By Steve Williams
Fulton looks like it’s on the path to Murfreesboro again, but this time to a real TSSAA state tournament in girls flag football.
Last year’s state play wasn’t fully sanctioned and was more of a warm-up for the new sport. Regular season district games were played in Knoxville last fall.
This year’s Lady Falcons are 7-0 after defeating rival Austin-East 25-8 last week on Senior Night.
“Our defense has been great all year,” said Fulton Coach Trey Sewell. “Coming into this game, our defense has given up only five touchdowns. That’s always been huge for us.
“And Ra’shya Lee, our quarterback, does a really good job with the offense, getting us out to a good start and scoring on the first drive when we have the ball. I always view those as important. When you get the ball first, it’s important to score. And then if you start on defense, I think it’s huge if you can get a big stop.”
After Lee’s 31-yard touchdown pass to Sanai Robinson on fourth-and-goal, Fulton’s Zaria Anderson had a “big six” on a 10-yard interception return after she stepped in front of the pass that gave Fulton an early 12-0 lead.
Early in the second quarter, Robinson snagged a 32-yard TD pass between two A-E defenders that extended the Lady Falcons’ lead to 18-0.
Later in the quarter, Ahmya Peak-Jones caught a 37-yard touchdown pass from Lee and the Lady Falcons led 25-0 at halftime.
Austin-East quarterback Mercy Juan hit Alexionna Hinton in the third quarter with an 11-yard pass, but the Lady Roadrunners’ possession ended at midfield.
A-E had good field position later in the quarter, but Juan was stopped by Fulton’s Delia Wellington five yards in the backfield. An interception by Jyree Shepard ended the threat.
Austin-East got the ball back early in the fourth quarter and Juan gained 14 yards on a reverse to the Fulton 12. Taylor Cobb scored a touchdown on the following play and Juan threw a 2-point conversion pass to Kalani Wells to cut Fulton’s lead to 25-8.
The Lady Falcons answered with a fun play, as Robinson threw a double reverse pass to Amajsha Saffell that moved the ball to the A-E 29.
“When there is such a rivalry like this and everybody knows each other, they really have to get their nerves calmed down and that’s why we had such a better second half instead of the first,” said Austin-East Coach Aryiane Carrington, who goes by “Coach Snoop” after the famous rapper.
“Once they got calmed down and understand we need to lock in, it’s cool to joke and everything, but this is still a competition. You got to compete. So that’s what the difference was.”
Coach Snoop said he felt sophomore Erreshae Williams and Cobb stuck out for the Lady Roadrunners.
“Erreshae is my gadget,” he said. “She’s my Swiss Army knife. She can do everything. I don’t throw her out there at the beginning because she overthinks things and might take her time to get the play down, but when she’s in, she’s going to make an impact.”
Coach Snoop added: “We’re a real young team. Only three of the seniors play.”
