for the playoffs with a 4–5 season record.
The Cardinals and the Eagles were both unable to score at the beginning of the game, leaving the first quarter scoreless. During the second quarter, the Cardinals were slowly advancing towards the Eagles’ end zone. However, senior rusher Widya Batin was penalized for tackling an Eagle, allowing the Eagles to gain possession and advance 15 yards. Soon after, the Eagles were able to score a touchdown. The Cardinals were down 6–0 by the end of the half.
Unable to advance towards the end zone, the Cardinals did not score during the third and fourth quarters, losing their last game of the season 6–0 and their chance to play in the playoffs.
Despite the loss, the team and coach showed their positive attitude for being a playoff contender team. “Given the circumstances with where we are in the season and the adversity we faced with injuries, I think we did great,” head coach William Woodruff said.
“Even if the thought of a starting player getting injured is stuck lingering in our mind, we only focus on our one objective, executing the play and scoring,”
In the beginning of this season, the team had to replace the injured quarterback and wide receivers by strengthening the skills of backup quarterback and wide receiver players. According to junior wide receiver Tina Hu, a few players are assigned with two positions and these players focus on their second position during practices to prepare them for the game. “Even if the thought of a starting player getting injured is stuck lingering in our mind, we only focus on our one objective, executing the play and scoring,” Hu said.
As this is only the Cards’ second season, the team has been practicing fervently after finishing their last season with two wins. “Coach Bill tells us that offense is like playing in the symphony; each player must know their music and when to play each note, similarly in football, each offensive player needs to know when the ball is snap and where to run and who to cover,” Hu said.
The Cards had been focusing on improving their wide receivers’ control of the ball and the offensive linemens’ defense, according to the team. After the first season, the team experienced an increase of 16 to 29 players, providing the team with more backup players for various positions. As more players got injured during the second season, the increase of players came into play. More players also attracted more spectators whose cheers motivated players during the game.
