East Laurens flag football debut filled with positives, but Telfair takes two-TD victory

The East Laurens Falcons took the field Thursday for their first-ever regular season flag football game with open minds, and a healthy sense of anticipation measured by not only the understanding that this was their first experience playing a brand new game, but that they’d also be going up against a well-established program whose returning team is projected to be one of the best in the area. 

All those things considered, they performed quite well in a debut that, win or lose, was going to be a positive learning experience. The result, an 18-8 loss to Telfair County, wasn’t wholly satisfying, but Falcon coaches and players still walked away encouraged by the takeaways. Though there are a lot of ways they can improve in the games to come, they also learned they’ve got what it takes to compete in a sport that won’t be unfamiliar for long. 

“We knew that Telfair was going to be a challenge, and it’s fine,” said East Laurens head coach Shumara Carswell. “They’re ranked like No. 9 in the state right now, and we only (lost to them by) 10 points. This is our first year, that’s not an excuse. We are willing to take those losses, get back to the drawing board and learn. Now we know what we need to do.” 

Getting a feel for the mechanics of their offense was a slight challenge. But the Falcons came to play on defense, standing tall for three big red zone stops that made it tough on the Trojans to put away an early lead. 

Telfair, after hitting a deep pass to score on their opening drive, kept a shutout intact until the final few minutes, but did add some second-half insurance as it struck again early in the third and took advantage of an East Laurens turnover for a third touchdown late. 

East Laurens quarterback Zahmaria Robinson found towering receiver Garyunna Mitchell over the middle for a roughly 45-yard catch and run touchdown that finished the Falcons’ afternoon on a high note. 

“It was like a breath of fresh air, really,” Robinson said of the first-ever fast-break assist involving the two basketball teammates on the gridiron, where their chemistry will carry over from the hardwood this fall. “We already have a bond, so we’re kind of connected in a way.” 

Not much else really opened up through the air, though Robinson ran for a good bit on scrambles that picked up double-digits to get several drives moving after their first two went three plays and out. But most, before the final score, eventually stalled out due to penalties and other issues that simply come with the territory for a first-year team. 

“The girls were kind of shaken up, that first half especially. They were nervous,” Carswell said. “It wasn’t the same as (our) away game Tuesday. Today, it was here on a big stage as they would call it, and they were kind of shaken up. But we know what we need to do. We know what we need to improve and we’re just gonna get better every game.” 

Mitchell, with a number of key flag pulls over the course of the afternoon, had the unofficial lead in “tackles” for a defense that made its share of plays to keep Telfair in check. 

The Trojans, whose short-to-intermediate passing game wasn’t much more in sync, ventured over midfield on both their remaining first-half possessions, but were held at the East Laurens 19 on a first that relied on Mitchell’s third-down stop. Time and a fourth-and-goal got the best of them from a few yards away as time expired on a 6-0 lead at the end of the second quarter. 

Telfair doubled it after Hennessy Livingston’s sack forced a quick Falcon punt on their first chance of the third quarter. Bryce Eady hit Tee Jones on a couple-yard bubble screen to punch it in, though a conversion was once again denied to leave the deficit a manageable 12-0. 

Mitchell contributed to a goal-line stand with one of back-to-back saves less than a yard from the plane as the Trojans threatened to score again after Livingston got into the backfield, and seized an attempted handoff to wrest back possession.

But they’d get to the end zone again after what was only a short holdup as Tryn Newson intercepted of a deep ball, and Eady found Jones again for the score to make it 18-0. 

“I feel like we did good, but we need to improve more on defense,” Mitchell said. “We know what we need to work on for the next game. We’re looking for the win.” 

Getting a feel… 

Pretty much everything about this new adventure, except for the guidance of some neighboring programs and coaches, is uncharted for East Laurens, which has had time this summer to work on becoming familiar with the rules, procedures and basics of flag football. 

But executing everything they’ve learned in a real game situation, which they were only exposed to for a first time in a scrimmage at Treutlen two days earlier, will take some time to do effectively. 

“They didn’t have the opportunity to play this in rec. Now they have it, so the girls are having to learn it at the high school level,” Carswell said. 

Handling of the football and snap mechanics, as well as issues aligning presnap and adjusting to specific game situations, seemed to give the Falcons the most trouble. 

Their first two offensive series, from deep in their own territory, were beset by miscommunication, and some Telfair pressure right up the middle to stop the plays that did get off cleanly before they could get started. 

But East found its footing, and some things to hang its hat on offensively as the afternoon went along. 

What’s been the biggest learning process? 

“Us working together,” Mitchell said. “Communication.” 

As things got going, they were also plagued by some simple details like keeping the ball tucked high and tight… not to protect against fumbles, but rather to avoid penalties for “flag-guarding,” which can be called when the ball is held low enough, or swinging the arms, to become an obstacle impeding access to the flags. 

“We lost, but we just know we’ve gotta improve,” Robinson said.  

Going forward, its biggest adjustment from the atmosphere of practices to games will be getting comfortable with the flow… in particular the transitions between phases when it frequently took a little too long to get plays called, and the right folks into the game. 

“Once these girls get acquainted and get familiar with the game and get that just confidence about just knowing the game, then that little swagger that they have just being an athlete period, that’ll come,” Carswell said. “But I think right now, they’re just not familiar with the game of flag football. For this first season, it’s definitely going to be them getting acquainted with the game, and just learning through playing these really good teams.” 

Thursday’s opener is one the Falcons were glad to have out of the way, though the performance – considering what they hope to do a lot better the next time out – went about as well as it could have for a first time. 

“I was nervous, I think I still am,” Carswell said. “But just like the kids, I just see where they need to improve, and as a coach, I know where I need to improve. I’m going to get better. The coaching staff, we’re going to get better. And we’re going to keep rolling.”