Girls flag football: Rolling Meadows battles through heat, two overtimes to get by Barrington
Rain fell at a Rolling Meadows flag football practice earlier this season.
The Mustangs kept playing.
“Let’s keep going,” coach Todd Schaap remembered his players telling him.
Wednesday brought something considerably different — a daylong heat advisory, temperatures in the 90s, humidity, and hydration breaks during each half.
Same response.
“We love to play flag football, whatever the conditions,” Rolling Meadows senior linebacker Patty Lewicki said after the night game.
Whatever the conditions.
Whatever the situation, too.
Rolling Meadows survived a defensive struggle, two overtimes, and one final Barrington threat to edge the Fillies 8-7 in a Mid-Suburban League West matchup. Senior Anna Andriano caught the go-ahead conversion in the second overtime and then broke up Barrington’s final pass.
Game.
The Mustangs improved to 5-1 overall and 3-1 in the MSL West. Barrington fell to 3-2, 2-2.
“That was an intense game,” said a beaming Lewicki, who contributed a sack, a tackle for loss, and a late fourth-quarter pass breakup. “I loved the way we pulled together and finished in overtime. Our players are close. We build each other up.”
Defense kept both teams close all night.
Barrington struck first when quarterback Gia Klauer connected with Claire Trzaska for a 35-yard touchdown at 6:53 of the first quarter. Klauer finished 20-for-40 for 195 yards, while Trzaska caught four passes for 57 yards and Anja Koertner had four receptions for 69 yards.
The Fillies carried that 6-0 lead into halftime.
Rolling Meadows finally answered with 1:57 left in the third quarter. Junior quarterback Sophia Rappa found sophomore Brynley Heffernan for a 25-yard touchdown, with Heffernan breaking several tackle attempts on her way to the end zone.
Six-six.
Barrington had made its own memorable defensive stand earlier. On fourth-and-goal from the 21, Rappa hit Andriano for 20 yards, but senior captain Caley Skidmore pulled Andriano’s flag at the 1.
“I saw the pass coming down, and I knew I had to grab the flag right away,” Skidmore said. “Cornerback Ella McKee communicated well with me on that play.”
The Fillies’ defense also received an interception from Grace Menke, three pass breakups from Carly Mathis, and disruptive work from Riley Rivero.
Rolling Meadows countered with Cara Cruz’s interception and tackles for loss from Kate Adriano and Meghan Riggi.
Schaap saved some of his strongest praise for defensive coordinator Rick DiVito.
“Rick is a defensive guru,” Schaap said. “He had a lot to do with this win.”
Barrington went ahead 7-6 in the first overtime on Klauer’s three-yard pass to Elena Marabella. Rappa answered with a three-yard conversion pass to Cruz.
Then came Anna Andriano.
Rappa hit the senior for the point that made it 8-7. Moments later, Andriano knocked away Barrington’s final pass, triggering a sustained celebration from the visitors.
Fillies coach Emily Behrendt praised her defense’s communication and added, “We’ll learn from this.”
The Mustangs left with something else.
Proof that their answer hadn’t changed.
Rain at practice. Heat on game night. Two overtimes.
“Let’s keep going,” indeed.