Foxy Mama’s Come to Life in Victory over the Bees Knees of Somers

On Thursday July 27, the Westchester Female Flag Football League got together for another night of gridiron games, and the Foxy Mama’s were there again to represent for Katonah/Lewisboro. Proud in Purple, the contingent of Cross River area Moms faced the Bees Knees of Somers. But Whitney Hartmann was not charmed by her opponents for very long and set the tone on the second play from scrimmage.

“I watched the quarterback’s eyes. I could see she wasn’t going to throw the ball to anyone in particular. So I ran up and grabbed it,” said the John Jay parent,” and the resulting pick six began a 32-0 rout.

Even so, the Bees appeared as though they would answer back. On the legs and arm of QB Ariana Holub, Somers got deep into Mama’s territory, and a fourth down pass completion to Cheryl Sabanosh had the looks of a tie game.

Instead, Liz Hill kept her nose to the grindstone at the goal line. “I just dove for her flag and got it,” said the defender.

A turnover on downs at the one, the Foxy team had a pretty good look at the quarterback position too. On the keeper, Leah Jacobson got her team to midfield on second down, and her heels still kicked up, the next play had the QB really put the moves on.

A cut inside first, Jacobson made a beeline to the sidelines and made the 30 yard gain sound easy. “As soon as you start running, the defender catches on. So you have to be nimble and ready to pivot,” said the signal caller.

On the other hand, she got more than gams to her game. Back in the pocket, Jacobson stayed calm and let fly to the corner, where Hill pulled in the ball for a 12-0 lead.

The conversion good to Rhea Johnson, the Foxy Mama’s didn’t wait to get the ball back to pile on. Megan Kelly stepped in front of another Holub pass and reveled in setting up her offense at midfield. “I love interceptions,” said Kelly.

Two no gains out of the gate, Jacobson took her foot off the brake on third down. She dropped back and then went for the sidelines again. Stopped short of the goal, the quarterback connected with Johnson for a third yard touchdown pass.

A 20-0 game, the Bees still had some sting. Sabanosh took over at quarterback and two keepers got her team past midfield, but the defense would not rest. Sarah Denyer got the interception and sent her team into the half with a very comfortable lead.

Still, the maternal instinct allowed for no mercy. Jacobson hit Amy Civetta for a strike to midfield, and no surprise, the QB found the sidelines again with her legs.

Left at the ten on the long run, the Mama’s got creative. Jacobson optioned the ball to Civetta in the backfield, and Hill had no apologies for skying over her defenders for another touchdown. “Being tall,” she said, “it’s my favorite quality.”

One touchdown to go, Civetta got another pick, and Lee Sauerhoff would do the honors at quarterback. Stepping in, she was undeterred by a third down sack at the ten, and stood tall in the pocket. In control, Sauerhoff rewarded the first string QB.

Waiting for Jacobson to scoot across the end zone, Sauerhoff found the receiver in the right corner for the final score, but there was more to rejoice than just the victory. “We started playing after covid. So a lot of the women came out to experience the camaraderie and getting together is a reflection of embracing life again,” she concluded.