The junior class of 2026 defeated the senior class of 2025 by a score of 12-6 in leadership’s third annual Powderpuff game on the football field during lunch last Wednesday. Each team was coached by M-A’s varsity football players—juniors Teddy Dacey, JT Roeder, and Matthew Kwon for the class of 2026 and seniors Devin Hyde, Xander Eschelman and Giles Hayhurst for the class of 2025.
The class of 2025 kicked off the action with two runs to Aliyah Calvillo-Figueroa. However, when Calvillo-Figueroa failed to gain a first down, the seniors decided to turn to an air raid attack: a successful strike from quarterback Telila Mano Naufahu to Louise Gabele put the seniors up 6-0.
The juniors tried to respond by scoring a drive of their own, but came up empty-handed thanks to flag pulls by seniors Tessa Ellingson* and Nicole Nieva.
The seniors looked to add to their lead but quickly found themselves in a fourth and long after a fumble, incompletion, and flag pull. In an act of desperation, Mano Naufahu threw up a prayer which was nearly intercepted by junior Molly Gray.
The class of 2026 soon turned to trickery in an attempt to catch the stingy senior defense off guard with a double pass. However, the pass was intercepted by senior Avary Sheldon.
The seniors were unable to cash in on Sheldon’s turnover, failing to get even a first down, and handed the ball right back to the junior’s offense.
Class of 2025’s defense remained tough with additional big-time pulls from Ellingson to bring up a fourth down. Unfortunately for the seniors, a blown coverage and a perfect pass from junior quarterback Mae Kunihiro to junior Samantha Ruiz tied the game up at 6-6.
Looking to regain their lead, the seniors turned back to the air, scheming up a shot at the end zone. However, the juniors were prepared as a deflection off senior Alessia Bolanos wound up in the hands of Gray, giving the ball back to the class of 2026.
“I knew they wanted to go deep, so for me, it was just about making a play,” Gray said.
The juniors then gave the ball to Ruiz three straight times until she eventually broke free for a touchdown, putting the class of 2026 up 12-6.
With the game on the line, Mano Naufahu delivered a cross-body throw to place the seniors in scoring position. Mano Naufahu dialed up another dart to Gabele in the endzone. However, despite a spectacular catch, Gabele was ruled out of bounds. As time expired, Mano Naufahu sent one last pass toward the end zone but was unable to find a receiver, ending the game in a 12-6 junior victory.
“The competitiveness and overall environment made the game and really every practice a blast. I wish we had Powderpuff every day,” Gabele said.
*Tessa Ellingson is a journalist for the M-A Chronicle.
