Junior girls storm back for powderpuff win

After spotting the Senior Class a touchdown, Churchill County High School’s Junior Class roared back with three unanswered touchdowns to win the annual Greenwave powderpuff football game Monday night at the Edward Arciniega Athletic Complex.

The annual game, played on the first day of the Churchill County High School homecoming, pits the senior girls against the juniors in a fundraiser for Block F.

The juniors’ speed was too much for the seniors to handle in the second half, especially after Leilani Otuafi put the icing on the cake with less than 2 minutes left in the game. Taking a pitch, she ran down the juniors’ sideline for an 84-yard touchdown, outracing the secondary.

Still out of breath after the game, Otuafi described her long run.

“I felt like I got a good block from Lorynn (Fagg) and could run all the way,” she said.

Coach Ted Ott said he was worried a little when the seniors scored first, but he said the entire game was Leilani.

“She is very dynamic and very optimist and didn’t let the girls get down,” he said.

Ott said the girls worked hard, and everyone contributed.

“I told them all week they could beat the seniors,” he added.

The seniors’ defense stymied the juniors on the game’s first possession, causing the juniors to fumble the ball three times (the play is automatically called dead).

On the ensuing series, the seniors mounted a six-play drive with Jordan Beyer scoring on a 2-yard run. Sierra Hickox kicked the extra point for a 7-0 lead. Stacy Kalt had a good run to put the seniors in a first and goal. Quarterback Kaitlyn Hunter also linked up with Liz Williams for a 19-yard pass.

In the second quarter, the juniors unwrapped their offense and scored a touchdown. Otuafi had a key 24-yard run on a third down, which put the juniors on the seniors’ 24-yard line.

Allie Lister then carried the ball to the 3-yard line and three plays later, quarterback Shelbi Schultz tossed a short pass to Otuafi. The kick was no good, and the juniors trailed 7-6 at halftime.

Otuafi also scored a touchdown in the third quarter on an 8-yard run, and Chandler McAlexander kicked the extra point.

Seniors coach Trevor de Braga said the aim was for the girls to have fun although he called the outcome a “minor” upset.

“It was fun, and the teams liked to have fun,” he said “That’s what it’s all about.

He said both teams had athletic girls, but the game came down to Otuafi’s running.