Babes win in close game against Wild Women
By ERIC GEORGE, HEATHER VAN HOEGARDEN, and LISA REIJULA
Sports Writers
The air was brisk and spirits were high as Breen-Philips and Walsh went head to head in Sunday's first round women's interhall playoff action. The eighth-seeded Wild Women (2-5) gave number one ranked BP (7-0) a run for their money with their scrappy defense and persistence, but in the end the Babes were able to hold on for a 6-0 victory and a continued chance for the championship.
The Babes used experience from their previous victory over Walsh during the regular season to devise a clear strategy for this match-up.
"Last time they ran a lot and surprised us with their unconventional plays," said BP captain Kelly Landers. "Today we tried to stay on our toes. Our focus was mainly on defense rather than offensive scoring."
The game proved to be a defensive battle, and ultimately BP's defensive strategy paid off, stifling Walsh's offense. The Babes passing game would be key as they made several long completions to score the lone touchdown of the game early in the first half. Walsh failed to connect on any passes until an interception by captain Alison Troy with two minutes left in the half sparked a brief run that would once again be stopped by the aggressive Babes defense.
The second half saw more of the same as Walsh continued to struggle to find an offensive rhythm. Katie Hesmond and Patty Rose of the Wild Women each had one interception to help their team stay in the game, but BP kept its composure and managed to pull out the win.
Walsh captain Alison Troy expressed her team's disappointment yet pride after the game.
"We are proud of the way we played today," Troy said. "Numbers-wise, they were the best team and we were the worst and we still gave them a really good game. Although we're not happy with the outcome, we're still happy with how we played."
As for BP, the team will look to continue honing its skills in preparation for its next round match-up.
"It was good to win today but we really need to get back to the way we were playing before break," Landers said. "This week we'll have to work hard at practice to be ready for our next game."
Welsh 19, Lyons 0
The Whirlwinds of Welsh Family have been confident about their chances in this year's playoffs ever since the season began. There was never even a doubt in their mind that they would be playing for the championship. Now, after Sunday's trouncing of the Lions, it is evident what they base their confidence on — their performance on the field.
From the beginning, a fast Whirlwind squad ran circles around the Lions.
Leading the charge was multipurpose player, and team captain Vanessa Lichon. Lichon scored two touchdowns on passes from Lauren Hoeck. Hoeck played a big role in the Whirlwind success as well, throwing for three touchdowns and running for one more. One 10-yard touchdown pass came on a key fourth-and-goal situation.
However, setting the Whirlwinds up to score was wide receiver Bethany Barker, who made several key catches down the stretch to put Welsh Family in position to put points on the board. Also contributing with a touchdown catch was Alex Callan.
Lichon cited preparation as a key to the margin of victory.
"After fall break, we practiced all week," she said. "We really focused on what we, as a team, needed to do, and not what the other team, [Lyons], was going to do. We knew that, and we did our best today."
On the other side of the ball, senior quarterback Sarah Jenkins played her last game. However, she did not go down without a fight. But Jenkins' efforts were in vain, as dropped passes, two interceptions by Mary Prendergast and terrible field position, plagued her.
As Lyons finishes its season at 3-3-1, Welsh Family moves to 6-1 and is look to go to the stadium. They only need one more playoff win to earn a shot to continue the Family reign. The Whirlwinds, however, are taking it one game at a time.
"We will practice all week again," Lichon said. "We know that it doesn't matter who we play, because there are only excellent teams in the playoffs. We can't make any mistakes against any team. This is the playoffs."
Cavanaugh 19, McGlinn 12
For the playoffs, the Cavanaugh Hall football team is sporting T-shirts with the slogan "Leave No Doubt" printed on the back. The Chaos lived up to that saying Sunday with a convincing 19-12 victory against the Shamrocks of McGlinn.
The Chaos entered the first round 5-0-1, while the Shamrocks held a 3-3 regular season record. The two teams met earlier in the season in Blue League play.
Cav-anaugh dominated that previous contest, winning 30-6. The lone McGlinn score was a defensive touchdown by Jessica Laux.
Cavanaugh's offense clicked right from the start, as Melissa Marcotte put the team on the board with a touchdown. Quarterback Meg Myers had a solid outing with three touchdown passes.
Jenny Nokes and Lisa Ruffer also had touchdown receptions for the Chaos.
The McGlinn offense struggled in the first half, with their only big gains coming off scrambles by quarterback Julie Kremer. The Shamrocks eventually found a rhythm and scored to make the score 19-6.
With two minutes remaining in the game, the McGlinn defense had a timely interception, their second of the contest. After timeouts by both teams, Kremer threw for a touchdown. The two-point attempt failed but the score narrowed to 19-12.
McGlinn had the momentum but ran out of time. The Chaos emerged with the victory, but the Shamrocks had plenty to be proud of. The first of their two touchdowns marked the first time the Cavanaugh defense had been scored on this season.
Head coach Bart Bruckert was pleased with his team's performance overall.
"We had strong offense, especially in the first half," he said. "We had a couple let-ups on defense that should motivate us."
The Chaos have improved since last season in their coach's eyes.
"Last year we lost games we should have won, but today they played a complete game," Bruckert said.
Cavanaugh will face defending champion Welsh Family next Sunday in the semifinals. Bruckert says his team is excited for the match-up.
"It's a big opportunity and we have the talent to beat them," he said. "Welsh Fam better watch out because this year Cavanaugh is playing in the Stadium."
All Sports Stories for Tuesday, November 5, 2002
