Only a year and a half ago, Eastern University announced they were adding Women’s Flag Football. Now, they are set to play a playoff game in their first ever season. If you haven’t been watching this team, I regret to inform you that you are missing out.
After dropping their first two games, the Eagles went on to win 13 of their next 14 in dominating fashion. They recorded ten shutouts, averaged 25 points per game, and only gave up less than three points per game in that stretch.
Anyone who watches or knows football, from experts analysts to casual fans, knows the best offenses have both a strong passing game and running game. This high flying offense has both. On the ground, first year Kyla Massenberg currently leads the charge, rushing for 469 yards and nine touchdowns this season. Junior Stephanie White has also been terrific, averaging over six yards per carry whilst scoring four touchdowns of her own.
In the passing game, freshman Kira Green has been phenomenal in her first season playing football, slinging the rock for over 1500 yards this season with a 63.5 completion percentage and 17 touchdown passes. She also can make plays with her legs when need be, rushing for over 175 yards and eight touchdowns.
Her targets in the receiving game have been excellent in generating separation. The leading receiver for the maroon and white is junior Damiyae Moyet, who has 617 receiving yards and eight touchdowns as a deep ball threat. She’s scored seven touchdowns in her past three games, including a 66 yarder against Neumann, and recently had her first 100 yard game on six catches against Centenary. Junior Jeriyah Johnson has also been terrific with over 400 yards and a trio of touchdowns, and Massenburg has four to go with over 300 yards.
As terrific as the offense is, the defense has been nothing short of lights out. In addition to the aforementioned stats, the secondary recorded 28 interceptions this year, with nine different players recording at least one. Graduate student Trinity Upton has 10 this year, four of which came in the 54-0 rout of Kean on senior day. White has three, and all three of them were returned for touchdowns, including a 66 yard pick-six against Centenary.
If some of those names sound familiar, it’s because they also played for Women’s Basketball. Nine of the players on the roster played women’s basketball this past winter, and Jaleel Taylor, who is an assistant coach for Women’s Basketball, is also an assistant coach for this team.
Unlike the rest of our team sports that compete in the MAC Commonwealth (apart from Esports), Flag Football plays in the Atlantic East. Like the MAC, the Atlantic East holds a playoff tournament where the teams with the top four conference records will clash in a single elimination playoff for the conference title. The conference tournament is scheduled to take place either on April 25 or 26 at Bishop O’Connell High School, the home venue of the top seeded Marymount.
Eastern finishes in second place in the Atlantic East with a 9-3 record in conference play. Two of those three losses came against Marymount, who has only allowed two points total in their non-scrimmage games this year. The Eagles lost 34-0 in their first matchup but kept things much more competitive in the second game. Though they lost 12-0, the Eagles forced a pair of turnovers and reached Marymount territory three times, while Green threw for over 100 yards.
The Eagles will play the third seeded Centenary to open the tournament. The winner of that game plays the winner of Marymount and the fourth seeded Immaculata.
Jeff Day 
John Nolek