2 minutes left on the clock. The Lady Tigers had the ball on their own 15-yard line protecting a 14-8 lead… or so they hoped. As the center tried to snap the ball, she was deafened by the crowd and her opponents yelling at her. WHISTLE! False start. The difficult task ahead of the Lady Tigers just got much tougher. With the clock running down, Jalyssa Guerrero⁽¹⁰⁾ had one shot to burn the clock to take enough time away from a possible last minute Wildcats comeback. For what felt like a year to the players on the field, Jalyssa⁽¹⁰⁾bolted between the end zone boundaries until she was forced out. But the clock had only burned 10 seconds. The Wildcats had more time than they needed for their comeback now. The Lady Tigers survived the last 1 minute and 28 second defensive nightmare to maintain their undefeated record.

As of May 4th, 2023, the Lady Tigers Flag Football team secured their reputation as a top team in the 23’ season. But there is more than their 6-0 record. This is the first flag football team in Gilbert High School history to ever exist. The team was officially formed in March of this year and has held their position as one of the most successful rookie teams in the league. With multiple triumphs against schools like Campo Verde High School and McClintock High School, the Gilbert Tigers have seen it all. But this past Thursday, Gilbert seems to have met their match and their possible future rival in Mesquite.

The Lady Tigers only have four days to fix their mental errors and recover from the carnage of broken nails, torn skin, and tired muscles they had accrued up to this point. They must succeed in this recovery to face the Williams Field RedHawks on Tuesday. Losing is simply not an option for this team. Not just their undefeated record and a better playoff seeding, but the reputation and support that they have gained over the season so far is on the line. The Lady Tigers have fought tooth and nail for every point on the board and they are sure to not let up now. But as the saying goes…only time will tell.

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