Sequoyah Gryphons Take Flight, Clawing Their Way into First Playoffs
Image Credit: Matt Hutaff
The Sequoyah flag football team has faced many ups and downs this season; from various injuries to touchdowns to pick sixes, the flag football team made the playoffs for the first time in Sequoyah history. They traversed through a season of joy and pain, making key receptions, scoring touchdowns, and winning games. The team ended with an overall record of 3 wins and 3 losses, lifting them into the postseason, where their journey ended in a tense 8-12 game against Beacon Hill on October 22nd.
Making the playoffs was no easy journey, as the team struggled from the injury of their star receiver Bruno Gutierrez ’26 and experienced some tough losses. The team also celebrated moments like when sophomore Zowen Ajemian’s pick six in Ojai allowed the team to snatch a win after an over two-hour commute. A moment Arty Peretti ’27 felt encapsulated the team’s season was sophomore quarterback Truman George’s long catch along the sideline against Beacon Hill. Peretti described this play as showing “a lot of our growth over the season,” describing George’s leadership as exemplary.
Despite various challenges, the team persevered, with Gutierrez even returning for the playoffs! His comeback was viewed by many as a huge confidence boost for the team, allowing them to be at their best for the playoffs. But getting through these challenges wasn’t the most impressive thing the team did this season. Last year, Sequoyah’s flag football team never came to fruition, with not enough students ultimately signing up to constitute a full team. This year, a newfound wave of competitive spirit played a huge role in the team making the playoffs. For Peretti, this surge in competitiveness, especially when facing more challenging opponents, “foster[ed] competition” and created a mental state where the team realized, “we can actually win.”
Going into their first postseason game, the team felt energized by a more high stakes environment. With this new playoff environment, the team’s mindset, according to Royce Clement ’28, was “to try our best so that we can get to the championship game [and] know [that] if we lose, this is it.” From the perspective of receiver Mateo Martinez ’28, “It went down to the last seconds.” As the ball was lofted to Gutierrez, the team remained focused and composed. Although Gutierrez was unfortunately swarmed by defenders and unable to secure the catch, every single player made a valiant effort to win.
The Sequoyah flag football team’s journey is far from over. As Clement stated, “next year [we’ll] come back stronger and come back better… so we can be on another level.” With a full season and one playoff game under their belts, the team’s future prospects are bright!