For the Westchester Female Flag Football League, There’s a New Champion in Town

Flag Football Basketball

On Thursday, March 21, the Westchester Female Flag Football League ended their season at East Coast Fitness in Yorktown, and the odds on favorite had to be the three time defending champions, Looking to Score. So hoping for one on the index finger, the Somers team did have to deal with one departing member. “My old team” said quarterback Cat Rhatigan of Coming in Hot, and as it turned out, only one player went home with a fourth consecutive ring.

Rhatigan, who added another one to her jewelry chest, was far from an disgruntled defection. “I just wanted to make some new friends and start a new team,” she said after the 38-18 victory.

The signal caller didn’t wait to get started either. The QB hit speedy Nicole Teplitz for a first down, and an incomplete pass later, the Deputy Inspector from the Nassau County Police department, dropped a touchdown into Teresa Ricci of Mahopac, who is the Somers girls softball coach.

The two point conversation failing, Coming in Hot sent their defense on, but they weren’t out there for long. A couple of short completions for Kelci Hegg, the Somers soccer coach and her offense went back to the sidelines.

A big mistake, Rhatigan went right to work, and took out her big gun. “She makes it fun to be a quarterback, Rhatigan said of Kristie Guttridge.

So much so that the Pleasantville receiver caught multiple passes on the drive and provided the finish. “She has the ability to cut and get open,” said the Armonk based QB.

12-0 after Guttridge’s touchdown reception, Hegg had an answer this time. The quarterback snuck to midfield, hit Anna O’Connor for a first down and then threw a touchdown pass for a 12-6 score.

Unfortunately for the defending champs, the new champs were not fazed, and this time Rhatigan spread the ball around. First, she hit Teplitz across midfield, and on the next play, Randi Degina had the corner end zone reception.

Now 18-6, neither team got traction on their subsequent possessions, and Looking to Score hoped intermission could get their four-peat dreams back on track. A third and five for the Hot team looked good for Hegg’s defense, but there was no chillin Rhatigan.

Guttridge received a first down reception over midfield, and Ricci did the rest with her second TD reception. An 18 point game, Looking to Score had to get back in it. Not to be, the possession change had the prolific duo continuing to come in hot.

Rhatigan hit Guttridge cutting across the middle for the first down, and in arriving at pay dirt for a 32-6 advantage, the receiver revealed the two way street with her quarterback. “I told Cat to throw it up,” said Guttridge. “I’ll get to the ball, and it’s on me if I don’t catch it.”

But champions never go down easy and Hegg showed she didn’t lose her stuff. On first down, she surveyed the landscape, made her obligatory cuts to the sideline, and without a doubt, the run providing an option in case the Somers varsity is short a back this fall. “If (Coach) DiMatteo needs me, he knows where to find me,” the multi talented athlete joked.

Of course, the last laugh remained on rewind. Rhatigan hit Guttridge and Degina in the end zone for the final scores, but the 20 point loss doesn’t mean any sort of alteration for Hegg. “We’re not changing anything,” she asserted. “We’re just going to keep having fun, play for each other, and that’s about it.”

As for the new ring bearers, Teplitz didn’t go heavy on the X’s and O’s to explain the victory. “I think we have really good chemistry,” said the Harrison based receiver. “We were ready to win and ready for anything.”

Guttridge wasn’t so strategic in her assessment either. “I think we’re a bunch of competitive athletes, who wanted to win,” she said.

The fire wasn’t the only important aspect, though. “It’s fun, it’s competitive, and it’s a night out with a good group of women," Guttridge clarified.

A fact that holds true for the entire league, and anyone who would like to give it a go in this inspiring flag football league.