Flag football Division 5: Pope 14, McEachern 13

Recap: Trailing 13-0, Pope scored two touchdowns in the final four minutes, including the game-winner with five seconds left, to capture its third consecutive state championship. Kaitlyn Kalman got things going for the Greyhounds when she returned a punt 10 yards to the McEachern 24 with 4:30 remaining. Two plays later, Abbey Bensman threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Elizabeth Kelly, followed by a conversion pass from Bensman to Kalman, to cut the lead to 13-7 with 3:47 left. Pope then forced a McEachern three-and-out and got the ball back at the McEachern 34. The Greyhounds reached the 1-yard line in five plays, and Kalman took it in from there to tie the game 13-13 with five second remaining. Bensman then passed to Lily Joswick for the winning point-after conversion. Bensman was 18-of-27 passing for 147 yards. Kalman and Kate Davenport each had 47 yards receiving. McEachern’s Jaedalyn Hull had 54 yards receiving and 18 rushing. Pope and McEachern both won state titles last year playing in different divisions. Pope is the third team to win three consecutive titles, joining Greenbrier (won its third straight on Monday) and Southeast Bulloch (streak of four titles ended in the semifinals this year).

Scoring summary

McEachern - 0-6-7-0 - 13

Pope - 0-0-0-14 - 14

Second quarter

M - Jaedalyn Hull 38 pass from Ava George (run failed), 0:30

Third quarter

M - Michala Butler 1 run (Hull pass from Ava Couzens), 0:27

Fourth quarter

P - Elizabeth Kelly 4 pass from Abbey Bensman (Kaitlyn Kalman pass from Bensman), 3:47

P - Kalman 1 run (Lily Joswick pass from Bensman), 0:05