Magical SWR flag football season ends in Class C final

The Shoreham-Wading River girls’ flag football team’s unforgettable first season ended one win short of a state championship.

But what a first year it was.

The Wildcats went from learning the game in the early months of a brand-new program to becoming one of the most feared teams in Class C, storming through the postseason all the way to the New York State finals.

With Shealyn Varbero at the helm, Mia Mangano doing a little bit of everything and a deep cast of playmakers around them, Shoreham-Wading River blasted Kings Park 34-0 to win the Suffolk County championship. Then the Wildcats overwhelmed Cold Spring Harbor 46-7 to capture the Long Island crown.

Still, they weren’t done.

SWR punched its ticket into the New York State Class C final four — held at Homer High School near Cortland — and refused to back down Saturday against undefeated Section I champion Westlake, a team that entered the weekend 20-0 and had been rolling through opponents all season.

“We’re playing a team that’s 20-0 that scores 40 points a game,” SWR head coach Bob DeSilva said. “Nothing was going to be handed to us, but I knew we would come to play. I’ve been game planning for them for weeks. We just needed to go out there and execute.”

The Wildcats came out with superb defense, much as they’ve done the entire postseason run, and secured a safety in the first quarter, which was the only points either team scored by halftime.

“Both teams had solid defense,” DeSilva said. “We made a play, then they made a play. It was back and forth all game long.”

The breakthrough came in the third quarter, when Varbero found freshman sensation Brenna Molinelli for a 59-yard touchdown pass. The extra point failed, leaving the Wildcats with an 8-0 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Westlake answered late, scoring in the fourth quarter and converting the two-point, sending the state semifinal into overtime.

“It was a dogfight out there,” DeSilva said. “We just kept sticking to our game. I made some defensive adjustments to have Mia rushing the passer, and that ended up making a world of difference. I think she had like four sacks.”

After both teams traded defensive stops in the first overtime, Westlake began pushing the ball down the field and into the Wildcats’ red zone.

Then came the play of the tournament.

A Westlake pass came across the middle of the field, and Molinelli shot underneath it, snagged it out of the air, made a few people miss and took off for the end zone. The pick-six sealed the victory and sent the Wildcats into the state final against Pioneer.

“It was one of the clutchest plays I’ve seen in a long time,” DeSilva said. “For her to have that poise at her age to make a play like that, it was amazing. She’s been doing it all year long. She’s a major part of this team.”

On Sunday, though, against defending state champion Pioneer High School, that magic finally ran out. The Panthers of Yorkshire, near Buffalo, defeated the Wildcats 34-6.

As painful as the ending was, it’s hard to imagine a better first season for a brand-new program.

DeSilva believes the growth of girls’ flag football will continue not only at Shoreham-Wading River but across the world. Flag football is already making its mark on a bigger stage and will be part of the Olympics.

“The girls really love it,” DeSilva said. “I know after seeing the success of the team here, more girls will want to join next year. I think it may become the number 1 women’s sport in due time. Colleges are getting on board, the Olympics, professional leagues — it’s such an exciting sport, and it’s so much room to grow. I’m excited for the future, not only here but in flag football in general. We’ll be back next year. I’m sure of it.”