On Saturday, October 15, UME Prep’s JV flag football team faced La Academia. Tension was high, as not only was UME fighting for a spot in playoffs, an undefeated record, and for a victory to end the season well, they were fighting the refs. All season long, these resilient boys have faced daunting odds of inconsistent offsides, false jumps, and game time moving faster than actual time. Yet they have persevered… and won. This game was no different. Whistles blew, cheers were chanted, and footballs were hiked in this intense game. Finally, the whistle emitted one long blast, signaling the end of the game. The Eagles had won, 18-14! Their season ended 8-0, making them Division 4 champions. The UME Eagles were going to playoffs.

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Playoffs aren't new ground for the Eagles. They've made it to playoffs every year since the beginning. However, each time they make it, they lose the first game, knocking them out of playoffs in the first round. Some have even begun to call it “The Curse of UME Flag Football,” because winning a playoff game seemed impossible. This year, the curse was broken. UME won the first round playoff game against Heights Prep, 21-14. Unfortunately, they lost the second round game to International Leadership of Texas (ILT), Garland, 20-7. Despite the frustration of the loss, the flag football players were simply happy to break the curse and be the Division 4 champions.

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“It was… awesome. It felt fulfilling and satisfying to get to the second round playoffs,” Andrew Horton, 8th grade and slot receiver on the team, remembers. The UME flag football team may not have had the odds in their favor, but they persevered and fought as long as they could. They aren't discouraged by this defeat; in fact, plans have already begun to ensure going farther next year. 10/31/16