Desert Ridge flag football beats Sandra Day O'Connor to stay undefeated

The Desert Ridge Jaguars remain undefeated after grinding to for a 17-7 win over the Sandra Day O'Connor Eagles. Now 7-0, the Jaguars are telling Arizona to watch out. They could be a serious threat in the playoffs as they are currently ranked No. 6 in the state.

While the Jaguars looked like they were in control of this game, the Eagles gave them a couple of scares. Defensively, the Jaguars would hold their ground for the most part. But the Eagles' defense was also committed to taking this game. As they would dive for just about anything. Swatting passes, flying in for a flag, the Eagles tried it all. And to their credit, the Jaguars only got two touchdowns in this game.

Lexi Harper played quarterback for the Jaguars and was the catalyst for their success. Her ability to run around traffic and throw the long ball proved to be too much for the Eagles, who were able to stop plenty of scoring attempts, but not enough to keep Harper from throwing it deep.

Harper's touchdown pass to Brianna Jacobs ended the first half. The third quarter started with some authority from the Eagles. Their defense held the Jaguars scoreless in the third quarter and left Harper frustrated.

When Giana Rod kicked a field goal to put the Jaguar up 17-0 for the Jaguars with 2 minutes remaining, the game seemed over.

The Eagles spoiled the shutout with a touchdown by Rebecca Currence.

Key Players:

Lexi Harper was throwing dimes all evening. Ending the first half with a passing touchdown to Brianna Jacobs.

Kaitlyn Medina was one of Harper’s favorite targets. She got the first touchdown of the game at the end of the first quarter. Her key plays came from her ability to get rushing yards to keep the Jaguars consistent in first-down situations.

Rebecca Currence was the star player on Sandra Day for defense and offense. Diving at balls and eating dirt for the team. Swatting what she could away from Lexi Harper’s passes. And on offense, she got the Eagles’ only touchdown, with only 7 seconds left in the game.

The Defensive Line for the Jaguars was elite. It held the Eagles scoreless for four straight quarters until the last few seconds of the game. The star player on defense was Angelina Charbagi, who caught several flags off of players still in the air after they caught the ball.

Key Quotes:

"It's been hard work since day one and just paying attention to details," —Lexi Harper.

"They said that we got a very good team, and we gave them a run. Even though our record doesn't reflect a team that's 7-0, we got an excellent defense. We just have to iron out the offense." — Michael Webber, Sandra Day O'Connor coach

"Some of these teams have been playing more. They have a year on us, so we're trying our best to catch up and learn about the sport we love." — Madison Coons, Sandra Day O'Connor player

Up Next:

At 7-0, the Jaguars will be back out on the field in just two days, hosting Corona Del Sol. The Aztecs are a rival, and currently sit at 6-2. For the Eagles of Sandra Day O'Connor, they'll have a two-game stretch at home, but with tough competition. Hamilton on Thursday, and Dobson the following Tuesday.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Desert Ridge flag football easily handles Sandra Day O'Connor