FHSAA flag football districts: New Smyrna Beach stuns Spruce Creek in 5 overtimes
PORT ORANGE — High hopes and high energy, junior quarterback Emma Corr believes, proved to be the winning formula as New Smyrna Beach pulled off a major flag football upset and ended a lengthy losing streak to rival Spruce Creek on Thursday night.
Corr rushed for two short touchdowns, and Brooke Kuczynski made a game-clinching flag pull on a one-point conversion attempt in the fifth overtime period as the visiting Barracudas knocked out Spruce Creek 13-12 in an FHSAA Region 2-2A semifinal.
Spruce Creek (14-3) defeated New Smyrna Beach (10-7) in three previous meetings this spring, including in last week's District 5-2A championship contest, and 11 consecutive times over the previous four seasons.
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"Over the moon. If anyone was going to do it, it was going to be this team," said Corr, recently healed from a calf contusion that cost her three games. "My whole heart goes to them. I couldn't have done it without them. I wouldn't want to lead any other team as quarterback, and I am so proud of our defense for locking down."
The score remained knotted at zero through four regulation quarters and the first two periods of overtime. Corr finally broke the deadlock in triple OT, completing a 9-yard pass to Taylor Vance and punching in a short run on the next snap.
Spruce Creek responded with its fourth-and-goal heroics as Anastasia Neal escaped the pocket and scrambled for a 3-yard TD run. Both teams failed to tack on the extra point, and came up empty in the fourth overtime.
Corr set the 'Cudas up at the 1 again in quintuple overtime, evading pressure and spinning for a 9-yard run. She slipped into the end zone, and then found Vance in the flat for the crucial conversion. She finished the game with 108 passing yards, 86 rushing yards and a team-high seven flag pulls.
Yet, Spruce Creek refused to go away. With its season on the line, Neal connected with Chloe Waldo for a second touchdown on fourth-and-goal. New Smyrna's defense regrouped in time to slam the door as Kuczynski stopped Mateja Santo Domingo about a yard short on a shovel pass to seal victory.
Kuczynski, a Florida Atlantic softball signee, admitted it took a moment to realize she had made the decisive defensive play.
"I'm just so used to my position, just pulling the flag, going to the next play and getting ready," Kuczynski said. "I was just full of emotions. I don't even know how to describe it. It's just the best feeling ever to know all your team has put in the effort and it was one opportunity that I got."
Boone 12, DeLand 0
New Smyrna Beach will travel to Orlando for its regional semifinal Tuesday following Boone's shutout victory against DeLand.
The Braves (15-2) found the end zone twice in the second quarter en route to its sixth straight win.
DeLand finished with an even record of 7-7. Boone limited the Bulldogs to 101 yards of total offense, though Kayla Hill had three receptions for 45 yards.
Sophomore Tashia Williams totaled more than 1,500 yards of offense with seven touchdowns for DeLand this season.
Wildwood 20, Mainland 12
Top-seeded Wildwood kept its undefeated record intact, and eliminated District 11-1A champion Mainland in a regional quarterfinal Wednesday.
Mainland had its five-game win streak snapped, including a 13-7 thriller last week against Seabreeze to secure the district's automatic postseason berth.
Brielle Jackson completed 21 of 31 passes for 257 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Kaitlin Barba caught a touchdown, adding five flag pulls, two sacks and an interception on defense. Kiera Williams and Kamryn Troutman each tallied five receptions, combining for 144 receiving yards.
Wildwood (9-0) will host Jones in a semifinal Tuesday.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: FHSAA flag football: Daytona Beach-area regional quarterfinal recap
