There’s a certain electricity when two undefeated high school flag football teams line up at the same field—like everybody can feel the season tilting, even before the first snap. On Thursday, April 10th, at Butler Field, that feeling was real.
Scarsdale High School’s Varsity Girls Flag Football Team hosted Tappan Zee in what the matchup promised would be a marquee early-season test. Both teams came in unbeaten: Scarsdale at 2-0 and Tappan Zee at 3-0. The scoreboard ended up doing most of the talking, though—because when it was all said and done, Tappan Zee came away with a 32–12 victory.
The visitors didn’t just “manage” the game. Misryoum newsroom reported and the Misryoum editorial desk noted that Tappan Zee dominated throughout, and that dominance showed up again and again in how plays unfolded—Scarsdale had moments, sure, but it never really felt like the Raiders had full control. A line judge’s whistle cut through the air as the teams traded possessions, and you could almost hear the urgency pick up on Scarsdale’s side, then maybe settle a little on Tappan Zee’s.
Scarsdale’s players fought the way you’d expect from a 2-0 team, getting involved at every level—chasing ball carriers, reaching for flags, trying to spark momentum. Reese Newman (#18) took the role of quarterback, winding up to deliver passes as the Raiders searched for answers. Senior Gia Asen (#2) tried to run through Tappan Zee defenders and kept pushing toward open space, while seniors like Stella Van Arsdale (#17) and Leah Brown (#4) repeatedly chased the ball and tried to turn tackles into big swings.
Even with the score growing, the action never stopped looking like effort. Sophomore Talia Koenig (#15) pursued ball carriers; freshman Eliza Wechsler (#29) advanced the ball upfield—those kinds of plays stand out even in a tough loss. Junior Lucy Stern (#12) tried to grab a Tappan Zee flag, and senior Talia Arovas (#14) and Asen closed in on the visitors’ runners. Freshman Emme Sanders (#27) carried the ball down the field, and Stella Van Arsdale broke into the open field when the opportunity came.
After the game, the focus shifts quickly—because high school seasons don’t wait for heartbreak. The Raiders will try to bounce back fast; they return to Butler Field on Monday, April 13th, to face Clarkstown. That matchup is against a combined squad drawing players from both Clarkstown North and Clarkstown South. And honestly, with how Tappan Zee looked here, that’s going to be a very different challenge than what Scarsdale faced on Thursday—though maybe the Raiders needed a game like this early, to find the gaps before the schedule really tightens. Either way, it’s next week now, not last Thursday.
(For more photos from the game, Shots of the Game coverage included images by Dave Taber—featuring Raiders players like Eliza Wechsler celebrating a touchdown, Asen running through open field, and Jordana Esterman (#28) getting ready to make a pass.)
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