LYNN — The Lynn Classical vs. Lynn English powderpuff game, an annual tradition in which senior girls compete in a two-hand-touch football game, delivered the theatrics on Sunday – and then some.
The Rams escaped the Bulldogs, 20-19, in a thriller that came down to the very last play.
With English trailing, 20-13, in the final minute, the girls in maroon nearly pulled it off. Jade Quero rushed for a 12-yard touchdown as time expired, but the extra-point attempt to tie was no good.
The Classical faithful bounced up and down on the bleachers in celebration, and that was all she wrote on the Manning Field scoreboard.
But truth be told, this one was back-and-forth from the beginning. Classical came out hot on its first drive, led by the explosive ground game of Keisha Perez. From there, Maegan Baker broke free and rushed for a touchdown down the right sideline.
“This is something that I’ve thought about since freshman year,” Baker said. “It’s something I really look forward to and I’m really proud of myself and the rest of the team. I think they did really well.”
Baker, who has committed to Marymount University (Virginia) to study and play flag football, said powderpuff is “a really good way to involve everyone.
“Everyone I play with now, I wouldn’t have expected to be close with,” she said. “It’s a really good way to include everybody and get them out on the field.”
English answered Classical’s early score with a touchdown of its own, courtesy of Yankarla Matias in the first quarter.
“I had a lot of fun,” said Matias, who found the endzone twice on Sunday. “I was really excited, nervous, and I really wanted to make it down there (the endzone).”
But Classical recaptured its lead in the second quarter as Perez spotted Nevaeh Eth for a touchdown through the air. The Rams led, 13-7, at halftime.
Matias found the endzone again in the third quarter. This time, a 40-plus yard rush to tie the game, 13-13.
But Baker did her thing again in the fourth, just barely squeezing into the endzone for a 7-yard rush. The point-after attempt was good (20-13).
“I think we just needed to stay positive,” Baker said. “Our team has worked together a lot and we backed each other up.”
Sunday made it three consecutive wins for the Rams. They won last year’s matchup, 34-18.
