North Allegheny shuts out Cathedral Prep in non-section clash
by: Girls Flag Football Contributor
Behind a stifling defensive performance and a multi-dimensional aerial attack, North Allegheny cruised to a commanding 33-0 victory over Cathedral Prep in non-section flag football action.
The Tigers’ offense found its rhythm early, fueled by the precision of junior quarterback Sloane Baker. Baker dismantled the Rams’ secondary, distributing the ball to a variety of targets. Sophomore Giuliana Bontempo emerged as the primary benefactor of the passing game, hauling in two of Baker’s touchdown tosses. Seniors Luci Zagacki and Mia Bosley also contributed to the scoring surge, with both finding the end zone for a touchdown and extra point.
The sophomore class continued to leave its mark as Brynn Hughey added a touchdown of her own, while senior Vange Balouris chipped in with a successful conversion.
While the offense provided the sparks, the North Allegheny defense provided the fuel. The unit was headlined by a career day from senior Danika Hogan, who proved to be an unstoppable force at the line of scrimmage. Hogan finished the contest with nine total tackles, three of which were sacks.
The momentum shifted permanently in the first half when senior Alyssa Coy ran down a Cathedral Prep player who was breaking towards the end zone. Coy sprinted from the opposite side of the field to save a 35-yard touchdown run.
Perhaps the most impressive sequence occurred just before the intermission. Following Coy’s stop, the Tigers’ defense was backed up against their own goal line. In a gritty display of bend but don’t break defense, the unit held Cathedral Prep to four consecutive scoreless plays, preserving the shutout heading into the locker room.
The Tigers’ ability to limit Cathedral Prep’s yardage relied on sure-handed flag pulling across the depth chart. Supporting Hogan’s efforts were Hughey (six pulls), Balouris (five pulls), freshman Ella Brinkley (five pulls) and Coy (four pulls), whose contributions in the secondary kept the Ramblers out of scoring range.
The Lady Tigers are now 8-0 on the season and will host the Ellis School tomorrow at 6pm
