Army Beats Navy in Flag Football Semifinals

On Tuesday August 4, two Somers youth teams faced off in the NY Female Flag Football semifinals. Army versus Navy, the recent past didn’t look good for the 5th/6th Army team. “We got crushed last time,” said Eleni Gallo, but the young girls on Army paid no heed to any old sayings about history repeating itself.

After falling behind 7-0, Army scored 25 straight points on the way to a 31-21 victory.

Of course, Navy came out strong. Grace Magnotta dumped the ball off to Gia Rossi, and the receiver converted a fourth and five. First and goal at the fifteen, the quarterback lofted the ball for Sophia DeMartino in the end zone and then converted with Rossi for a 7-0 lead.

The dominance looked like it would continue on the defensive end too. A third and fifteen after two short gains, put Layla Murolo on the docket - especially when her scan of the field came up empty. “If there’s no one open, I know to run,” said the QB, and she dodged and eluded all the way to the end zone.

7-6 after the failed conversion, the Army defense didn’t break ranks. The first two Navy plays went nowhere, and on third down, Phoebe Knapp stepped in front for the interception.

The Navy defense was still up to the challenge and forced a third and long. Unfortunately, Navy gave right back when Murolo’s long fling down field probably wasn’t going to connect. Instead, the receiver was bumped and pass interference was called.

First and goal from the three, the lead was about to (almost) double on Lyla Butcher’s two step. “I did my little turn, then I cut as Layla was looking around. So I screamed and caught the touchdown” said the receiver.

She also pulled in the conversion for a 13-7 score, and the Army defense held firm. Back on attack, Army found the Navy defense up to the task for three solid downs. 

But Murolo refused to go down to the count, and once again, the quarterback hung back in decision making mode. Opting to run, the QB’s escape to the right sideline was just as poetic as her words  “When you finally get through and you know you’re going, it feels great,” she said after extending the lead to 12.

Onto the second half, Navy gave Army only four downs on the opening possession and readied to get back in the game. Not so fast, Gallo put the breaks on another pick. “It was right near me,” she said. “I caught it and ran.”

Taking over at midfield, Murolo showed her diversification. On a fake reverse, the QB connected with Stefania DeSantis to put her team ten yards out, and then after dropping back, she bolted up the middle for a 25-7 lead.

Navy wasn’t giving in, and two no gains to start didn’t deter either. On third down, Magnotta and Sophia Shkreli swapped positions, and after Army responded with a blitz, Shkreli sidestepped the rush. In the open, she ran the length of the field and did a similar number to convert the two point conversation. 

Suddenly a ten point game with 10:50 to go, Murolo responded by giving her legs a rest. On second down, she hit Knapp over the middle for a first down at midfield, and on the next play, she found Sofia Ciavardini on the sideline for a 31-15 lead.

Still, Navy wouldn’t quit. The hand off going to Shkreli, the receiver flipped back to Magnotta and took off for the right sideline. She received on the run and landed in the end zone with 5:25 left in the game.

31-21 after Murolo picked off the conversion attempt, Army ran four plays that still had Navy facing a two score game with 3:37 to go. They got down close but turned the ball over on downs. 

Army got the win, and the finals meant another familiar foe in West Virginia University. A big loss earlier in the season, the cadets were hoping to turn history on its head again. 

Touchdown passes to Knapp and Gallo opened a 13-0 first half lead, and the Cinderellas were high stepping their slippers. Unfortunately, the girls could not hang on in 18-13 loss, and even though they were forced to settle for the runner up trophy, DeSantis gave voice to bottom line that could seen on all the faces. “I love everything about flag football. It’s so much fun,’ she concluded.

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