Juniors upset Seniors in Powder Puff win

More than half of the females in the Douglas High senior class were suited up to play in the Powder Puff flag football game Friday night.

On the other sideline, the significantly-outnumbered juniors had a couple of secret weapons.

Starting at quarterback they had reigning Punt, Pass & Kick queen Jessica Waggoner. Anchoring down the defensive line, they had Minneah Holdridge " the only girl to play football in the Northern 4A last season.

The duo put their distinct stamp on the game, leading the junior class to an upset overtime victory over the seniors 20-14 at the Big George Sports Complex.

Waggoner ran for 75 yards and two touchdowns and completed a pass for 12 yards and Holdridge was next to unstoppable throughout the game, wreaking havoc along the defensive line. During one series, Holdridge recorded three consecutive stops in the backfield, totalling losses of 22 yards.

What it led to was what is believed to be the first overtime game in Douglas High Powder Puff history in front of a large crowd.

After each team had a drive sputter to open the game, Waggoner got past a defender on a straight-arm and ran 65 yards untouched into the end zone to give the juniors an early lead. Ally Freitas punched in the two-point conversion for the 8-0 lead.

Holdridge came up with her big series on the seniors' next possession, but Sarah Hartley came back on third-and-20 to score on a 24-yard run, bowling over a defender at the nine-yard line.

The juniors came right back as Mackenzie Cauley took a misdirection snap on the next play and ran 65 yards for the score. She picked up a block from Waggoner along the way to spring into the end zone.

The seniors drove to the 21-yard line on their next drive, but junior Taylor Biaggi sniffed out an attempt at a Statue of Liberty play just before halftime and pulled Hartley's flag.

The seniors opened the second half with a 14-yard carry from Hartley and a 35-yard touchdown run from Samantha Ensminger. Katie Buffo punched in the two-point conversion to tie the game at 14.

Sara Phillips came up with a couple of stops during the juniors' next possession, but the seniors' next drive sputtered after a pair of fumbles and a series of stops from Biaggi, Taryn Williams and Maci Pfaffenberger.

The seniors were driving with time running out in regulation but Williams stopped Hartley at the 16-yard line with 19.6 seconds left. Hartley broke free toward the end zone on the next play but junior Liz Nickels came up with a game-saving stop at the 15-yard line as time ran out.

Waggoner took the first play of overtime 10 yards for a touchdown, but the two-point attempt failed.

Senior quarterback Bridget Maestretti opened the next drive up with a seven-yard run, but junior Amanda Boyd stopped Hartley for a six-yard loss on the next play.

A fumble brought up fourth-and-11 for the seniors and Hartley's cutback was stopped at the seven by Michelle Day to give the juniors the win.

The junior class has won the game three times in the last four years.