Florin Defeats Sheldon 35-33 in Thrilling Overtime Victory
October 16, 2024

In one of the most entertaining football games you could watch, the Lady Flag Football Panthers of the Gridiron pulled off a miraculous victory over crosstown DI rival Sheldon Huskies in Florin’s Cancer Awareness game at the beautiful confines of Panther Park.

In riveting fashion, the Panthers defeated the Sheldon Huskies 35-33 in overtime. 

The game was a track meet. 

The Panthers came out pounding the rock. Run after run, Florin ran the ball through the Husky defense like a hot knife through butter. Estefania Ortiz ran hard on dives getting 10 yard chunks of real estate.  QB1 Jayda Lewis ran the option to perfection, giving up the ball at the right time allowing Erin Foster to slice and dice through the Sheldon defense for the first score of the night. 

Sheldon punched right back. The Huskies went on top and completed a deep ball down the sidelines and connected on a busted coverage on Florin’s first defensive play of the game. 

On the next play, Sheldon went deep again, but this time the Huskies missed; however, on this play the side judge on Florin’s sideline did not miss. 

“He literally lowered his shoulder and ran through me. I have a knot on my elbow, I’m going to have bruised ribs. My back already feels out of alignment”, Coach Marquez exclaimed to Elite Blue Chip. 

“It doesn’t matter if she was in the restricted area ( 2 yards from the sideline), she was in a Pink shirt. The official needs to have more awareness. Never did the referee apologize for running her (Coach Marquez) over”, Coach Harris said.

The side judge on Florin’s side would become a factor. More on that later…

Florin was determined to execute their offense. On a brilliant misdirection double hand off, Aneesa Perkins slid into the endzone untouched for an 8 yard touchdown. 

After another Erin Foster touchdown the Panthers tied up the game 19-19  

Sheldon answered again, scoring on a controversial 4th down touchdown run in which it was clear to any Florin Panther Fan, the Sheldon ball carrier’s flag was pulled before the ball crossed the endzone giving Sheldon a 27-19 lead. 

As the Panthers were moving the ball to tie the game, Coach Harris was kicked out of the game for unsportsmanlike conduct for informing the aforementioned side judge that he (referee) missed the call at the goal line as @eyephotou.com captured the evidence. 

Estefania Ortiz contributed to the Panther running game

Coach Harris told him, “You missed that one. We have it on camera. We all make mistakes, I make mistakes, my girls make mistakes. You missed that one.”

Suddenly a pink flag was thrown onto the field. When Coach Harris retorted, “you are going to throw a flag for that.” 

The Zebra threw another pink hanky, determining that Coach Harris was out of the game. 

With time running out miraculously, Jayda Lewis threw a ball intended for Aneesa Perkins on a seam pass that bounced off her hands into the possession of Center A’yahna Phillips for the touchdown. Zavanna Payne got the extra point and the game went into overtime. 

With Coach Harris hiding in the snack bar area and Coach Marquez at the helm, coaching against her alma mater, the Panthers found a way to come up with the victory. 

Jayda Lewis led the offense to a touchdown in overtime. Running the post wheel combination to the opposite side, Aneesa Perkins was the beneficiary of the second tipped ball that fell to the Panthers. Perkins snatched the ball and bolted into the endzone as the Florin crowd was in Pandemonium. The Panthers went for two. 

Aneesa Perkins scored the go ahead touchdown in OT

Lewis hit Zavanna Payne again and the Panthers had a 35-28 lead. 

The defense stiffened up when it had to. Although giving up the touchdown in overtime the Panther Defense stiffened up on the two point conversion attempt and found a way to get off the field with a win. At the end of the night, the Sheldon QB threw a ball incomplete on their last play and the Panthers were even too tired to celebrate. 

After running back onto the field, Coach Harris said, “There were some angels in heaven wearing pink tonight that helped us to victory. I am so proud of the girls, Coach Marquez for finding a way.” 

The Lady Panthers found a way indeed, but it doesn’t get any easier. The Panthers will have to go on the road to Fairfield to take on the Armijo Royals in a do or die game determining Florin’s playoff chances without Coach Harris who will have to miss the next game to the ejection. 

Panthers pull off the victory in Overtime

Florin will also be playing without Estefania Ortiz and A’yahna Phillips who are leaders at school functions. Ortiz is an officer in the Law Academy, Phillips is President of the Ag Academy. 

In addition, premier rush linebacker Kimia Rhinehart and two way starter Janiya Brister are both out due to being in concussion protocol. 

Panther PRIDE. We are ALL in!