Just like that, Alpha Q secured itself a playoff birth with a 45–14 win over 3rd and Long, a team that beat Alpha Q by 19 points when the two teams squared off early this season.
“It’s not about how you start,” quarterback Connor Hughes said. “It’s about how you finish. This team, we have heart that not many others have. We knew this game was win and in. If we won, we were in the playoffs, and if we lost we were going home. Everyone on this team came to play, everyone on this team wanted this game, and we’ve got ourselves a playoff game in two weeks because of it.”
“It was the most complete game we have played all season,” Coach Bill Hill said. “Our defense was the difference. Ryan Deveny, four bat-downs, played possessed. The secondary coverage was excellent, and our offense was unstoppable. We knew what we wanted to do going into this game, and we dictated that from the first snap.”
From the first snap is right. Alpha Q started off the game with a 29-yard-run by Matt Massucci, setting up a touchdown pass from Hughes to offensive MVP Corinne Pawlowski. Pawlowski has been a force all season and a playmaker every moment she is on the field.
“This was our best game. Our defense was incredible and offense unstoppable,” Pawlowski said.
However, the two biggest plays on offense came on back-to-back series. After Alpha Q scored on its following possession to go up by 13 points with 50 seconds left, the 3rd and Long quarterback broke free on a run and scored. After a successful extra point attempt, Alpha Q’s comfortable lead, became one in jeopardy of disappearing, until Matt Massucci made the best catch of the season.
Alpha Q took over with 44 seconds left and on its own 20 yard line. Hughes rolled out to the left and lofted a ball 50 yards down the field to Massucci, who was in triple coverage. However, three people could not stop Massucci from coming down with it, as he out-leaped all three to pull down the best catch of the season and set up what turned out to be a Brieanne Galvin touchdown reception with seconds seconds left.
“Luck,” Massucci said. “I came back to it when it was in the air and timed it right. The other team went up way too early. I was able to leap up and catch the ball as the three of them were coming down from their jump.”
Alpha Q entered the half with its largest lead of the season at 13 points; however 3rd and Long would have the ball to start the half.
That’s when Deveny took over. Deveny, who has been limited in action due to injuries, had the best game of his career. On the following possession after incompletions on both first and second down by 3rd and Long’s quarterback, Deveny rushed the quarterback and batted the ball right back into his face on back-to-back plays, turning the ball over and giving Alpha Q a chance to add to its lead.
Alpha Q wasted no time in adding to the score. On the first play of the series, a wide receiver reverse pass was called and Conner Doud bombed a deep pass over the middle to Dan Holmes, but the pass was tipped and knocked over Holmes’ head. However, Pawlowski was waiting there for it, catching the pass off the deflection and running 30 yards for her second touchdown of the day.
“Little bit of luck,” Pawlowski said.
Feeling good about themselves, Alpha Q was ready to celebrate what appeared to be a win, however 3rd and Long was not ready to lie down yet. On the first play from scrimmage, a quick pass was called, resulting in a 56-yard catch, a run by one of the receivers for 3rd and Long and just like that it was a two-possession game again.
After a long run by Doud on a screenplay, Alpha Q was set up with third and goal. On the five yard line, a touchdown would put them up by three scores with just under four minutes to play, secure themselves a victory and a playoff birth. That’s when one player made a statement and backed it up like no other. Steph Renna, the starting cornerback and substitute on offense checked into the game and said four words in the huddle, throw it to me. On the next play, a play action pass was called, and Renna found herself wide open in the corner of the end zone, pulling down the pass from Hughes, securing Alpha Q a victory and a playoff birth.
“For everything we have gone through in this season, all the losses, everything; to end it this way, in this fashion, against a team who kicked our butts the first time we played them, it’s perfect,” Hughes said. “We needed this one and we went out there and got it. Everyone played their part, everyone played incredible. From Renna to Galvin, from Konzelmann to Fleming, everyone contributed in this game, and as a result, we’re in the playoffs.”
Making the playoffs is only one step for Alpha Q. After a bye week they will face the number one seeded Team Bravo, a team that has been at ease all season, winning every game they have played and entering the post season unbeaten.
Alpha Q will have their hands full the next time they take the field July 9, however coming off this win anything is possible.
If you would like to attend Alpha Q’s playoff game, directions to the game and information about it are available at their facebook page at www.facebook.com/alphaqflagfootballteam
