John Jay Faculty Relaxes with some Flag Football

Before an empty Contest Field on Thursday November 9, the John Jay faculty gathered for a coed game of flag football. Not seeking any attention, the ten players were just after a break in the action between seasons. But while there was a lot of laughter and good cheer, the contingent of mostly coaches actually lit it up.

First to 50 (or the onslaught of tears), the White team scored last in a 54-40 win.

A 4 O’Clock start, the game awaited the arrival of Coach Joe Candarelli. But he was the first to make an impact. He shut down the Purple team’s opening drive with a pick and then received the first touchdown of the day.

Not done yet, Candarelli again picked off Christian McCarthy (who played QB for both teams) and Tyler Sayre got his chance. McCarthy went over the shoulder, and the basketball coach pulled it in.

A 16-0 game, Steve DelMoro got an interception of his own, but Candarelli stole the glory again. McCarthy lofted a balloon, Cando came down with it, and Katie McCarthy got the two point conversation.

Now a 22-0 game, the Purple team was awakened by the winter coaches. Matt Gallagher got his team a first down, Will Carter received the touchdown and Gallagher got the deuce.

Next Carter went solo. He came across the middle for McCarthy’s strike in the end zone and scored the conversion for a 22-16 score.

Then girl power got its first say. Jen Luft’s stutter step sent Lizzie Cazzari to the turf, and the receiver was wide open for a 50 yard touchdown pass from McCarthy.

The lead back up to 12, the Purple didn’t look like they were going to keep pace when McCarthy missed a wide open Gallagher. But McCarthy found Carter between two White defenders in the end zone, and the game stood at 28-22.

The White refused to surrender the lead, though. Sayre kept the drive alive with a first down reception at the 20, and Luft caught one in the flat and cut inside to set up the next score. A down and out to Candarelli, the game’s ringer had his third touchdown.

The two pointer failing, the White still led 34-22. No giving in, Gallagher and McCarthy looked all pro on the change over. Gallagher had barely a step on DelMoro, and the automatic QB hit the girls basketball coach’s outstretched hands at the ten.

A Carter reception at the five then set up another basketball coach. On the youth level, Cazzari burst over the goal line, and McCarthy zipped in for a 34-28 game.

A stop needed for the Purple, the White would not oblige. Adrionna Palmiero first got a reception on the left, Sayre received on the sideline to the 20, and Palmiero took one over the shoulder in the end zone to keep the Purple at bay.

No two pointer, a 40-28 game looked pretty good anyway. But winter fell on the white again. First Gallagher beat DelMoro handily to pull within six, and after Katie McCarthy got a pick on the goal line for the Purple, Carter had a 45 yard reception to the five and then the TD.

All tied, the breathing obviously got harder - except for Luft. On first down, she blew past Cazzari for a 50 yard touchdown pass, and after Carter converted, the White was two points away.

The Purple did not respond, but Luft did. With a crowd gathering in the middle of the end zone, the receiver found some space and was able to pull the ball in among the morass.

The 54-40 winner on the board, the high fives and hugs were abound and no injuries were reported. But the number of calls in sick were not available upon publication.