Second half dominance leads Brockport to Empire 8 Finals

By: Dylan O'Loughlin

BROCKPORT, NY --- It was the Empire 8 Flag Football Semifinals as The No. 2 Brockport Golden Eagles hosted the No. 3 Hartwick Hawks for the third time this season and second time in three days. After going up 21-6 at halftime, the Golden Eagles took over in the second half causing turnovers and scoring 26 points en route to a 47-18 victory. 

Brockport Flag Football advanced to the Empire 8 Championship with a 47-18 victory over Hartwick. (Photo: Liv Metz).

“Finish the job. I told them that last week when we were on the other end of that score,” Brockport Flag Football head coach Charrise Everett said. “We came out with intensity and we needed to repeat that same thing because a lead doesn’t matter. I told them we had 30 minutes so we had to play all 30 minutes and finish the job.” 

After opening the third quarter with a turnover on downs, Hartwick looked to cut the lead to a one possession game. But, an interception from Brockport safety Lauren Cundra would stop any momentum that the Hawks garnered and the Golden Eagles took over from there. 

After starting in enemy territory with the interception, the Brockport offense capitalized off the first turnover of the game as senior quarterback Megan Gerber threw a dot over the middle to first year Addy VanDewater to make the lead 28-6.

Hartwick looked to get things back on track, but on the first play of the following drive, VanDewater intercepted quarterback Audra Doll and returned it all the way to the endzone for the score to increase the lead to 34-6. 

The starting receiver went back to her roots on the defensive side due to team injuries and took advantage of the opportunity. 

“Defense was actually my strong suit in high school so it was great to get back to my roots,” VanDewater said. “I’m just grateful that Coach Everett and Coach Dash trust me to play on that side of the ball.” 

Brockport carried this momentum into the fourth quarter as the offense found pay dirt two more times. It was Trelani Harper getting the touches in the fourth as the sophomore caught a receiving touchdown from Gerber and first year quarterback Madison Beardsley to give Brockport a total of 47 points on the day. 

Trelani Harper (29) lead the Golden Eagles in receiving with eight receptions including two for touchdowns. (Photo: Liv Metz)

“Be ready for your number to be called,” Everett said. “Everybody needs to be paying attention in practice, they need to know what’s going on because you never know when your number is called. Every person I called on has stepped up and played hard. We had a pregame change and you wouldn’t have known it because we didn’t fall off.” 

In the first half, neither team could get anything going until Brockport struck first with 4:43 to go in the opening quarter. It was Gerber throwing a high-point dime to Cundra over three defenders for the first touchdown of the day. 

The end of the first had a score of 7-0, but on the first play of the second quarter Gerber connected with VanDewarter for her second passing touchdown of the day and the first of two with the first year. 

“I think we both value having fun and we both get excited for each other,” VanDewater explained about her connection with Gerber. “She throws me a touchdown and we immediately find each other, give each other high-fives and then she’ll run for a touchdown. We like seeing each other succeed and we have a really good connection because of it.” 

That’s not all that Gerber did though as after Hartwick cutting the lead to 14-6 after an Anne Stanavich rushing touchdown, the senior ran the football into paydirt on her own with the qb scramble to make it 21-6 at half. 

Gerber finished the day with 207 yards through the air and four passing touchdowns along with 168 yards on the ground with a rushing touchdown. 

“I owe it to my coaches,” Gerber said about her progress throughout the season. “I’ve really been working on my arm and throwing better and being more mentally sound. It’s been helpful.”

Megan Gerber finished with 207 passing yards and four passing touchdowns in the victory. (Photo: Liv Metz)

To go along with Gerber’s performance, Harper led the receivers with eight receptions for 123 yards and two touchdowns while VanDewater notched six catches for 80 yards and two touchdowns along with a pick-six on the other side of the ball. Cundra finished with an interception, three catches for 53 yards and a touchdown. 

On the defensive side, Cymbri Jefferson led the way with nine tackles and a pass breakup while VanDewater followed with eight tackles and two tackles for loss. Jaianna Byrd followed with seven tackles while Ariana Kennedy added five. Cundra collected four tackles and three PBUs while Ava Seelbach posted four tackles and two PBUs. 

To go along with Stanavich’s rushing touchdown, Doll threw two passing touchdowns, one to Bailey McCoy and the other to Zoe Sullivan. 

With the win, Brockport improves to 8-3 overall and 6-2 in conference play. To go along with that, the Golden Eagles advance and host the first ever Empire 8 Flag Football Championship this Friday. 

“Amazing, I’m so blessed,” Everett stated on making the first E8 Championship. “Blessed to be here, blessed to have this team and so thankful that they are all bought in and they believe in each other and they believe in me.” 

Brockport hosts the No. 4 Elmira Soaring Eagles (6-5/3-5) in the championship Friday, April 24. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.