Somers 18-13 Loss Still Yields Some Magic

On Thursday April 18, the flag football team held off the overcast weather of another ugly spring day, and in hoping to do the same to the visiting Huguenots of New Rochelle, Rebecca Lippolis definitely saw the sun peak through. “We are coming together as a team, working hard, and I’d say that being together makes everything come together,” the junior assured. But the synergy didn’t quite get the Tuskers over the top.

An early 6-6 battle had New Rochelle take a 12-6 first half lead and resulted in a respectable 18-13 loss for Somers.

Late to show up for game time, the Huguenots were prompt once taking the field. Running and passing, New Rochelle went right down the field and scored on a one handed touchdown reception at 21:23.

The conversation failed when Angela Roane blocked the pass attempt, and her team road the momentum. After Cara Persico went around the corner for five, Julia Schmidberger dropped back, and with a specific game plan in my, the QB let fly. “Chloe (Gabriele) always says, ‘just throw it to me, I”ll get it. It doesn’t matter where the ball is’” said Coach Katie DiChiaro.

The pass on target anyway, the duo made good for a 35 yard play. First down at the 30, New Rochelle responded by forcing their hosts into a third and long.

So Schmidberger and Gabriele set the itinerary again. With the pressure closing the pocket, the junior quarterback was a little long. But Gabriele reached up and made a two handed, over the shoulder grab.

First and goal at the five, and the elephants were about to insert the ivory. First, Khloe Harris ran left to the one, and for the score, Schmidberger quickly dumped the ball over the top to Persico at 16:07.

No conversation, it was a game nonetheless, and now the Somers defense was tasked to keep it that way. New Rochelle wasn’t obliging either, and some pretty slick running got them past midfield to the 37.

Here the cool weather played to Somers’ advantage. Trying to stay warm, Lippolis wore sweats, which meant her slide tackle at the 33 would not leave a mark from a carpet burn. Add in two New Rochelle fumbles, and the typical manner in which Lippolis goes in fierce pursuit proved pivotal. “I get angry, and then it makes me want to take all my anger out on the other team,” she said. “So I can tackle the best I can.”

Somers was unable to answer on offense, so Lippolis went to the turf again. On second and five from the 35, she hit the dirt for the tackle, and a play later, New Rochelle was forced to punt.

Once again, though, Somers stalled, and the Huguenots took over with two minutes left in the half. Starting at the ten, a tall order lay ahead, but New Rochelle didn’t slouch. Two long completions and a juking 21 yard touchdown run at :31.9 made it 12-6.

The scoring for the half over, Somers was unable to match up, and Huguenots weren’t waiting around for their hosts to catch up. New Rochelle executed another sustained drive down the field and put up six more.

18:02 left in the game, Somers needed to answer, and it looked like they would. First, Schmidberger did a number.

With purple and white giving serious chase, the QB took evasive maneuvers, and in turning a negative into a positive, the coach could only beam. “Oh my God, she dances, she moves and gets to where she needs to go,” said DiChiaro.

Still the third and 15, Somers went back to their opening connection, and Schmidberger didn’t let the pressure get to her. Spotting Gabriele on the sideline, neither did the receiver. “I always feel like someone is going to hit me. So I just put my hand on the ball and just bring it down,” said the senior.

Gabriele did exactly that and another over the shoulder catch had her tip toeing the sideline. A 4th and two from the 38 resulting, Schmidberger faked the hand off and burst up the middle. New Rochelle not fooled, the referee ruled that the QB’s outstretched hand did not break the plane. The back judge making the call, he did not have as good an angle as the line judge, and Somers surrendered possession.

The quarterback switching over to cornerback did get a little payback, though. On first down from the 19, she got the pick and put her offense back in business.

Unfortunately, the Tuskers did not answer, and when the girls got the ball back with four minutes to go, Schmidberger was picked off herself.

All that remained was to leave the field on a good note and Schmidberger and Gabriele made the music. The quarterback rolled left, and then threw across the field, where the receiver waved her wand. “She makes magic happen,” said DiChiara, and in this case, a step meant another haul for a 30 yard touchdown.

Only 42 seconds remaining and no onside kick in the rules, New Rochelle simply took a knee. But Gabriele intends to stay with the grind nonetheless. “I think if we keep thriving, we’ll be able to fix ourselves,” she concluded.