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HIGH SCHOOL FLAG FOOTBALL: Newcomer Holy Trinity gets complete showing in win over Saratoga

Updated April 10, 2025, 2:58 a.m. by Drew Wemple 1 min read

SCHENECTADY, N.Y.

While the start of its inaugural season was full of uncertainty, the Holy Trinity girls varsity flag football team still awarded itself the nickname, Big Dogs, on just Day 1.Head coach E.J.

Hakala said he had nothing to do with the moniker.

Rather, it was the imaginative work of two groups of girls, from two separate schools, merging for a groundbreaking season on the gridiron.

He also noted it was a status they had to earn, and on Wednesday, Hakala gave the nod of approval (actually, it was an eccentric fist pump), as he exclaimed in the teams huddle, Lets go BIG DOGS!They earned it today, the head coach told The Record in a postgame interview.The Pride a combined team of female student-athletes from Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons and Catholic Central picked up their second win of 2025 on Wednesday, holding off Saratoga Springs, 26-12, in Schenectady.The Holy Trinity girls varsity flag football team defeated Saratoga Springs, 26-12, on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, at Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons School, in Schenectady, N.Y.

(PHOTO BY DREW WEMPLE MEDIANEWS GROUP)While this is the second year of Section 2s Girls Flag Football League, neither the Crusaders nor the Golden Knights fielded teams in the rollout campaign, last spring.

Through three games this season, the Pride placed in Class C are 2-1, with both wins coming over Class A programs, having also thumped Schenectady, 40-6, in the season opener on April 2.Its really exciting, and Im really excited to see what the season has in store for us, Catholic Central junior Kelise Campbell said, postgame.They dont really expect us to beat these bigger schools, so its a good test for us in the long run, quarterback Kristen Foglia, a Catholic Central senior, added.

And then its good to just prove a point.Foglia completed 14 of her 24 passes on Wednesday, totaling 236 yards, with four touchdowns and one interception.

Campbell had 81 receiving yards, on four catches two of which went for scores.The Holy Trinity girls varsity flag football team defeated Saratoga Springs, 26-12, on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, at Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons School, in Schenectady, N.Y.

(PHOTO BY DREW WEMPLE MEDIANEWS GROUP)The pairing also had an authoritative showing on the defensive side of the ball.

Campbell pulled seven flags overall, including two for sacks, and three others for a loss of yardage.

Foglia pulled only two flags but came up with three interceptions.I think well compete with anyone, Hakala said.

Weve got to just play our game, thats all.The Holy Trinity girls varsity flag football team defeated Saratoga Springs, 26-12, on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, at Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons School, in Schenectady, N.Y.

(PHOTO BY DREW WEMPLE MEDIANEWS GROUP)Both Campbell and Foglia are among the five girls on Holy Trinity this season coming off a deep NYSPHSAA Class AA Final Four run with the Catholic Central girls varsity basketball team this past winter.

All five even had to miss the first week of flag football tryouts, as they overlapped with prep for championship weekend at Hudson Valley Community College.It was a quick learning curve, Foglia said.

We didnt know the coaches or the girls from Bishop Gibbons; just the girls on our team.But I feel like were all pretty athletic, so its easy to grasp and jump on what we need to do, she added.Foglia shut down the Blue Streaks opening drive, which had them knocking on the doorstep of scoring the games first points, with an interception in the endzone on a fourth-down pass from senior quarterback Lucia DeVito.But the Prides senior field general didnt have much luck in her first chance with the ball, completing just two of her first six passes, eventually turning it over on downs.

On possession No.2, Foglia connected on all four of her attempts through the air, highlighted by a 20-yard passing touchdown down the sideline to sophomore Cassandra Padilla, and the ensuing one-point conversion, for a 7-0 lead with 9:32 remaining in the first half.The Holy Trinity girls varsity flag football team defeated Saratoga Springs, 26-12, on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, at Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons School, in Schenectady, N.Y.

(PHOTO BY DREW WEMPLE MEDIANEWS GROUP)In that first week, explained Hakala, I didnt know who was gonna be the quarterback.

Once she arrived, she instantly said, Im QB1 coach, and we were off running after that.DeVito answered during back her next time out, capping off a 12-play, eight-minute drive, with a 15-yard touchdown pass to to senior Keegan Reinhart, cutting the deficit to 7-6.With 17 seconds left before intermission, Foglia and Campbell made a miracle happen for Holy Trinity, linking up on a 65-yard catch-and-run touchdown, for an eventual 14-6 at the break.I wasnt even expecting her to go that far.

I thought she was gonna run out of bounds or wasnt gonna get there, to be honest, Foglia said, astonished.

When they kept missing her flag, I was excited.I just go straight forward, full speed, until I hear the whistle because I dont know when they pull my flag, Campbell added, but I want to get as far as I can until they do.After neither team could get much of anything going through the first seven minutes out of halftime, Saratoga Springs eventually marched its way to the opposing 22-yard line, trying to tie the game.

