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Week 1: June 9-10 |
Vipers begin women's football season with setback against defending champs
By NEIL HODGE
Times & Transcript staff
Published Monday June 11th, 2007
Appeared on page C3
In the women's league yesterday, the Capital Area Gladiators of
Fredericton beat the Moncton Vipers 13-0 at Rocky Stone Memorial
Field.
Scoring touchdowns for the Lady Glads were quarterback Alex Black and newcomer Amanda Hennick. Black was able to run in the convert on the second major to account for the final point. Victoria Charlebois made a late interception to snuff out a Vipers' scoring threat. Julia Coleman also had a strong defensive effort for the winners. Yesterday, Vipers coach Gilles Lavoie was upbeat after his team's season-opening setback. "We showed some of our inexperience, but overall we did very well,'' Lavoie said. "Some of our girls have never been on the field for a game before and at this point, against the defending champs, losing 13-0 is not bad at all.'' "We're working to get better everytime we get on the field,'' Lavoie said. "Two more practices and we're back on the field for another game. I know our girls will be ready.'' Vipers host the Saint John Storm on Friday at 9 p.m. at Rocky Stone Memorial Field. The Storm lost their opener, 26-0, to Halifax on Saturday. Lady Gladiators open up their home schedule this Saturday against Halifax beginning 4 o'clock at Mackenzie Field in Oromocto. |
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| Laurel MacInnis, Selma Kilisli (left) and Nicole Richard. |
| Xplosion too much for Storm Halifax wins first game of women's football season CHRIS KALLAN The Daily News The quarterback sack is one of the most difficult plays in football. It takes strength, agility and an unwavering will to land the pivot on his - or her - derriere. One of the moves in Halifax Xplosion linebacker Katie Archibald's repertoire is to jump on the quarterback's back and haul her to the ground - as she did in the third quarter of yesterday's 26-0 victory over the Saint John Storm in the women's Maritime Football League season opener at the Wanderers Grounds. "Sometimes tackles aren't as orthodox as they should be, but you do whatever it takes to get the job done," Archibald said. "I take a lot of pride on the defensive end. We all do." Nicole Johnston's 10-yard touchdown run in the opening quarter was all the offence the Xplosion would need on a sunny afternoon in front of an estimated 100 spectators. Quarterback Erin Cooke - whose fan club brought neon signs in support of the Xplosion - found tight end Hilary Moors for an eight-yard touchdown strike in the second quarter as Halifax led 12-0 at the half. Halifax's strong defensive play kept Saint John out of field goal range all game. In fact, the Storm was kept in its own end the entire second half. "Almost everything went right for us, and we're going to be a real tough team to beat this year, based on what I saw out there on the field," Xplosion head coach Nick Barr said. "Our defence is just as strong as last year, and the offence and special teams is better. We were one touchdown short of our second-half goal, but if we had another minute, we'd have done it." In the third quarter, Halifax cornerback Abbi Hennigar picked off a pass and briefly ran the wrong way. An awkward moment, to be sure, yet something that has happened even in the college and pro ranks. "They said they were going to make me my own trophy for the most embarrassing play of the year and call it the Hennigar Trophy," the 26-year-old said. "I was confused and just got my bearings mixed up a bit. I'll embrace it, though. It's still an interception and it counts in the stats." Laurel McInnis scored Halifax's third touchdown on a 12-yard run. Archibald also spent some time at running back and scored the final touchdown on a gutsy effort where she took three defensive players along with her and reached out to put the football over the goal-line. Archibald, 18, said she notices "a huge difference" between this year and last. "First of all, players are in much better shape," Archibald said. "Second, they know what's going on more. It's a solid group of women who are strong and really into it." Archibald's older sister, Cassy, kicked an extra point - worth two points in the women's loop. The Xplosion travel to Fredericton next Saturday to face the defending champion Capital Area Lady Gladiators in a rematch of last year's final. Halifax's next home game is set for June 23 versus the Moncton Vipers at the Wanderers Grounds. ckallan@hfxnews.ca |