Photo of Flag Football player.
@MANHATTAN_FOOTBALL/INSTAGRAM
Emmanouel Sofillas & Reyna Orlova, Sports Editor & Contributor
The Manhattan University (MU) men’s club flag football team found the end zone on both sides of the ball against Iona University on Oct. 25, cruising to a 63-13 win.
The Jaspers scored multiple offensive and defensive touchdowns in the rout. For junior communication major and team captain, Luke Belmonte, the difference between the playing teams was MU’s ability to control the game on offense and defense.
“We were able to march down the field offensively, but we were also able to give our offense more chances by getting defensive takeaways,” Belmonte said. “We were also able to score on each side of the ball, getting multiple offensive and defensive touchdowns.”
The defense made its mark early. MU started the game on defense and came up with a pick-six within the first couple of plays, according to teammate Josh LaTourette.
“From that moment on, we were in the driver’s seat for the rest of the game, no doubt,” LaTourette said.
LaTourette noted that the offense continued to capitalize on the defense’s performance throughout the game. However, the Jaspers did not get off to a perfect start. Belmonte expanded on how the defense came out flat, allowing Iona to score an early touchdown following a series of mishandled plays.
“We took our problems lightly and everyone understood what they had to do to change,” Belmonte said. “But getting back on the offensive side was definitely a turning point after that. We kept our foot on the pedal offensively; everyone trusts that Josh (QB) would put the ball where it needed to be.”
Junior computer engineering major, Darron Nelson, one of the team’s four captains, commented that the Jaspers responded right away.
“After Iona’s first touchdown, we all knew that there couldn’t be another drive like that allowed,” Nelson said “We flipped that switch on for the rest of the game and didn’t let off the brakes.”
Belmonte called the offense’s return to the field a turning point. He said the Jaspers kept their “foot on the pedal” and trusted their quarterback to put the ball where it needed to be.
Nelson pointed to the team’s energy as the biggest factor in the win.
“The team was set on an outcome,” Nelson said. “And we chased that outcome throughout all four quarters.”
Belmonte explained that focus starts with the team’s chemistry, which he called one of its biggest strengths.
“As a captain, I look throughout the team and not only see teammates, but I see interconnected friend groups,” Belmonte wrote in an email to The Quadrangle. “I see people who are excited to practice and excited to play alongside one and other. These relationships are a catalyst for communication and the ability to take criticism from each other, which allows the team to flow as one.”
Nelson echoed this sentiment, noting that practices have brought the team closer together.
“The practices we have combine both discipline and playfulness, allowing the team to flip the switch when need be,” Nelson wrote in an email to The Quadrangle.
LaTourette said the team has made major strides since its first practice.
“Everyone is always dialed in,” LaTourette wrote in an email to The Quadrangle. “Looking back at the first practice to where we are now, it is an incredible difference on both sides of the ball.”
The lopsided score also gave the Jaspers a chance to show off their depth.
“We have an incredibly deep roster,” LaTourette wrote. “Being able to put up a score like this allows for more players to get reps, and it shows that no matter who we have on the field, we will perform.”
Nelson hopes the win sends a message to the rest of MU’s opponents.
“Most teams may think we are a team to overlook this season, us being a smaller school from New York, but it’s never about the size of the dog,” Nelson wrote. “It’s always about the heart, and this team has a whole lot of it.”
The Jaspers will look to carry that mindset into their next games, tournament play at the University of Maryland on Nov. 8, where Belmonte said the team plans to “continue to play as one.”