Tigers’ season ends with a Bayside playoff

Nearing the end of the regular season, the 3-4 Fort Hamilton H.S. flag football team was in a malaise and was facing a losing season. Looking to shake up her team, coach Lynn Beruldsen decided to change practice and substituted an actual intersquad game to bring out the best of her talented team. That move worked for Beruldsen, as she saw an energized team win its last three games of the season to make the playoffs as a four-seed with a 6-4 record. 

Earning a 32-0 win over FDR, another 18-0 Senior Game win over Leon M. Goldstein and a final 25-12 win over James Madison, the Tigers drew a quarterfinal playoff matchup in Queens against the number one-seeded 10-0 Bayside Commodores.

In the quarterfinal, the Tigers held their ground against the higher-seeded Bayside, as quarterback Mahetsi Sanchez drove the team down to the Commodores’ 10-yard line. As strong as the Tigers’ drive was to score, it was quickly short-circuited with a Bayside interception and a long return to the Fort Hamilton 5-yard line by Casey Decker. Bayside quarterback Bianca Bancila then followed with a touchdown pass to Katie Cruz and an extra point pass to Angely Abreu for a 7-0 first quarter lead.  

Regaining possession in the second quarter, the Commodores struck again with a 20-yard pass across the middle to Abreu for another score to put Bayside up 13-0 at the half. In the third quarter, the Tigers came back with an interception by Abby Hom that Sanchez converted to a score, connecting on a 10-yard pass to Crystal Garcia to cut the Bayside lead to 13-6. With one minute to go in the fourth quarter, the Tigers made a final push down to the 15-yard line to either tie or win the game. The Tigers then took the drama down to the final 10 seconds as they were stopped on four straight downs by a tough Commodore defense for the 13-6 Bayside win.

“We came on strong to finish the season to make the playoffs,” said Beruldsen. “Our team went out with a good competitive game against a high seeded team. My congratulations to my seniors who led the team and were role models for the rest of the girls. I’m looking forward to the underclassmen to step up next season.”