It’s the first season for the Fayetteville-Manlius flag football program.
The inaugural season didn’t start the way the Hornets hoped, but in the last week, F-M has gotten into a groove.
Thanks to a go-ahead touchdown by senior Madison Romocki, the Hornets defeated Baldwinsville, 7-6, on Wednesday at Fayetteville Manlius High School.
F-M has gone 3-0-1 since April 28 after a 1-4-1 start to the season.
“They performed really well,” F-M coach Ryan Aldrich said. “They had this determination to dig in and push through. They’re a new team that hasn’t played much before, but they’re figuring it out. I’m so proud of them.”
The Bees led 6-0 at the break. Late in the second half, sophomore quarterback Freedom Umstead threw a short pass to Romocki.
Romocki proceeded to run up the middle, dart past Baldwinsville defenders and into the end zone for the score.
“It was a nice pass from Freedom,” Aldrich said. “Maddy is one of the toughest girls on the team. She runs for yards.”
Aldrich noted that Madison Romocki, who is a triplet with her sister Mckenzie and brother Connor, is “all in” as a captain for the Hornets.
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Fayetteville-Manlius vs. Baldwinsville Flag Football
Romocki finished with six catches for 75 yards. The senior also had nine tackles on defense.
“She’s leading the way,” Aldrich said. “She sets the tone for the rest of the team, and players aspire to play like her.”
Umstead was 16-of-31 on completions for 131 yards. On the ground, the sophomore had 15 carries for 123 yards.
A former tackle football player, Umstead is a dual threat for F-M, Aldrich said.
“She’s getting better every day,” Aldrich said. “She reads defenses well. She has great agility and moves well down the field. I can’t talk enough about the leader she has become for the team. She isn’t a captain, but girls look to her for advice on how to compete.”
On the defensive side of the ball, sophomore Lacey Teaken recorded four sacks and five tackles. Senior Lucy Hyatt tallied two sacks, while Una Vlasak and Rory Teaken each had four tackles.
F-M’s defense held Baldwinsville scoreless for almost three quarters.
“The fact they were able to be in the right spots tonight shows how hard they work,” Aldrich said. “They put pressure on the QB and were efficient with flag pulls. They did an exceptional job.”
Aldrich noted that once the team started winning, it became contagious.
“It was a good team win tonight,” Aldrich said. “From the sidelines, to the field and practice, we’re hitting our stride. We’re clicking at the right time. It’s impressive to see what they’ve done in such a short amount of time.”
The Hornets (4-4-2) face Liverpool on Friday at 6 p.m. The Bees (7-6-1) go up against Syracuse East at 6 p.m. Friday.
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