SECTION IV FLAG FOOTBALL: OWEGO DROPS HEARTBREAKER TO FORKS IN CHAMPIONSHIP GAME (2023-05-31)
By TIM TAYLOR
Tioga County Sports Report
OWEGO — The Owego flag football team came up a yard shy and a point short of a potential victory, falling to Chenango Forks, 14-13, in the Section IV Division II championship game Wednesday evening.
“Very, very tough pill to swallow,”Owego coach Rusty Virkler said. “Forks is a phenomenal team. Give all the credit to them.
“With that being said, we battled and got it back again and couldn't finish, but I like the way we battled and again congratulations to Chenango Forks. They’re an awesome team.”
The Indians scored on the game’s opening drive, then had to rally late.
Kylie Grippen found Taylor Dalton open in the endzone for a 16-yard touchdown pass with 1:06 remaining. Owego called for a quarterback keeper on the point after attempt, but Grippen’s flag was pulled just a yard shy of the goal line.
The Blue Devils then opted to take a knee and run out the clock.
Grippen guided the Indians down the field on their first possession of the night. Following a 17-yard run by Bella Silvestri to get things going, Cadia Fain toted the pigskin three consecutive times for 25 yards.
The offense sputtered briefly, but on third down Grippen connected with Dalton for 16 yards. On fourth down from the three, Grippen found Maddie Bennett open in the end zone for a TD, then threw to Bennett again for the PAT and a 7-0 lead at 19:28.
The Owego defense forced a punt, but on second down Aubrey Bough came away with an interception. Forks moved the rock down to the one, but Olivia Dodge tackled Bough for a 13-yard loss on a keeper and Oriah Boland got to Bough for a 5-yard loss on the next play.
The defenses stiffened and the Indians would eventually turn the ball over on downs in their own territory late in the half. Just 16 yards away from paydirt, The Devils took just three plays to get on the scoreboard on a Kenzie Curtis 5-yard pass to Trinity Parks with 25.8 seconds on the clock. Maggie Warpus caught the PAT pass to tie the game.
Forks punted on the opening possession of the second half, but got the ball three plays later on a Warpus interception.
Bough and Warpus hooked up for a 14-yard TD strike with 16:34 to go and Bough’s PAT run gave the Devils a 14-7 advantage.
Owego moved the ball down to the six on its next possession, but a hook-and-ladder play on fourth down came up six yards short of the end zone.
Following a Forks three-and-out, the Indians got the ball at the CF 49 and took just five plays to find the endzone.
The Devils, who fell to Owego, 20-8, during the regular season, were looking for a little vengeance this time around.
“They came in very well prepared with some adjustments and we made some adjustments at halftime that helped us, and obviously it worked out for them in the end,” Virkler said.
Grippen went 13-for-22 with two TDs and two interceptions. The Indians top receiver was Dalton with four catches for 32 yards. Fain had three receptions for 27 yards and Sophia Palladino had two catches for 15 yards. On the ground, Fain had 10 rushes for 78 yards, Silvestri had two for 15 yards and Dalton added three for 13.
Owego finished the season 8-3 overall.
Virkler was proud of the team’s dedication and effort throughout the season.
“It was awesome,” he said. “I was telling them, it's a pleasure to have all of them. It's kind of cool that we get athletes from every single team and for them to balance school, outside life, other sports, and for them to spend time playing flag football. It's an honor and I'm happy that they were able to do it.”
The coach also bid a fond farewell to his seniors — Saylor Ayers, Sammi Baker, Bennett, Jordan Greeno, Sophia Palladino and Victoria Sirotikin.
“They've been an awesome group,” he said. “I had them for two years and they were the first group to play Owego flag football and I wish them the best of luck as they move forward.”
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PHOTOS BY TIM TAYLOR.
