Win over Patriots first playoff victory in program history
WINTER PARK – In big games, no matter the sport or level coaches always look some players to step up. Against Lake Brantley in the opening round of the FHSAA District playoffs, Seminole Flag Football coach Eric Martin found that player in Alyssa Braun.
Up 7-6 with just under two minutes left in the half, Martin called for a little bit of trickery. Quarterback Amelia Rodriquez took the snap, tossed it to Jalah Scurry who tossed to speedster Alyssa Braun. The senior broke through the left side of the Patriot defense and went 35-yards for what would be the winning touchdown. The PAT was stopped, but the Noles took a 13-6 lead into the half.
“One thing I have learned this year is to use all the tools we have. Alyssa is just lightening (quick),” Martin said.
The coach added it helped on the first toss, the Lake Brantley defense shifted to follow Scurry, leaving the left wide open for Braun to step up.
“To reverse it again worked out perfectly for us,” Martin said. “I was really glad we were able to make that work and get that second touchdown in and keep the pace going for the rest of the game.”
Braun was key at times on defense as well for the Seminoles. The senior kept pressure on the Patriot quarterback from the middle, making several key stops in the win on running plays and forcing the Patriots into making mistakes.
“(Braun) is one of the best things you can have in a first-year program – a really fast, high athletic IQ player,” Martin said. “She has a super focused and refuse to lose mindset and that helped us on both sides of the ball today.”
After Lake Brantley took an early 6-0 lead, Senior wide receiver Gianna Diaz scored on a short pass followed by a PAT, Seminole went up for good.
“I told the girls (before the game), my word of the day was serendipity,” Martin said. “Being at the right place at the right time. We lost to this team earlier this year, it was a very defeating loss. We needed to get our justice back on this team to move on to the next round.”
The next round is April 9 at Lake Howell against the top-seeded hosts.
Game time is set for 5pm.
