Division flag football's Abby Gregory leads victory over Roslyn

It’s trust that powers the Division flag football team through adversity. Despite missing their quarterback and several others who make up the Blue Dragons starting line, their trust in one another helped them secure an 11-0 win over Roslyn at home on Tuesday afternoon in a Nassau Conference B/C matchup.

“They played awesome,” coach Victoria Piscitelli said. “We didn’t have a lot of our girls here, but I had complete faith and trust in the girls who were here to step up in their place, and they were able to play super well.”

“Everyone was basically out of position today,” junior Abby Gregory said. “You just have to rely on your teammates, and everyone stepped up today and we were able to finish the job.”

Gregory scored the only touchdown of the game on a 2-yard run on fourth and goal with 11:41 remaining in the first half. Ashley Anderson found Gregory in the end zone for the extra point to take a 7-0 lead.

“It’s all thanks to our coaches; they design great plays for us,” Gregory said. “And I couldn’t have done it without my teammates. They’re always able to block for me and get me open so that I can score.”

“Abby’s a huge, key player on our team rushing the ball,” Piscitelli said. “She’s quick and fast-paced and really knows how to read the opponent’s defense. She scores nearly every time we give her the ball.”

Roslyn’s Regan Glick took an intentional safety with 3:45 left, extending the Blue Dragons’ lead to 9-0 at the half.

Anderson went 10-for-18 in her quarterback debut, had four flag pulls, and added an interception. Gregory had five flag pulls, Denise Motes had two interceptions, and Abby Lahn added three flag pulls, including one in Roslyn’s end zone to cap the final score at 11-0. Regan Glick had five flag pulls for Roslyn (3-2).

Division (5-1) earned its fifth shutout of the season.

“Defensively, we held them down really well,” Piscitelli said. “They couldn’t score on us. Defense is something we always stress, and it’s always nice to see that practice pay off.”

Senior captain Rebecca Petrellese has been with the team since it came to fruition three years ago. She feels lucky to be on a team that works so well together, and is excited to see what they’ll be able to accomplish in her final season.

“We’re all like sisters on this field; we’re so connected,” Petrellese said. “We’re really hoping to win a county championship. We’ve fallen short the last two years, but it’s my last year, so I really just want to win it all.”