Maritime Women's Football League
2008 Game Summaries

Week 7: July 12-13 "Semi-Finals"

Saint John storms into Maritime league final
Football Storm rebound from a shaky first half to down the Fredericton Gladiators 19-7

SAINT JOHN - A windy Sunday played havoc on the Saint John Storm, but they still managed to prevail 19-7 in their Maritime Women's Football League semifinal against the Capital Area Gladiators.

The regular season champions fell behind 7-0 at home, thanks to a rouge and a long touchdown run by Cassie Comeau of the Gladiators.

Saint John's defense came alive in the third quarter, forcing a safety thanks to a sack by Amanda Craine. The Storm added a single point on a kick into the end zone on their next possession, then got a TD run from Michelle Young-Mather in the fourth quarter. Terri Shannon kicked the two-point conversion to make it 11-7. The Storm tacked on another TD on their next possession, a five-yard dash by Lisa Harlow, also converted by Shannon.

Young-Mather also had three interceptions on defence, and lined up onside to recover a Saint John punt in the third quarter.

"The first half was scary," said Harlow, the quarterback of the Storm, which went 5-0-1 and outscored its opponents 192-14 in the regular season. "It was a real eye-opener at halftime, being behind 7-0. It was the first time we've been behind in a game all year."

Storm coach Larry Harlow said the defending champion Gladiators were loose in the early going.

"You know what it's like when you're the underdog, you've got nothing to lose so you go for broke. Sometimes you're the top team and get tight because you don't want to make a mistake and then you get tighter. Instead of reacting we were trying to do it perfectly. Once we start reacting we're hard to stop, but we need to get in that mode."

Saint John now advances to the SupHer Bowl on Saturday in Halifax, where they'll meet the Moncton Vipers, who prevailed 22-0 over the Halifax Xplosion in the other semifinal.

SAINT JOHN - The regular season champion Saint John Storm look to continue their winning ways this weekend when they take on the Fredericton Gladiators in Maritime Women's Football League playoff action.

The Storm, who finished the season with a 5-0-1 record, will be at home at Millidgeville field against the fourth-place Gladiators at 4 p.m. Sunday. The winner takes on either the Moncton Vipers or the Halifax Xplosion in the league final next weekend in Halifax. The Vipers and Xplosion meet Saturday in Halifax.

"This year has been a rebuilding year for Fredericton with a 1-5 record so they're definitely the underdog going into this game," Storm quarterback Lisa Harlow said Friday.

"But, it's playoff season and anything can happen. I'm definitely a little nervous."

While the Gladiators are two-time defending league champions, the Storm handled them easily during the regular season, winning 36-0 at home and 32-0 in Fredericton.

The Storm boast the league's top offence averaging 32 points a game while surrendering only 14 points all season. The only hiccup in an otherwise perfect season was an 8-8 tie against Moncton.

"Our defence has been a big difference," Harlow said. -¦They've just held people. Teams have been on our one-yard line and they've pushed them back to the 11.

Offensively, the Storm are led by receiver Michelle Young Mather and first-year running back Kendra Jones, who Harlow describes as a dominant force. Returning running back Tammy Saunders rounds out a potent backfield that runs behind a punishing offensive line.

First-year kicker Perri Shannon has also been a key addition, providing excellent field position all season.

"Our offence is very balanced and potent," said Young Mather, who also plays free safety on defence.

"Teams are going to come strong against us trying to beat us because we're undefeated. But we're going to meet it," Young Mather said, adding the team had two strong practices this week in preparation for the playoffs.

Each year, the league pre-schedules its final, rotating it between the four teams. The final is set for 4 p.m. next Saturday in Halifax, while the Friendship Bowl, between the losers of this weekend's semifinals, is set for 1 p.m.