The Richmond Lions took on the Regents Rhinos Tuesday in intramural flag football.
The Lions started the game with possession of the ball with only five players on the field. The team began to gain momentum and after three minutes, they had gained two more players. The Lions’ seven players took on the much larger Regents team.
According to senior Lions player Keon Flintroy, Richmond is used to playing with only five people. This was the first game that the Lions had won and they had a total of seven players.
Richmond drove the ball down the field scoring a touchdown within the first five minutes of the game.
Regents’ Rhinos responded swiftly with a touchdown of their own. The Rhinos quarterback threw an interception to a Richmond player for an incomplete one-point conversion. The score was tied 6-6 after seven minutes.
The Lions gained possession of the ball and relied on their passing game to carry the ball down the field. The quarterback ran into the end zone for another touchdown. A Regents player blocked the throw into the end zone on the attempted one-point conversion.
The Rhinos swiftly moved the ball with precision and accuracy down the field. With 45 seconds left in the first half, the Rhinos completed a pass into the end zone to score a touchdown. Regents was unable to complete a pass for the one-point conversion.
Richmond tried to make one last drive down the field with 39 seconds remaining but was unsuccessful.
“The turning point in the game was definitely halftime,” senior Lions player Keon Flintroy said. “They messed up and we were able to see what type of game they were playing. They kept throwing slants inside, and I told the defense to step up and we just kept pressure on them. That turned the game around.”
The score was tied 12-12 after the first half. Regents began with possession of the ball. An interception thrown by the Rhinos’ quarterback put Richmond in a good position to score. It was first and goal for Richmond.
The Lions were able to deliver and scored another touchdown. The one-point conversion was incomplete and the Lions took the lead 18-12 in the first minute of the 2nd half.
Flintroy applauded the Regents team and thought they played a good game.
“The biggest challenge in this game was keeping them from throwing it deep,” Flintroy said. “They (Regents) played really well, for us to have seven players and they still scored on us. Usually when we have seven players we mercy-rule every team.”
The Rhinos quarterback threw another interception, putting Richmond in good position to widen their lead. The Lions scored another touchdown and the quarterback ran the ball to successfully complete the one-point conversion for the first time all game.
The score was 25-12 Richmond going into the last eight minutes of the second half. The Rhinos rallied to score another touchdown after several incomplete passes and dropped footballs. A diving catch made by a Regents player in the end zone gave the Rhinos their first touchdown of the second half.
The one-point conversion was complete and the score was 25-19. Richmond responded with a touchdown. Regents quarterback threw an interception with 48 seconds left in the game and gave the Lions the final touchdown.
The Richmond Lions recorded their first win of the season as they beat the Regents Rhinos with a final score of 38-19.
Story by Laura Kovarik, Staff writer.