What started as a beautiful day for the girls’ flag football game against Albany Leadership turned into a chaotic scene as the weather took a turn and tensions rose on the field. Even with the rain, the stadium was decorated with confetti and balloons, creating a festive atmosphere for the senior night celebration.
Senior Gabby Stuart said “The starting lineup had players who typically don’t receive as much playing time and also included as many of the seniors as possible.”
Facing off against Albany Leadership, a team comprised of just seven players from a girls charter school, the Shen girls came out strong. The first touchdown of the game was scored by senior Serena Suchedeve off the second Shen play, with cheers from the home crowd. Throughout the game, the Shen girls and their families showed support for their seniors, making the stadium the most packed it had been all season.
As the rain continued, spectators began to clear out, but the girls continued to play with determination. Senior Kylie Cuckrovany scored two touchdowns, contributing to Shen’s lead. Despite Albany Leadership managing to score, the Shen girls maintained their focus, with senior Sophia Cleney adding another touchdown to the board.
However, the game took an unexpected turn in the final minutes when the Albany assistant coach’s behavior became increasingly aggressive. Swearing at the referees, he was ultimately ejected from the game but refused to leave the field. Law enforcement was called to intervene, with two sheriffs and two state police officers arriving on the scene. Milo Modany, a sophomore and boyfriend of one of the players, said “I am glad Ron (Agostinoni) is handling this effectively, that behavior is unacceptable.”
Amidst the chaos, the head coach of Albany Leadership made the decision to forfeit the game, bringing an abrupt end to what had been an eventful evening. Many fans were not pleased with this ending one mother saying “That was such immature behavior, they are teaching their students to be sore losers.”
