Lakewood scores late touchdown, wins first playoff game – The562.org

The562’s coverage of girls’ flag football is sponsored by Los Angeles Chargers.

The562’s coverage of Lakewood Athletics is sponsored by JP Crawford, class of 2013.

Tuesday night’s flag football match between Lakewood and Knight had everything you’d expect from the first ever playoff game between two teams – a delayed kickoff, sluggish starts and plenty of energy.

The Lancers fought through the emotions of their CIF-SS Division 3 first-round matchup, scoring a game-winning touchdown from QB Dionna Bradley to standout athlete Nyemah King with a minute left for an 18-12 win.

“I was hyped, I was so hyped. It felt great,” Nyemah King said after the game. “I was really determined to make that catch after missing a few chances early in the game and so I did it. All my teammates gave me love afterward too, so it was a great moment to get that win.”

“(Bradley) has a strong arm and she makes sure she finds her receivers out there,” coach Leilani Utupo added. “As for Nyemah, when you throw a ball up she’s ready to catch the ball so we can always count on her to make the big plays and she’s done great.”

The win marks Lakewood’s first flag football postseason victory in the sport’s first year of CIF-SS playoffs. The Lancers will look to continue their run in Division 3 with a second-round game Saturday at Upland.

“This is a great accomplishment for the girls and the coaching staff,” Utupo said of their first playoff win. “We’ve come a long way with the actual program, so it means a lot to us internally. We also have 12 seniors making names for themselves here and I know they will end up doing great things in the real world.”

The kick-off of the playoff opener was delayed by an hour due to delays caused by Knights transport, and the delay was certainly evident in the pair’s slow start early in the game. The teams exchanged four turnovers for losses early in the first half and came up empty on eight of their nine total possessions.

Lakewood scored first on its third drive of the night after Bradley found King for the first possession of the game. Running back Allie Honeycutt then followed up with a 25-yard touchdown rush in which he pivoted and cut around flag bearers, resulting in an impressive score. The Lancers went into halftime with a 6-0 lead.

Knight would immediately end the game and open the second half with a touchdown from Desiree Ahumada to Zaria Anderson. Honeycutt then followed up with two impressive plays for Lakewood, including a short 10-yard throw into the end zone to give Lakewood the lead back 12-6.

Honeycutt carried a heavy load for her team in the playoff opener, finishing the game with two touchdowns and a handful of breathtaking plays. After the game, she beamed with excitement as she talked about contributing to her team’s victory.

“It means so much to me just to feel like I actually have a place on the team and can do something for the team,” she said. “At the end of the day, it’s not an individual sport, but a team sport. Whatever I can do to contribute to the team by getting yards and touchdowns, it just felt amazing.”

After Knight got the game back on track on the next drive with a connection from Ahumada to Gabriella Herrera, Lakewood finally had the ball with 1:29 left on the clock. Bradley then dropped back and threw a nearly 40-yard bomb down the field to Nyemah King for the game-winning shot.

King and Bradley both play basketball together in the winter and have enjoyed flag football as a new challenge. Early in the game, the two failed to score with their signature high balls, but King said it was only a matter of time before their chemistry took hold.

“We have a really, really close bond,” King said. “We spend time at school, playing basketball and playing football. We have so much trust in each other that if she feels like she’s in need, she knows I can do something good for her.”

Lakewood will make the 40-mile bus ride to Upland on Saturday in the second round of the CIF-SS Division 3 playoffs.