FREDONIA — Tuesday night was supposed to be one of Fredonia’s biggest tests of the year. You wouldn’t have known it by the way the ‘Billies rose to the occasion.

Following three straight touchdowns to start the game, the Fredonia ‘Billies ran away with the Division 4 title Tuesday night at the Orange Bowl with a 31-0 win over the Iroquois Redhawks.

“To win a division championship moving forward into the playoffs, we’re excited about that,” said Fredonia co-head coach Nick Bertrando. “… It’s been an interesting season because of the weather, but we’ve enjoyed every single minute of it. These girls are really coming along.”

Fredonia (10-1, 5-0) elected to play defense first, and forced a punt after Iroquois (6-3, 3-1) went three-and-out. Megan Ivory made a stop in the backfield on the opening drive, followed by a key stop on a scramble by Mikaela Sciarrino.

The ‘Billies capitalized on their first possession as a 17-yard touchdown pass from Sophia Utegg to Madelyn Polhamus on a corner route put Fredonia ahead 6-0 less than four minutes into the game.

Iroquois did not find any success on its second possession, as Elizabeth Morris disrupted the passer for a sack on fourth down to force a turnover. On the ensuing possession, Fredonia doubled its lead to 12-0 on a 1-yard touchdown run by Natalia DiPalma just over seven minutes into the game.

Yet again, on the very next drive, Fredonia’s defense led to offense. Brianna Whitfield picked off a pass and set the ‘Billies up in solid field position. Two minutes later, Juliana Snyder took it in from 3 yards out and Fredonia’s lead increased to 18-0 before Iroquois even managed to stop Fredonia’s offense.

The Fredonia defense led to points throughout the first half, but never more so than in the final two minutes of the half. With Iroquois backed up deep in its own territory, senior captain Elizabeth Morris rushed the passer like no one else in Western New York does. But this time, the sacks leader in Section VI had another goal in mind on her Senior Night.

Morris, a captain of not only the flag football program, but also of the Section VI champion Fredonia volleyball team last fall, put her hands high in the air and jumped just as the Iroquois quarterback attempted a pass. Reminiscent of blocking a ball at the net, Morris wound up with the football between her hands at the goal line. She held on and celebrated in the end zone with a pick-six on her Senior Night.

“That has been my one goal, to get a pick-six. … I always try to get up there and try to block it. Today just happened to be the day where I blocked it and caught it,” Morris said. “It felt so good with my team all around me celebrating. I love my team.”

Morris moved to Fredonia a few years ago from Texas as her father, Ken Morris, took over as CEO of Brooks Memorial Hospital. She smiled when asked after the game if it added a little extra pride for a former Texan to record a highlight reel play on the football field.

“I really was happy for Elizabeth, our senior. She’s a great defensive player and for her to get her first interception for a score on Senior Night was tremendous,” Fredonia co-head coach Tim Kachelmeyer said.

Following Morris’ stellar play, DiPalma ran in the extra point for a 25-0 lead at halftime. She added another touchdown early in the second half to increase the Fredonia lead to 31-0. DiPalma finished her Senior Night with 16 carries for 110 yards and two touchdowns. She now has over 900 rushing yards this season with one regular season contest remaining.

The ‘Billies coasted the final 20 scoreless minutes of the contest to cap off the league clinching win.

“It’s a win, it’s a league championship, and the girls played well, but we can play better, too,” Kachelmeyer said. “We will continue to get better.”

Fredonia now appears set to receive the No. 2 seed in the Section VI playoffs, meaning the ‘Billies would not hit the road in the postseason until a potential Section VI championship contest.

Fredonia has just four seniors on the team this year — Morris, DiPalma, Whitfield and Mya Carmona. The team features 13 new players this year, but still is in the forefront of the sectional title chase again this season after winning the patch a year ago.

“It really is a testament to these young ladies,” Bertrando said. “Going back to March 17 when we started this season, we talked about how we wanted to approach every single day, and they have committed to that.”

Up next, to close out the regular season, Fredonia hosts the combined Buffalo Public Schools program, hosted by Hutchinson Tech, on Thursday at the Orange Bowl. Iroquois faces Dunkirk tonight at Dunkirk High School.