SURPRISE, Ariz. – Hope International flag football completed a dominant run through the GSAC, romping to a 40-6 victory over Benedictine Mesa on Thursday at the OUAZ Jamboree.
The Royals won their 12th straight game to improve to 13-2 overall, and finished their inaugural GSAC schedule with a perfect 10-0 record. HIU outscored its opponents 315-50 in a commanding display of supremacy through the league circuit, and cemented its standing as the No. 1 seed in the first ever GSAC Flag Football Championship.
The Royals meet No. 4 seed Simpson on Thursday, April 16 at 2:30 p.m. The GSAC Championship will be played at the Arizona Cardinals Flag Football Campus in Glendale, Ariz.
Freshman Anahi Morales completed 12 of 16 passes for 215 yards and four touchdowns against the Redhawks. Six different Royals caught passes from Morales, led by Ana Sedic with four receptions for 86 yards and two TD's. Madison Powell also snagged four passes for 66 yards and two scores, while Nicole Cruz had a TD catch as well from backup QB Nia Gille.
Ja'Niya Haley led the Royals on the ground with three rushing attempts for 34 yards and had four flag pulls on defense.
Powell had a team-best 12 flag pulls, including 11 solo with three going for a loss.
HIU broke out to a 14-0 lead after one quarter, which included a 17 yard TD pass from Morales to Sedic. The duo connected again on a 51-yard bomb to increase the score to 20-0 in the second quarter.
BENU scored a touchdown on a Giahni Ruiz one-yard rush to cut the deficit to 20-6 before halftime.
HIU extended the lead to 27-6 following three quarters.
Jazmine Simental opened the fourth quarter with an 8-yard scamper for a touchdown to extend the lead to 33-6. Gille completed the scoring with her 22-yard throw to Sedic, with the PAT good for a 40-6 lead.
