MONROE, Ga. — Alcovy fell in a pair of close matchups on Tuesday as the school’s first ever flag football team began its season.
The Lady Tigers traveled into Walton County to take on Monroe Area and Brookwood, and Alcovy began its day against the Lady Broncos.
In what was the team’s first possession of the year, the start was not too kind to the Lady Tigers as Brookwood forced an opening interception that led to a quick touchdown.
A few dropped passes came back to bite the Lady Tigers as the team was unable to create any offensive momentum in the first half.
“Our biggest takeaway from the first two games is that we must finish drives when we have opportunities to put points on the board,” said head coach Toby Davis. “I've noticed that some of our younger players need to continue developing their football IQ, and that growth will come with experience and repetition.”
One part of the offense that was different from the team’s preseason scrimmage was the addition of the double pass.
On numerous plays, quarterback Addison Way gave the ball to Milani Baughns, who also has a strong arm and can connect down the field.
In the eyes of Davis, it is just about getting the ball in the hands of the team’s top athletes.
“Yes, the double pass is something we plan to use more moving forward. Our offensive philosophy is to get the ball into the hands of our playmakers-Desiree Turner, Minah Little, Shaniyà Hampton, and especially Milani Baughns,” Davis said. “Every time Milani touches the football, it puts pressure on the defense. She's a dynamic athlete, and we'll continue implementing offensive sets that allow her to be a major threat.”
After a tough half for both sides of the ball, Alcovy managed to improve in both across the final two quarters.
Alcovy limited Brookwood to zero points in the final 20 minutes of the game as the team managed to pull within one score.
In the second half, freshman Italya Montgomery pulled away on a 65-yard touchdown run that made it a five-point game.
However, Brookwood managed to stall any more attempts from the Lady Tigers as it salvaged the day after an opening loss to Monroe Area.
Although the effort came in a loss, Davis was happy to see his defense respond well and put the adjustments into play.
“The main adjustment we made was moving players around to create pressure. Our players are starting to understand the game better, particularly by reading opposing formations,” Davis said. “Teliah Howard, Heaven Short, and Kamiah Height did a great job putting pressure on the quarterback, which allowed us to shut Brookwood down in the second half. Increased quarterback pressure and tighter coverage on receivers made the difference.”
For Alcovy, the team took a little break after the defeat before it went back on the field to take on the hosting Lady Hurricanes.
The Lady Tigers did keep the offensive momentum going with a score against the Lady Hurricanes, but the Monroe Area offense proved to be too much as it came away with a 21-6 win in game three.
Similar to game two, Alcovy’s lone score came on the ground.
This time, it was a 70-yard rush from Way, who scrambled out of the pocket and outran the entire unit.
With only two games under their belt, Davis knows it is still a learning process for a team that is still new to the sport.
“For us to win, growth will be the key,” Davis said. “We must continue to learn the game while playing fast. Areas of adjustment we're focusing on include catching the football consistently, pulling flags with urgency, and preventing our secondary from giving up long passes.”
Alcovy went back on the road on Thursday, Oct. 2 to take on Midtown and Chapel Hill, and the team grabbed its first win of the season.
In game one on Thursday, Alcovy broke away for a big 20-0 win over Midtown before the Lady Tigers lost in a close contest to Chapel Hill that came down to the last play.
Now at 1-3 on the season, Alcovy will go to Dutchtown to take on the Lady Bulldogs as well as Harris County on Monday, Oct. 6.
