The girls flag football team defeated the Burlingame Panthers 20-7 in a convincing victory on Monday afternoon.
The Bears’ defense started off aggressively, with senior linebacker Juliana Pandolfo swatting away passes from Burlingame to keep their offense at bay. However, M-A couldn’t match this energy once they gained possession. A series of incomplete passes forced the Bears to punt early in the game, with 4:58 remaining.
The first quarter remained a low-scoring affair with many bright moments. On defense, tight coverage by Pandolfo and a sack by senior rusher Isabelle Habibi ensured Burlingame couldn’t advance. On special teams, a trick play in which senior wide receiver Mo’Rhai Balinton threw a lateral to senior cornerback Aryn Roodman started the drive with M-A at midfield. However, offensive struggles prevented M-A from scoring. An unlucky interception near the red zone ended the Bears’ possession, keeping the score 0-0 after the first quarter.
Burlingame’s offense flourished at the beginning of the second quarter. A series of fast throws down the middle landed the Panthers near the end zone. Despite the Bears’ best efforts, Burlingame found an opening in the end zone for a touchdown, and a successful one-point conversion left M-A trailing 7-0 with 6:55 on the clock.
The Bears struggled to gain momentum as Burlingame’s defense forced a three-and-out. However, a quick interception by sophomore safety Effi Lee regained possession with 4:22 left in the quarter.
Despite their defensive success, M-A struggled to drive the ball forward. To regain control, the Bears called a crucial timeout to rally the offense. Immediately after, junior quarterback Eliana Clapp* threw a deep ball to Balinton down the sideline for a 55-yard touchdown to even the score 7-7 with 3:21 in the half.
“Mo’s awesome 60-yard touchdown was super inspiring, especially because we were already down by seven,” sophomore center Hannah Priest said.
Tackles by senior rusher Alex Jones gave the Bears’ offense a chance to take the lead before the half ended. A lengthy punt return by Lee and key catches by Balinton positioned the Bears 25 yards out of the end zone with less than five seconds on the clock.
Hoping to take the lead, Clapp lobbed the ball into the end zone, and a headtop by sophomore wide receiver Gormsen over two defenders put the Bears ahead. M-A’s conversion of the one-point conversion through Clapp’s scramble extended the lead to 14-7 as the half ended.
Both teams opened the second half with defensive tenacity. Burlingame’s pressure forced the Bears to punt deep in their own territory. M-A matched their grit with blocks by Lee and Roodman, and the Panthers punted the ball back.
The next drive started out hot the Bears, with catches by Balinton and junior wide receiver Olivia Roberts pushing them downfield. Runs by Clapp built on this, securing critical first downs. Even with firepower, the Panthers forced a fourth-and-goal as the third quarter expired, with the Bears ahead 14-7 heading into the fourth quarter.
However, M-A couldn’t execute on this opportunity. An incomplete pass returned possession to Burlingame near their own goal line. The Bears’ defense remained secure as Pandolfo batted down a pass to help M-A regain control of the ball.
Back on offense, the Bears looked to extend their lead. Despite solid catches by Gormsen, M-A punted once again. Motivated to prevent Burlingame from having a dangerous field position, senior punter Atessa Gholamy punted near the corner of the field, confining the Panthers to their one-yard line as they looked to tie the game.
Burlingame struggled to progress down the field, with tight coverage by senior defensive back Aisley Burch and sophomore rusher Ella Smith forcing the Panthers into a fourth down. Converting on this, a sack by Roodman gave possession to M-A with 2:50 left in the fourth quarter.
Explosive runs from Balinton and Clapp set M-A up inches away from the end zone, and a quick pass to Balinton allowed her to score her second touchdown of the night. Despite a missed extra point, the Bears still maintained a comfortable 20-7 lead with 50 seconds in the game.
Even with Burlingame’s efforts, the Bears held on to their lead, ending the game in a rewarding 20-7 victory. This victory extends their win streak to six straight.
“I think after we were down 7-0, and we brought it back, we started feeling more confident with how we were playing, and really got into feeling more fluid,” Lee said.
“Next game is a big game for us. It’s Carlmont, so I think it’s the game we need to really put everything together that we’ve been working on all season. They’re a really good team. We’re fighting with them for league,” Pandolfo said.
The Bears will face the Carlmont Scots at home on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m.
*Eliana Clapp is a journalist for the M-A Chronicle.
