Homecoming Ends with Another Close Loss

by Ava Quarles

On a beautiful fall evening in late-October a large crowd of students, teachers, parents, and alumni were dressed in pink under the bright Friday Night Lights for the 2023 Homecoming football game. Amid the lively environment, the Varsity Peglegs were tuned in to one thing: securing a win.

On the first drive of the game, the Peglegs stopped the Red Devils on fourth down to gain possession right away and seize the momentum. The offense was quick to capitalize, starting with a couple of runs by junior quarterback captain Bodhi Sabongui, who was starting his first game of the season. In recent years, the Stuyvesant offense had a strong mix of run and pass but going into the game, the coaches had planned for a run-heavy attack. By moving Sabongui from the running back position to quarterback, it allowed junior running back Mekhi Edwards to start alongside his backfield teammate. The move paid off early when Edwards broke free, dodging defenders on his way to the end zone putting the Peglegs on the board with a 39-yard touchdown. After a missed extra point attempt, the Peglegs were up 6-0 early and feeling confident about their chances to pick up that first win in front of a supportive crowd.

Flushing received the ball again, but only kept it for a minute until Sabongui picked off a long pass and ran it back 60 yards to set up the Peglegs offense in the red zone. After another Edwards touchdown was called back on a holding penalty, the Peglegs’ first field goal attempt of the season was blocked leaving the score 6-0. Yet on the Red Devils’ next drive, the Stuyvesant defense responded once again when junior linebacker Eli Lifton recovered a fumble by the 50-yard line to put the ball back in the Peglegs’ hands but again could not capitalize.

It remained a defensive battle with several punts back and forth until right before halftime when senior linebacker Joseph Kim picked up another fumble and returned it to the Flushing 2-yd line. But the Red Devils defense would force a fumble two plays later ending the scoring threat. On the final play of the second quarter, Sabongui intercepted another Red Devils pass at their 15-yard line to close out the first half with the score still 6-0.

The Peglegs entered the second half inspired to build on their lead. Sure enough, they moved well on their first drive and Sabongui ran in a 13-yard touchdown to go up 12-0. But after stopping the 2-point conversion, the Red Devils took back the momentum. Flushing scored two consecutive touchdowns, and made the extra point kick on the second score to take the lead 13-12. As time ran down in the 4th quarter, the Peglegs got the defensive stop they needed but a perfect punt by the Red Devils quarterback was downed at the 1-yard line leaving the Peglegs 99 yards from the end zone. Two plays later, the Red Devils pushed the Peglegs back into the end zone for a safety, and Stuyvesant had no time to come back.

After a hopeful start, the Peglegs let the game slip away in the second half and Homecoming ended with a brutal 15-12 loss. It’s no question that there is disappointment with yet another last-minute loss as Coach Ed told the team after the game, “Today we lost to a team that had no business being in this game with us. But football is a four quarter game and we still haven’t put together a complete game. If we do that next week, we will get that win.” Facing 0-6 Columbus HS next week, the Peglegs will look to pull a win out of a season of heartbreakingly close losses.