Flag football Recap: Laney Struggles Against Ashley

Laney came into this one having lost three straight at home. They went ahead and made it four, dropping their record to 2-4 in the process. They lost to the Ashley Screaming Eagle at home by a 26-12 margin on Wednesday. While losing is never fun, the Buccaneers can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' North Carolina flag football rankings (they are ranked 71st, while the Screaming Eagle are ranked second).

As for Ashley, the win keeps them at an undefeated 8-0. The victories came thanks in part to their defensive effort, having only surrendered 8.0 points on average this season.

Ashley got their win on the backs of several key players, but it was Caroline Smist out in front who threw for 153 yards and 3 touchdowns (1 INT) while completing 82.6% of her passes, and also rushed for 63 yards and 1 TD. Smist has averaged 4.0 passing touchdowns per game over her last three games compared to 2.8 in her first five games this season. Another player making a difference was Chloe Laverty, who picked up 61 receiving yards and a pair of scores.

Coincidentally, Laney and Ashley will both be playing New Hanover the next time they take the field. The Screaming Eagle will host the Wildcats at 6:15 p.m. on Wednesday, while the Buccaneers will play them later in the day, at 7:30 p.m.