Tide flag advance to state quarterfinals
Caleb Bailey
The Long County Blue Tide flag football team is back in the third round of the state playoffs after missing them during the 2023 season. It took a tough, “grind-it-out” victory in the second round to get there, a 6-0 win over Pike County.
With the win, the Lady Tide are now 19-2 on the season and advance to their third quarterfinals in four years. They will host the Redan Raiders on Monday, December 9 with both teams’ first semifinals appearance on the line.
In the first game, the Area 2 champion Lady Blue Tide beat the Athens Academy Spartans from Area 8 20-0.
Makinzie Moody took a direct snap and found some room up to the 17 to set up a first and goal early in the second quarter. On the next play, Miley Maulden found Kelly Stokes in the endzone to take the 8-0 lead.
Stokes come up with another big play as she intercepted a pass and got to the Spartan 31.
With a first and goal from the 19, Maulden found Stokes for a 15-yard pickup to the 4. However, her next pass was intercepted in the endzone as the Spartans took over at their own 14 as the Tide went into halftime up 8-0.
The Tide opened the second half with the ball and Moody immediately went to work. She picked up 16 yards to set up a 1st down in Spartan territory.
Maulden found Moody for a 34-yard pick up to the 4, setting up first and goal. Maulden then found France Smith in the back of the endzone for the 2-yard touchdown to put the Tide up 14-0.
After another Spartans interception, the Tide defense stepped up and forced another punt as they took over from their own 30. Moody picked up 20 yards to the Spartan 30 before they set up a first and goal from the 20.
Maulden threw her third touchdown of the game as she connected with Amire Saunders down the sideline. This gave the Tide a 20-0 lead at the two-minute warning, prompting the end of the game as they advanced to the second round.
Pike County defeated Northside Columbus in the second first round game of the night, pitting the Area 5 runner up against the Area 2 champion in the second round.
The second round game was as good as advertised as the game was tied 0-0 well into the second quarter.
Neither team could get much going in the early goings of the game before the Tide picked up a big fourth down at the start of the second quarter.
Maulden found Saunders to pick up 11 yards to the Pirate 20. On second and goal from the 17 however, Maulden’s pass was intercepted, giving the Pirates the ball at their own 5.
The Tide forced a Pirate punt and took over right at midfield. On first and 20 from the 40, Maulden found a wide open Alyssa Skipper down the Tide sideline for 32 yards to the Pirate 8.
Moody picked up 7 yards on first and goal and then scored from a yard out on second and goal as the Tide took a 6-0 lead with 3:30 left in the half.
After a 40-yard gain, the Pirates ere closer to the endzone than any other team has been all season when playing at Veterans’ Stadium as they set up a first and goal at the Tide 10.
However, it was again Stokes’ turn to play the hero.
She intercepted a pass in the endzone and returned it to her own 30. Maulden found Skipper for 10 to the 40 before finding Saunders for 30 yards to the 10.
However, a sack forced a turnover on downs as the game went into the half with the Lady Tide holding onto the slim 6-0 lead.
The Tide had first and 15 at their own 25 with just over 4 minutes left in the game. They kept the drive going long enough to get within the final 15 seconds of the game. Maulden hit Moody on a big 17-yard pass to pick up a first down at the 20 to extend the drive.
Moody picked up 15 yards on the ground and set up second and goal at the 5. The Tide continued to work that clock down before they turned the ball over on downs at the 1.
With 13 seconds left, the Pirates picked up big yards to midfield on the first play of the drive. However, the Tide kept them from getting behind them again as the clock hit triple zeroes.