Varsity flag football: Lady Cowboys kick off the season with back to back wins

BY KAYLA GATES

As spring has rolled around the corner, so has the beginning of many sports seasons at Cooper City High School, including girls’ flag football. After weeks of conditioning, the varsity team opened up their season with two consecutive wins against district opponents.

The team’s first game of the season took place on Tuesday, March 5 at 6 p.m. The Lady Cowboys competed against Everglades High School at home. Fans filled the bleachers to cheer on the girls as they kicked off the year.

Despite the points Nova was able to obtain, the game ended with Cooper City in the lead. A final score of 22-12 allowed the Lady Cowboys to celebrate yet another win.

The offense took the field to begin the game, and it was clear that their opponents would have trouble stopping them. Cooper City ran a variety of running and passing plays, allowing them to gain yardage as they moved down the field. Three of their drives ended with a touchdown and a completed extra point.

Another notable aspect of the game was Cooper City’s defense. Everglades experienced difficulty moving the ball on most drives, as the Lady Cowboys were able to pull flags on each play. A lack of first downs left Everglades unable to score.

After an hour of intense competition, the game ultimately came to a close. Cooper City defeated Everglades with a final score of 21-0. The team and their fans cheered as the girls claimed their first victory of the season.

Following a major win, the team turned around to compete once again on Wednesday, March 6 at 7 p.m. The Lady Cowboys traveled to Nova High School, where they took on another district team.

“We’re a super strong team, and we have played great so far,” freshman Tamar Shani said. “If we just tweak our mistakes here and there, I truly expect us to go far this year.”

Once again, the Cowboys led by a significant margin for the majority of the game. They ran routes to overcome Nova’s aggressive defense, allowing them to make major plays downfield. Junior Kimberly Slinkosky ran in for two touchdowns during the game, which helped Cooper City take the lead.

While players managed to pull many flags, the defense struggled at times. Nova was able to execute many more plays on offense than their previous opponent. Two of their drives ended in a touchdown. However, Nova was unable to make the extra point on either attempt.

Despite the points Nova was able to obtain, the game ended with Cooper City in the lead. A final score of 22-12 allowed the Lady Cowboys to celebrate yet another win.

The team is scheduled to compete again on Tuesday, March 12 at 6 p.m. They will play an away game against McArthur High School. While satisfied with their progress so far, the girls will continue to practice for the games to come.

“With a new quarterback and a lot of new faces, we’re still working out some kinks,” senior Sarah Megna said. “But we have a long season ahead of us to improve and get even better than we are now.”

In the meantime, the Lady Cowboys will continue to stick to their rigorous practice schedule. While the team remains undefeated, both coaches and players acknowledge the many obstacles they must overcome to reach their goal.

As for the future, the girls plan to top the accomplishments of their previous season. While the team qualified for and played in the state championship last year, they lost in the semifinals. However, Cooper City hopes to take the title this year.

“Our team this year seems to be better than all the other years before,” Slinkosky said. “I’m really looking forward to us taking a new step forward and getting further than we have in previous years.”

In the meantime, the Lady Cowboys will continue to stick to their rigorous practice schedule. While the team remains undefeated, both coaches and players acknowledge the many obstacles they must overcome to reach their goal.

“We’re a super strong team, and we have played great so far,” freshman Tamar Shani said. “If we just tweak our mistakes here and there, I truly expect us to go far this year.”

Photo by The Lariat Photography