Marymount looks to extend flag football winning streak

The Lockerby Vikings and Lively Hawks girls flag football teams staged an old-fashioned shootout Tuesday evening at the James Jerome Sports Complex, one their male gridiron counterparts would have been proud of.

When the dust settled -- if it was even possible for dust to settle given the downpour that persisted from start to finish of the contest -- the Vikings had asserted themselves as playoff challengers, recording a 47-34 triumph over the first-place Hawks.

With the rain making flag grabbing much more challenging than usual, scoring plays covering 30 or more yards were the norm, with both teams showcasing their ultra-quick weapons.

None was more impactful than Lockerby running back Brenna MacMillan, who racked up five touchdowns, a two-point conversion and made good on a point-after attempt.

Logan Duffy and Kennedy Sikora scored the remaining majors, with Emma McDougall on the receiving end of a two-point conversion. Quarterback Tara St Jean scampered for the first two touchdowns for Lively, with Colleen Bocy, Amy Laframboise and Jordan Duncanson reaching the end zone once each.

Tatum Hurley chipped in with a pair of two-point conversion receptions. Despite the loss, the Hawks retained first place, finishing the season with a 4-1 record. Lively was tied with the Marymount Regals, but won the season-opening head to head battle.

Marymount closed their regular season with a 52-16 triumph over the St. Charles College Cardinals, with Chantae Robinson leading the way with five TDs, including one off an interception.

Allison Byrnes added a pair, Julia Szalai recorded a "pick six" and Emily Taylor made good on four PATs. The Regals will look to extend their streak of city championships to four on Nov. 4.

Lockerby (3-2) will face St. Charles (0-5) in one quarter-final battle next Tuesday, with the Confederation Chargers (2-2-1) and Collège Notre-Dame Alouettes (1-3-1) going toe to toe in
the other.

The Division "B" front-running Lo-Ellen Park Knights emerged as the only undefeated flag football team this fall, capping off a flawless regular season with a 38-0 whitewash of the Lasalle Lancers.

Haley Conroy and Isabelle Mercier paced the offence with two touchdowns apiece, though one of Conroy's was a defensive effort, taking an interception all the way back against the Lancers.
Matilda Hick and Alanna Dugdale each added a major of their own, while Natasha Gosselin picked up a two-point conversion, hauling in a pass from QB Emma Short.

"We're trying to get better on passing plays, both on offence and defence, because we've noticed that other teams have been passing a lot," said Short. "We're trying to train our defence
to intercept."

Now in her third year with the team and second as the starting signal-caller, Short is beginning to feel increasingly comfortable in her role, adjusting to situations that arise on the
fly.

"There's a lot of times where the plays that we are running are just not working, so I have to fake it and take it up the middle," she said. "To have all of those girls running at you,
trying to get your flag, is kind of scary."

With two Division "B" games remaining for early next week, Lo-Ellen has already clinched first place, looking at a break until the semi-finals Oct. 30.

"From our first game until now, we've come a long way as a team," Short said. "We had a few rough spots, but we have come together really well."