Redan’s Pryncess Anderson (5) makes a leaping grab for touchdown in Redan’s Sweet 16 27-6 win over Portal. (Photo by Mark Brock)
After holding on to win their first-round game 6-0 over Elite Scholars, the Redan Lady Raiders rolled to a 27-6 Division 1 state flag football victory over the Portal Panthers at Hallford Stadium on Thursday night to advance to the Elite Eight for the first time in program history.
Redan found their offensive rhythm in the second game of the night racing out to a 27-0 on the way to the win over Portal (11-7) who had defeated No. 2 seeded Telfair County (8-4) 7-0 to advance to the Sweet 16 round.
On the third play of the game Redan quarterback Londyn Felder scrambled to her left, reversed fields and threw to Ave’ona Martinez down the right sideline. Martinez grabbed the pass, spun left and raced down the sideline past several Portal defenders for a 45-yard touchdown reception. Felder ran in the extra point to give Redan the lead at 7-0 with 6:30 left in the quarter.
At the start of the second quarter, Redan was facing a fourth and one at its own 39 when Felder once again scrambled to her left, reversed field back to the right before cutting up field and out racing the Portal defenders 41 yards for the touchdown. Anna Williams hauled in the extra point pass from Felder to make it 14-0 with 9:41 to play in the half.
Felder returned the punt to the Portal 22 and three plays later she would run it in from the two-yard line to up the lead. Kameron Smith ran in the extra point to make it 21-0 at the half.
Portal opened the second half with the football only to have the Redan defense force a punt. A penalty on a 56-yard touchdown pass from Felder to Smith was called back due to a penalty but still gained 22 yards to the Portal 34.
Redan moved to the 12 and facing a second and 12 Felder once again scrambled and looking towards the end zone threw to a wide-open Pryncess Anderson at the five-yard line. Anderson leapt for the pass, high pointed it, turned and out raced a defender into the end zone. The extra point try was no good as the lead grew to 27-0 with 3:30 left in the third period.
Portal answered this time by scoring on third and goal from the Redan 14 as quarterback Katie Lynn Yates zipped a pass to a streaking London Blackman who snagged the ball out of the air for the touchdown. A try for a three-point conversion went incomplete to make it 27-6 with 6:38 to play.
Two plays later Blackman intercepted a pass to set the Panthers up at the Redan 24 with a chance to cut into the lead. The Raider defense rose up again pushing the Panthers back to the 35 and facing a fourth and goal. The fourth down pass went incomplete and Redan ran out the clock.
Redan’s defense forced three punts and two turnovers on downs in the game while allowing just one touchdown. Redan became just the second team in DeKalb flag football history to reach the Elite Eight. Dunwoody was the first as the Lady Wildcats reached the third round in 2021.
Redan has a long road trip on Monday as they head to Ludowici, Georgi to take on Long County (19-2) in the Elite Eight round of the Division 1 playoffs. Long County, the Area 2 champion, defeated Athens Academy (5-10) 20-0 and Pike County (13-6) 20-0 to advance.
Redan’s Londyn Felder races up field during 6-0 win over Elite Scholars in the first round of the Division 1 state playoffs. (Photo by Mark Brock)
Redan 6, Elite Scholars 0
The Redan Lady Raiders won their third consecutive first round flag football state playoff matchup by knocking off the Elite Scholar Academy 6-0 in a defensive battle in the night’s opening game at Hallford.
Redan opened the game with a 12-play, 66-yard drive for the game’s only score as Londyn Felder scored on an 11-yard run on fourth and goal at the Elite Scholars 11-yard line. The extra point failed.
Elite Scholars got a pair of interceptions in the second quarter, both by Hannah Williams, but the Redan defense forced a turnover on downs and an interception in the end zone by Felder to send the game to halftime.
Sanieya Largent came up big for the Royal Knights (5-8) in the fourth quarter with an interception in the end zone to stop a game finishing touchdown for Redan.
The teams traded possessions and with 3:16 to play Largent took a handoff and took off up field avoiding several Raider defenders for a 55-yard run to the Redan 10.
Redan got two big plays from Legend Williams as she caught a runner for a four-yard loss on first down and then stopped Largent for no gain on fourth and 11 with 58 seconds to play. Redan ran out the clock to preserve the victory.
Stone Mountain made school history with its first flag football state playoff appearance on Thursday night. The Pirates came up short in a 20-0 loss to Therrell. Pictured (l-r) are Makayla Wilson (1), Serinity Brister (4) and Coach Sheena Harley (jacket) along with three unidentified Pirates during a timeout against Therrell. (Photo by Lester Wright)
In other Division 1 playoff action Miller Grove and Stone Mountain had road games. Miller Grove picked up its first playoff win in two tries by defeating Douglass (11-7) 19-0 in the opening round at Southeast Bulloch. Southeast Bulloch defeated Wheeler (10-5) 27-6 to earn the right to take on Miller Grove in the Sweet 16. The Wolverines (10-5) fell 34-0 to the host team from Southeast Bulloch.
Stone Mountain as a last-minute replacement in the playoffs and hit the road to Therrell for their first playoff appearance in program history. The Pirates fell 20-0.
Southwest DeKalb became the third team from DeKalb to win an opening round game as the Panthers (15-5-1) won a13-12 thriller over Veterans (7-7) to advance to the Division 3 Sweet 16. Host South Effingham (12-4) knocked Southwest DeKalb out of the playoffs with an 18-0 win in the nightcap.
In other Division 3 first round games the DeKalb entries did not fare as well as Dunwoody (12-8) lost 19-0 to Morrow (15-2), Druid Hills (8-10) fell 13-0 to Peach County (13-3) and Tucker (7-8) fell 19-0 to Warner Robins (15-4).
DCSD FLAG FOOTBALL STATE PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE
Thursday, December 5
DIVISION 1
At Hallford Stadium
Redan (17-2-1) 6, Elite Scholars (5-8) 0
Portal (11-6) 7, Telfair Co. (8-4) 0
Redan (18-2-1) 27, Portal (11-7) 6
At Southeast Bulloch
Miller Grove (10-5) 19, Douglass (11-7) 0
Southeast Bulloch (16-1) 27, Wheeler Co. (10-5) 6
Southeast Bulloch (16-1) 34, Miller Grove (10-6) 0
At Therrell
Therrell (16-3) 20, Stone Mountain (7-5), 0
DIVISION 3
At Peach County
Peach Co. (13-3) 13, Druid Hills (8-10) 0
At Morrow
Morrow (15-2) 19, Dunwoody (12-8) 0
At South Effingham
South Effingham (11-4) 7 Hiram (10-5) 0
Southwest DeKalb (15-4-1) 13, Veterans (7-7) 12
South Effingham (12-4) 18, Southwest DeKalb (15-5-1) 0
At Lithonia Springs
Warner Robins (15-4) 19, Tucker (7-8) 0