HIGH SCHOOL FLAG FOOTBALL: ELMIRA TURNS UP THE DEFENSE AS THEY PICK UP WIN OVER HORSEHEADS (24 PHOTOS) (2024-04-17)
By Brian FeesSouthern Tier Sports ReportHORSEHEADS — Ellie Clearwater saw a bit of an opening and the next thing you knew she was gone with Horseheads in pursuit.
The Blue Raiders weren’t able to catch Clearwater, and no one has been able to stop Elmira the past couple of games as they picked up a 20-6 win over the Blue Raiders on Wednesday night.
“Amazing, all caps,” Ellie Clearwater said of the win.
The past couple of games have been special for the Express, as they topped Corning on Saturday and now have a win over their other rival.
“It feels great,” Emersyn Garvin said. “Back-to-back games we got this week, winning, it’s just a big thrill. The joy and the ride, it’s just something that will never compare to anything else with flag football.”
Garvin is the one that got the scoring started for the Express, scoring on a six-yard run on the Express first drive of the game.
Elmira struck first, but Horseheads came right back as Abby Johns hauled in a four-yard catch from Jessica Als and it was 6-6 at the half.
In the second half it was Clearwater finding the end zone. It seemed like she may be bottled up on a reverse, but she found an opening and took off on a 35-yard touchdown run. Emily Klotz hit Madison Jones on the two-point try and it was 14-6.
“I kind of saw the area,” Clearwater said.
“She saw the middle,” Garvin added.
“And, then I went one way, went the other way, and once I broke the last girl I was like let me get my little silly going,” Clearwater said.
Horseheads drove into Elmira territory, looking to tie the game, but Garvin made a big play defensively. Garvin wasn’t able to make the interception on the first try as she went up defensively, but she tipped the ball up in the air and caught it on the next try to get the interception as Horseheads was trying to make a play inside the Elmira 30.
“A little bump,” Garvin said of the play. I didn’t know if I was going to have it, I was like I’ve got to have it, got to have it and it landed in my hands.”
With the ball back Clearwater took over, taking a handoff, bouncing to the outside and racing 47 yards past the Horseheads defense to cap the scoring.
“I started to go sideline, but once they kind of went too far so I went back middle and was open from there,” Clearwater said.
For Elmira it’s been big plays throughout the past two wins that have helped the offense.
“The big plays are a big part of it for us,” Garvin said. “When they work they work really well, we work well as a team, the offense works well as a team.”
After that early score to tie the game for Horseheads the Express defense shut down the Blue Raiders the rest of the game.
“Our defense really turned it up,” Clearwater said. “They scored that first touchdown and then we were like they aren’t scoring again, so our defense turned it up after that. They played amazing, our team played amazing, it’s just a great team win.”
Horseheads final drive ended again with a defensive play by Elmira as Jones leapt up and picked off the pass in the final seconds to seal the win.
“Our defense is amazing,” Garvin said. “This whole team just puts their whole into it and leaves it all on the field.”
For Horseheads Als was 11-for-18 for 83 yards and Johns had three catches for 30 yards, while Payton Butts had three for 35 yards.
Marloe Laughlin ran for 40 yards and Sydney Blunt and Als each ran for 35.
Laughlin had a big game defensively for the Blue Raiders with 10 tackles, one for a loss and a sack and Butts picked off a pass in the first half for Horseheads, and had three tackles.
Karis Adams had eight tackles, Essanna Marks had seven and Caitlyn Slavin and Carley Hansen had five each.
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PHOTOS BY BRIAN FEES
PHOTO GALLERY FROM THE GAME:
