By Bill Landon
Despite a two-touchdown advantage to open the second half, Ward Melville’s flag football team was fortunate to escape with a win Thursday afternoon, April 24, in a road game against Sachem East.
Junior running back Anja Rosenthal-Vincente broke out the backfield and charged down the left side to go the distance untouched for the touchdown to put the Patriots out front 6-0 with 8:45 left in the opening half. Wide receiver Brooke Raber spoke next on a pass reception eight minutes later and after a couple of spin moves punched into the endzone to give the Patriots a 12-0 lead as both point after attempts failed.
Sachem East answered back in the middle of the second half with an acrobatic tipped-ball touchdown reception and with the successful point after attempt, trailed the Patriots 12-7 at the 12:04 mark.
Both teams traded possessions in the final minutes when then Flaming Arrows marched down the field with less than a minute left hoping to find the endzone one more time to tie the game, and a with a successful point after attempt, win it outright. The Patriot defense stood their ground and kept Sachem at bay and escaped with a 12-7 victory.
The win lifts the Patriots to 7-4-1 with four games remaining until post season play begins.
— Photos by Bill Landon
