Half Hollow Hills claims state flag football crown with Samantha Heyman at quarterback
Half Hollow Hills celebrates winning the NYSPHSAA Class A flag football championship against Shaker (Section II) on Sunday in Cortland, N.Y. Credit: Adrian Kraus
CORTLAND — Tears flowed down the faces of Samantha Heyman and her teammates. But unlike last June, it wasn’t because they were upset.
After losing in the state final a year ago, the Half Hollow Hills flag football team completed its redemption story with a perfect season.
Hills claimed the state Class A championship with a 26-12 victory over Shaker at Homer High School on Sunday.
“At practice, I told them every year we end with sad tears in our eyes,” Hills coach Mike Lupa said. “That’s the last time that will happen. You will achieve greatness, happy tears only from now on. They responded to it, and I’m so proud.”
Heyman completed 23 of 31 passes for 220 yards and three touchdowns in her final flag football game.
“I’m just so grateful right now,” she said.
“Our girls work so hard for this. Lupa works so hard for this. He’s down 13 pounds on the season; he doesn’t sleep. He’s the best coach I’ve ever had, this is the best group of girls I’ve ever had, and to win this with them is the greatest feeling in the world.”
Zoe Franks ran for a 3-yard touchdown with 5:33 left in the first quarter and added a 9-yard touchdown reception on fourth-and-goal with 1:13 left in the second quarter. Hills led 14-6 at halftime.
“The preparation from the night before is what got us here,” Franks said. “We had trust in each other to make plays, and this has always been the dream.”
Half Hollow Hills led 20-12 with just under three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, but Shaker was driving. On third-and-goal from the Hills 15-yard line, Franks batted down a pass. On fourth-and-goal, Emma Wilck broke up a pass in the end zone to force a turnover on downs with 2:22 left.
“My knee was hurting the whole time, but I was like, ‘This is it, I have to go make a play,’ ” Wilck said.
“I knew if we made this play, we’d get the ball back and win it all. I was willing to do anything, and this is the best feeling ever.”
On the next drive, Heyman scrambled and found Drew Kesselman for a 22-yard touchdown with 1:15 remaining.
I was like, ‘We’re going out with a bang,’ ” Heyman said. “She was open, we were giving it to her [Kesselman], and she took it to the house.”
Half Hollow Hills also got to enjoy the sweet taste of perfection, finishing with a record of 19-0.
“There is no better way to go out,” Heyman said. “This feeling will stay with me forever, and it’s with the best people.”
