For the second week in a row, the Jenkins Lady Warriors needed a second-half comeback to keep their undefeated campaign alive. The Lady Warriors played their best when it mattered most for the second week in a row and pulled out another thrilling victory.
New Hampstead (6-1, 3-1) shut out Jenkins (8-0, 6-0) in the first half, and just like last week's win against Calvary, they trailed at halftime, with their opponent getting the ball out of halftime. New Hampstead was cruising to start the second half and was set up in a goal-to-go situation, looking to go up two scores on the Lady Warriors until junior A'Niyah Browner came up big with an interception. Browner would cap off the ensuing Jenkins possession with a touchdown to give the Lady Warriors their first lead.
However, the lead did not last long as New Hampstead drove back down the field to recapture the lead at 12-7. The Lady Warriors answered right back, putting together an impressive drive orchestrated by sophomore quarterback I'Yarna Lee and her favorite target, Browner. Browner got into the endzone for a second time to give Jenkins a 15-12 lead with 1:22 left in the fourth, and three plays later, she got her second interception to seal the game for the Lady Warriors.
Jenkins' Head Coach Brianna Brooker said her team never lost faith despite the back-and-forth nature of the game, saying,
"I told them It's not over until it's over. We just stayed grounded in our preparation and made sure to execute everything we've trained for."
Last week's hard-fought win over Calvary was integral for Jenkins. Both Calvary and New Hampstead run an explosive option offense, and they are both state playoff teams. After their win over Calvary, Coach Brooker stated that she wants to see her team get better at converting their points after touchdowns (PAT). After going 0/3 on PAT attempts last week, Jenkins went 2/2 against New Hampstead, which ended up being the difference in the game.
"They bought in. That's the biggest thing, the kids bought in. They wanted this win more than anything. I always tell them they have to want it more than me, and they did," Brooker said.
The undefeated Lady Warriors' next game is against Sol C. Johnson High School at 5 p.m. and A.E. Beach High School at 6 p.m. on Thursday, October 31. The flag football doubleheader will be the first official varsity game of any sport on the Jenkins High School Football field on the Jenkins campus.
PHOTO: Courtesy 912_Suspense Instagram page
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