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Red Tops Blue in Flag Football Footrace

Marblehead jumped to a 21-6 lead in the first quarter on three long runs and held off a persistent Big Blue attack.

 
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Katherine Pitman.
Photos (42)

Photos

This Marblehead trio kicked off the evening singing the National Anthem.
 Bridget Genoversa-Wong booms the opening kickoff.
Cassie Rogers turns upfield.
Swampscott celebrates a long TD by Katherine Pitman.
Haley Irwin cuts around right end.
Alexa Steriti avoids the grasping arm of Isabel Anderson.

 

Marblehead outran Swampscott in the 2012 Flag Football Bowl at Piper Field Friday, 44-32.

Both teams peeled off great sweeping touchdown runs from the outset.

The runs served to only further electrify the fans and sidelines.

The red team’s Tyler Phillips sprinted into the end zone four times.

The blue and white team’s Katherine Pitman and Erin Cassidy slung into the open field and raced for two touchdowns apiece.

Some of these runs were for more than 50 yards.

The sidelines and stands on both sides were hopping and shaking from beginning to end.

Players on both sides turned to face their fans and threw their hands over head imploring them to turn up the energy even higher.

As if that was possible.

But it was. And they did.

High-pitched screams joined bass hollers, the Friday night symphony punctuated by the tooting air-horn sound from plastic vuvuzelas.

The game ended after Marblehead took a knee with 48 seconds to go. A line of players — 89 on Marblehead and 100 on Swampscott — extended almost from sideline to sideline as they shook hands.

Swampscott Coach Joe Tenney summed up the feelings of his squad shortly after the clock ran out.

“Just an all-out good game — I guess,” he said.

The “I guess” part seemed to express the disappointment in not being able to celebrate after working so hard and investing so much emotion and effort.

Marblehead Manager Brett LeBlanc attributed the victory to adjustments.

He said the Marblehead defense was able to adjust to stop the Swampscott running attack, and the Swampscott girls’ defense did not adjust to stop the Marblehead running attack.

Marblehead Coach Jacqui Bouchard said it was all about heart.

“From Day One these girls had heart,” she said. “They wanted it and they got it. It was a pleasure to be with them.”

Related Topics: Flag football

Myjanda

11:34 am on Saturday, November 17, 2012

My teenagers were there and said that the number of drunk kids was disgusting. Some were throwing up and a few had to be taken away in an ambulance (from both towns).
Very sad!

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McTague

11:43 am on Saturday, November 17, 2012

Our Swampscott girls played a great game ! Our juniors were good cheerleaders, & the supporters of underclass men, middle school, parents & families were awesome ! Yes, there were drunk kids there. That was their poor decision. They'll learn for next time. Good job senior girls class of 2013 ! You were fantastic, we still bleed blue !

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John

2:26 pm on Saturday, November 17, 2012

FYI ... Every child ( and there were at least 5 of them ) that were led out / arrested / or taken away in an ambulance was from Swampscott. One police officer said that it was the worse he has seen in all his 30 plus years on the force. Way to make us proud !

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Neila J. Straub

9:51 am on Sunday, November 18, 2012

Kudos to the coaches and staff who worked so hard with our SHS seniors. It was a remarkable experience in good sportsmanship, discipline and perseverance. The lessons learned will be with these girls forever. The most important lesson was to follow the rules and play fairly. In that regard, Swampscott was a winner and we should all be proud.

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