Western High School falls one point short in flag football 2A state-title game

Western fell one point short.

The Wildcats flag football team, which entered Saturday undefeated, lost 20-19 to Newsome in the Class 2A state final in Jacksonville.

Western (17-1) was led by junior quarterback Sydney Ford, who threw three touchdown passes — all of them to senior Sydney Hoover.

“We’re trying to make the best of it,” a dejected Ford said after the game.

The Wildcats, tense to start the game, fell behind 13-0.

“We were nervous,” Hoover said of the program’s first appearance in a state final. “We knew this was a big deal.

“But once we scored, that was a game-changer. We knew we would catch up.”

Indeed, the Wildcats tied the score at 13 on the final play of the first half. Then, Western took its first lead, 19-13, late in the third quarter — only to miss the extra point.

Newsome regained the lead, 20-19, early in the fourth quarter, and held on from there, thanks in part to an interception.

Western had one more chance, putting up a goal-line stand when Newsome drove to the Wildcats’ 4 with two minutes left in the game.

From there, Western drove to midfield, but a fourth-and-1 pass fell incomplete due in part to a strong rush.

“It’s extremely disappointing,” Western coach James O’Brien said. “We had a lead, but it was fragile. We thought we could make one more big play, but [Newsome was] a little bit better.”

Looking ahead to next season, Western graduates just two key seniors — Hoover and Jordan Fine.

“We will be back to state next year,” O’Brien said. “I’m confident we’ll be back.”

Hoover, who will play college soccer next season for Bloomsburg University (an NCAA Division II school in Pennsylvania), said she plans to keep in close touch with Ford and the rest of the girls on the Western team.

“We really wanted this win, but this will be a bonding moment for the girls who remain on the team,” Hoover said. “This is only going to make [them] stronger next season. They have enough chemistry. They only lose two seniors. They’re going to win state next season, and [Ford] is going to kill it.”

Ford, who credited Newsome with playing a strong game, is equally confident in the Western program going forward.

“[Hoover and Fine] are a big part of our team,” Ford said. “But we have lost players in the past and kept moving forward, and that’s what we plan to do now.”

This story was originally published May 8, 2021 at 5:24 PM.