The West Eagles and the Dimond Lynx will clash Thursday afternoon for the Cook Inlet Conference flag football championship, and both teams are coming off dramatic semifinal victories.
Dimond, the tournament’s No. 4 seed, scored with 34 seconds remaining to knock off the top-seeded and previously undefeated South Wolverines 7-6 on Wednesday.
West, the No. 2 seed, made a second-quarter touchdown hold up for a 6-0 triumph over third-seeded East in the other semifinal.
Kickoff for the championship game is set for 4 p.m. at Dimond High. In their previous meeting this season, the Eagles pulled out a 6-0 win over Dimond.
The Lynx (6-3) are looking for their eighth CIC title. The Eagles (8-1) are looking for their first.
Lupe Vaaia put West in the championship game with a second-quarter touchdown pass to Adlawn Julliet. The 6-0 lead held through a scoreless second half with East, which finished the season 6-3.
Dimond and South played three scoreless quarters before South took a 6-0 lead early in the fourth quarter. The Lynx started their final possession with 1:16 left and no time outs, and with 34 seconds left Ellie Cunningham caught an eight-yard touchdown pass from Kiley Schutte to tie the game. Cunningham scored the go-ahead PAT on a three-yard toss from Skyler Coleman.
Coleman sparked the Lynx with 71 yards on 16 carries, 32 yards on two catches and four pulls on defense. Mai Mateaki added 51 yards on eight carries and defensively was good for two pulls and an interception; K.C. Sargento had seven pulls, Lauren Tufaga had six pulls, including five for losses.
South, the defending CIC champion, finished the season with an 8-1 record.
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