The Newberry girls flag football team gathers with coaches before the start of Wednesday’s game against Buchholz. [Tyler Brodie]

Newberry Flag Football Falls To Powerhouse Buchholz, 34-6

Jackson Lynch April 11, 2025 Buchholz High School, Football, High School Sports, Newberry High School 182 Views

NEWBERRY — The Newberry Panthers were overwhelmed Wednesday night by one of the nation’s top flag football teams, as the Buchholz Bobcats used a high-powered passing attack and stifling defense to cruise to a 34-6 win.

Buchholz Sets Tone Early

After a quick three-and-out on its opening drive, Newberry — ranked No. 213 nationally by MaxPreps — gave the ball to No. 46-ranked Buchholz, and the Bobcats (11-1) wasted no time. Quarterback Isabella Alexander found Taylor Booth for a long touchdown on their opening series, and the junior duo connected again minutes later on a near-identical deep ball to take a 13-0 lead by the end of the first quarter.

Newberry (4-4) showed flashes of fight in the second quarter, stringing together a pair of solid plays to move the chains. However, a momentum-killing sack in the end zone by Buchholz sophomore Jasmine Hardy resulted in a safety that pushed the Bobcats’ lead to 15-0.

“We take great pride in our defense,” Buchholz coach Scott Jamison said. “We’ve only given up 75 points all season. I was pleased to see how they rebounded.”

Panthers Show Fight, But Bobcats Close Strong

Buchholz stayed aggressive after halftime. A series of sharp passes from Alexander to sophomore Katherine Galione and Booth set the tone before the quarterback fired her third touchdown pass of the night — this time to fellow junior Atera Clark — to extend the lead to 21-0.

Newberry answered, however, with its lone score, as junior quarterback Brandy Whitfield delivered a deep strike to Sarah Beaulieu. The senior receiver outran the Bobcats’ secondary for a long touchdown that trimmed the deficit to 21-6 by the end of the third quarter.

Any hopes of a Newberry comeback were dashed in the fourth quarter when Alexander tossed two more touchdown passes — one to senior Dunae Chappell and another deep strike to Booth, who finished with three touchdown grabs and an interception. The scores pushed the final to 34-6.

 

Alexander’s stat line was a staggering 25-of-34 for 321 yards and five touchdowns.

“The offense is progressing every game,” Jamison said. “The girls are catching on to what we’re doing in practice and starting to hit that next level.”

Up Next: District Playoffs Begin

Despite the loss, Newberry showed grit. The defense came up with several key stops, including a sack from sophomore Jayla Greenle and a crucial stand to end the second quarter. While the Panthers struggled to contain Buchholz’s explosive aerial offense, they showed improvement from their 39-0 loss to the Bobcats just two weeks ago — this time getting on the board and allowing fewer points against a top-50 team in the nation.

The Panthers enter the postseason as the No. 4 seed in the 1A-District 4 playoffs. They’ll face fifth-seeded Florida School for the Deaf & Blind in the quarterfinals on Monday at 6 p.m. Buchholz, meanwhile, earned the No. 2 seed in the 3A-District 5 tournament and received a quarterfinal bye. The Bobcats, riding a three-game win streak, will take the field again in the semifinals on Tuesday at 7 p.m. against the winner of Lake Minneola and South Lake.

Jamison emphasized the margin for victory may soon come down to the smallest details.

“Extra points are going to be the difference once we get into the district tournament … You’re not gonna score 30 points on everybody.”

2025 Flag Football District Championship Tournaments 1A District 4

 

2025 Flag Football District Championship Tournaments 3A District 5

Tags

About Jackson Lynch

Check Also

Gainesville High Softball Gets Back In Win Column

On a chilly Tuesday night in Gainesville, the GHS Hurricanes defeated crosstown rival Buchholz Bobcats, …

© 2025 WRUF / Division of Multimedia Properties