The Long County Blue Tide flag football team had a slow start to the 2022 season, but they seem to have turned things around.
On Tuesday, November 1, they hosted their home opener - a three-team jamboree against Lowndes and Beach - and swept both games to move to 5-2 on the year. The Blue Tide downed Lowndes 24-6 and beat Beach 27-0.
The Lowndes Vikings and Beach Bulldogs opened play up with the former team dominating from start. The Vikings beat the Bulldogs 34-0 before staying on the field to take on the Lady Blue Tide.
Things started off well for the Tide as on the second play of the game, Kyndall Johnson snagged an interception and the Tide started off their first drive from the Vikings 29.
The Tide offense could not take advantage of the turnover as Kyleigh Sizemore’s pass to Taylor Hodges that likely would have been a long touchdown fell incomplete.
On the next possession, Jaci Smiley picked up three receptions en route to the Lady Tide driving down to the 7 yard line. On fourth and goal from the 3, Smiley caught another pass, this time for a touchdown to give the Tide a 6-0 lead.
Hodges’ interception and return to the Lowndes 10 set up the next score. On the next play, Sizemore tossed her second touchdown, finding Jada Young in the back of the endzone to put her team up 12-0 at the half.
The Tide opened the second half with the ball and a runs from Makenzie Moody and Samaria Harris set the Tide up in Viking territory at the 26.
Sizemore went to the air again, this time finding a wide open Hodges for the score to put the Tide up 18-0.
Lowndes picked off Sizemore and ran it back to the 1-yard line, leading to a Vikings touchdown that cut the lead to 18-6.
Sizemore looked to make up for her interception as she hit Smiley and Hodges with a pair of 20-yard passes to set up at the Viking 25.
On first and goal from the 18, Sizemore tossed her fourth touchdown of the day as she hit Moody on a short pass and she did the rest of the work, giving the Tide a 24-6 lead with 4 minutes left.
Sizemore hit a wide open Hodges to open the scoring against Beach for a 6-0 lead.
Melissa Vazquez intercepted a pass and pitched the ball to Keniah Doomes, who did the rest of the work as the Tide went up 14-0 on the defensive score.
Sizemore found Hodges open again down the sideline as the Tide went up 20-0.
At the Beach 18-yard line, Yazmin Coronel took the direct snap, shovel passed to Smiley, who then pitched the ball to Moody on a hook and ladder as she got into the endzone for the second time of the night, giving the Tide a 27-0 lead after the one-point conversion.
The team will play another jamboree on Thursday, November 3 on the road against MCA and Claxton.
They will be back home on Wednesday, November 9 against Glynn Academy and then Thursday, November 10 against Treutlen.