However, DeVito misfired on back-to-back passes, the latter of which was knocked away in the endzone by Foglia, for a turnover on downs.Three plays later, Foglia threw her third touchdown pass, this time to junior Akarri Gaddy, from five yards out.

The score, giving Holy Trinity a 20-6 lead with 12:50 remaining in regulation, was set up by a 53-yard reception from junior Emma Sagendorf on the play before.Ive thrown when I was younger.

I was pretty into football and watching football, so I played in the backyard a lot, throwing it around, Foglia said of her background in the sport.

I feel like I was always the quarterback in my family.The Holy Trinity girls varsity flag football team defeated Saratoga Springs, 26-12, on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, at Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons School, in Schenectady, N.Y.

(PHOTO BY DREW WEMPLE MEDIANEWS GROUP)Foglia hauled in her second interception of the day just two plays into Saratoga Springs next drive, setting up her fourth and final touchdown pass, to Campbell, from three yards out with 10:17 left to play.Its a lot of ups and downs, and its a quick turnaround, which I think is good mentally to have, she said of quarterbacking.

You cant rely on the last play.

If you throw an interception, or its a bad pass, youve just got to get right back to it.

I think, overall Ive done pretty good, but I think I still have a lot more to work on to get better.The Blue Streaks used another lengthy drive to punch in their last score of the day, mounting a 14-play sequence, spanning nine minutes, and ending in a three-yard touchdown pass from DeVito, to Reinhart, with :59 seconds remaining.The Holy Trinity girls varsity flag football team defeated Saratoga Springs, 26-12, on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, at Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons School, in Schenectady, N.Y.

(PHOTO BY DREW WEMPLE MEDIANEWS GROUP)The visitors gave themselves a chance to keep things interesting, as sophomore Ellery Schenone picked off Foglia for the first time all game, giving possession back to Saratoga Springs at Holy Trinitys 20-yard line, with 42 seconds before the final horn, still trailing 26-12.Foglia got it right back for the Pride on the very next snap, picking off DeVito one last time and icing the win.Saratoga Springs dropped to 1-2 on the season, while posting its lowest point total of the young campaign.

The team returned 15 players from last years trailblazers, who finished the 2024 slate at 4-9, losing in the Class A quarterfinals, vs.

Albany, after a first-round win over Colonie.The Blue Streaks opened their second season with a narrow, 20-18, home loss vs.

Broadalbin-Perth, before drubbing Albany Leadership Charter, 54-6, last Friday, back in the Spa City.

Reinhart wrapped up Wednesdays loss with team-highs in rushing (52) and receiving (25), with two scores on a combined 15 touches.

DeVito finished 8-20 passing, for 66 yards and two touchdowns, with three interceptions at the hands of Foglia.The Holy Trinity girls varsity flag football team defeated Saratoga Springs, 26-12, on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, at Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons School, in Schenectady, N.Y.

(PHOTO BY DREW WEMPLE MEDIANEWS GROUP)Gaddy pulled a game-high 11 flags for Holy Trinity, with Giana Dickson also adding a sack.I feel like (defense) has been the hardest, just with the flag pulling, Foglia remarked.

I feel like its easier when they throw at us.

Thats kind of my specialty.

But overall, I feel like weve done pretty good with it.I really enjoy pulling the flags and playing defense, added Campbell.

Its my favorite part of the game.The Blue Streaks get their first non-Class C foe on Friday, April 11, for its next game, back at home vs.

Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake.

Opening kick-off is scheduled for 4:15 p.m.The Holy Trinity girls varsity flag football team defeated Saratoga Springs, 26-12, on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, at Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons School, in Schenectady, N.Y.

(PHOTO BY DREW WEMPLE MEDIANEWS GROUP)Meanwhile, Holy Trinity matches up with its fourth straight Class A opponent on Friday, traveling to Clifton Park for a meeting with Shenendehowa, slated for 5:15 p.m.This gives us momentum going into that one, Hakala said.Asked whats next for the still-learning Pride, Campbell and Foglia provided vastly different answers.Hopefully, a sectional title, said Foglia.Well, if were talking immediate, we have a game on Friday against Shen, so Im hoping to win that game too, replied Campbell with a laugh.The Holy Trinity girls varsity flag football team defeated Saratoga Springs, 26-12, on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, at Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons School, in Schenectady, N.Y.

(PHOTO BY DREW WEMPLE MEDIANEWS GROUP)The Holy Trinity girls varsity flag football team defeated Saratoga Springs, 26-12, on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, at Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons School, in Schenectady, N.Y.

(PHOTO BY DREW WEMPLE MEDIANEWS GROUP)Show Caption1 of 11The Holy Trinity girls varsity flag football team defeated Saratoga Springs, 26-12, on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, at Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons School, in Schenectady, N.Y.

(PHOTO BY DREW WEMPLE MEDIANEWS GROUP)Expand.

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