After a 7-0 start to the year, the Cougars fell to the Longhorns for their first loss of the year on Monday.
After starting their 2023 season with a 7-0 record, outscoring their opponents 230-46 throughout the seven-game win streak, Durant flag football lost their first game of the season in a 20-12 final against Lennard on Monday.
After Durant’s junior varsity lost their first contest of the season earlier in the night as well, moving to 6-1-1 with a quiet 13-0 loss to the Longhorns, the Cougars’ varsity squad took the field. Opening the game on offense, Durant wasted no time putting six on the board as senior Ki’ajanae Gordon took the first snap of the game at quarterback, finding fellow senior Maggie Lauber deep down the right sideline for the long touchdown pass. While Lauber was unable to connect with her intended receiver on the extra point attempt, the Cougars had built a 6-0 lead in the blink of an eye.
On Lennard’s first offensive possession they marched right down the field themselves with two consecutive first down completions to move into Durant territory. A short completion on the ensuing first down followed by an incomplete pass on second left the Longhorns facing third down, but a short completion put them within a yard of the first down marker and a run to the right side gave them a new set of downs at the nine-yard line. Lennard scored on the next play but also couldn’t convert on the extra point attempt of their own and the contest was knotted at 6-6.
A pair of incompletions opened the Cougars’ next drive but Lauber was able to pick up a first down herself on third, rolling out of the pocket and racing past the first down marker. On the next play, Lauber found freshman Layla White for the completion before White flipped a lateral to freshman Jordan Smith who raced up the right sideline for a first down at midfield. A pair of completions and a penalty on Lennard then moved Durant up to the Longhorns’ 20-yard line — one-yard shy of a first. A completion to Gordon put the Cougars at the 11 and one play later Durant struck again as Lauber found senior Emma Harnage in the end zone for six on the first play of the second quarter. The Cougars were once again stopped on the extra point attempt but were back out in front 12-6.
And as quickly as Lennard’s next possession began, it was brought to an end as a pass up the left sideline was tipped by Gordon and intercepted by Lauber before being returned to the Longhorns’ 32-yard line. But despite plus field position, the Cougars’ would be unable to take advantage after moving inside the Lennard 20 before unsuccessfully converting on the eventual fourth down and turning the ball over on downs. With one more opportunity to get on the board before halftime, Lennard flew down the field and ultimately found the end zone before converting the first successful extra point attempt of the contest to take a 13-12 lead into the break.
In the second half Durant was unable to turn their chances into points, forcing a turnover on downs on Lennard’s first possession of the third quarter but giving possession right back with a quick interception. The Longhorns extended their lead with a long touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter, taking a 20-12 lead, and were able to hold off the Cougars’ late comeback attempt to hand Durant their first loss of the season.
At 7-1 on the year and still 3-0 in district play, the Cougars remain atop the 2A District 6 standings as the playoffs move closer. With one final regular season game remaining, Durant will return to action next week as they head to East Bay for a matchup with the 7-6 Indians on Thursday.
