From the opening whistle on Wednesday, Oct. 12, it was clear that the flag football’s matchup against Capuchino High School would be a nailbiter. The two teams traded the lead throughout the game, and with just a few seconds remaining, it looked like the Panthers had secured the victory. But with the clock ticking down, a last-second touchdown from the Mustangs gave them a 21-19 win over a devastated Burlingame squad. 

After their 13-0 loss to Mills in their prior contest, the Panthers came into the game against Capuchino with high hopes. They couldn’t afford to lose their focus — Burlingame needed a victory against the Mustangs to qualify for the playoffs. 

“I think what was different is we knew what it felt like to lose, and we didn’t want to feel how we felt against Mills,” junior Anya Ardito said. “Yesterday everyone was really focused because we were really hungry for the win, I think we kept that throughout the entire game.” 

The Panthers, with the help of the spirited crowd, brought high energy and morale for the vital matchup, not wavering despite numerous interceptions from Capuchino.

“Our spirits were really down from the last two games we had, but our confidence level was definitely higher,” junior running back Giana Johnson said. “Our captains talked to us, and we had the agreement to play calm and positive.”

The Panthers trailed early after Capuchino converted an interception into a touchdown. The Panthers responded almost immediately, with a 25-yard catch from senior slot receiver Kaylee Ng. Later in the drive, Ng found the endzone for a touchdown of her own.

But Capuchino came roaring back. They scored a second touchdown early in the second half, extending their lead to eight points. Then it was the Panthers’ turn to respond, and they embarked on a thunderous comeback. 

The squad’s offense, led by junior quarterback Miranda Sibley, was almost unstoppable on their next two drives. Burlingame scored back-to-back touchdowns, both thrown by Sibley to sophomores — one to Emerson Burri and the other to Brooke Schuman.

“I think [what really helped] was consistently running our routes correctly, making sure that our quarterbacks can trust us,” Johnson said. “We were always hustling to be the first to the ball.”

The Panthers led 19-15 with just one play left in the game. On the brink of clinching a victory and a playoff berth, all they needed was one final defensive stop. But it wasn’t to be, and the Mustangs connected on a miracle touchdown reception to knock the Panthers out of playoff contention. 

Clock inconsistencies added to Burlingame’s frustration. While the clock ran between every play in the first half, the crowd noticed it wasn’t moving at all during points in the second half. The extra time allowed Capuchino to score their walk-off touchdown.

“I felt defeated,” Johnson said. “In the last two minutes [the clock] was run how it was supposed to. I’m really disappointed because it didn’t feel like they won fairly. We just need to keep our guard up and never let it down.”

Despite the loss, and a missed opportunity to compete in the playoffs, the team still learned valuable lessons and gained more belief in themselves.

“[At practice] our coaches are actually really proud of us because it wasn’t our fault that we lost,” Ardito said. “They kept telling us that our hearts were in it.”