Oxford Falls in Flag Finals

Auburn, AL. Lady Jackets couldn’t get anything going against Auburn team playing in a home game. Fall in title game, 26-6

Al Muskewitz

Oxford’s hopes of winning the first flag football state championship came to an abrupt halt on Wednesday afternoon at Jordan-Hare Stadium, when the Lady Jackets lost to an Auburn High team playing a home match 26-6.

The Lady Jackets could not get anything going against Auburn’s defense, which allowed only four points per game until it was too late.

Wes Brooks, Oxford coach, said that everyone has a plan until they get punched in their mouths. “We got punched in our mouth.”

Auburn stopped the Lady Jackets offense from getting signals from the sideline because of the noise and crowd in the stadium. It also scored touchdowns every four times it took control to establish a 26-0 halftime advantage.

Brooks stated that the most important thing for us, and me, was to learn. She said that not once have we played a game with both sides playing. We voiced our concerns, but the girls weren’t getting the calls. If I had to do it again, I would probably have some kind of signal system installed, rather than a call, check, or whatever. It was very loud.

In order to provide a great experience for the players in a neutral field setting, the idea behind playing the state championship football games at the huge stadiums of the two largest universities (three with Birmingham now in the mix), is that they can have a big-time experience. Auburn University is located 3.1 miles away from Auburn High School. Jacksonville would be playing for the title at JSU.

Xai Whitfield, a receiver, said that while it was easy to hear at Oxford’s end near Brooks, it was difficult to hear on the far end. She sometimes had to shout back to get a second one. She did whatever she felt was necessary to do in the face of inaction.

The Lady Tigers (16-1) ended Oxford’s two first possessions with interceptions. They converted them into touchdowns quickly. They beat the Lady Jackets (16-4), in the first half, 204 yards to 73.

Auburn coach Alison Link stated, “That was a task that I put on defense the past three matches.” They have really, truly come through. It’s difficult to throw the ball over (Kristianna Ware), so it seems that the ball is in the air for ever. This is what we have been discussing: Find the ball, play ball hawk, and get everything out the sky.

This could also apply to the offense. Brooke Hallman, a sophomore quarterback at Auburn, threw four touchdown passes during the first half. This included a 70-yard catch & run by Syriah Daniels in which he made at least three Oxford defenses miss on the first play. Ware also had two misses. Hallman was 12-17 for 194 yards passing and 19 of 29 for 228 yards in the first half.

Hallman stated, “We just came in the game ready for play.” Hallman said, “We came out there to get ’em. Kris was left wide open by the great work of The Blockers. It gave us momentum to do everything.”

The most memorable moments for Oxford were provided by Whitfield. Whitfield intercepted two passes during the second quarter and scored the Lady Jackets’ touchdown with a Gabby Lindsey pass of 49 yards late in the fourth quarter. She caught 12 passes for 143 yards.

Whitfield stated, “I tried to give 100 per cent the entire time.” “I didn’t try to take only one play off. “I did my best.”

Auburn 26, Oxford 6

A: Syriah Dans 70 pass from Brooke Hallman, 6:35 PM 1Q

A: Kristianna Warrene 8 pass from Brooke Hallman (Syriah Daniels Pass from Brooke Hallman), 1Q

A: Taite Pearson 11 pass, Brooke Hallman (Madison Allen Pass from Brooke Hallman), 1;43 2Q

A: KristiannaWare 5 pass from Brooke Hallman, (pass failed), 0;17 2Q

O: Xai Whifield 49 pass from Gabby Lindsay (pass failed), 3 :07 4Q