Bedford, Texas, Saturday, July 30, 2011
It's official, the Boston Militia is the 2011 Women’s Football Alliance National Champion. After battling it out for 60 minutes with the American Conference Champion, the San Diego Surge, and dealing with the Texas heat, the final score on the Pennington Field scoreboard read Boston 34 San Diego 19.
Game recap: After winning the coin toss, San Diego elected to receive and proceeded to move the ball 16 yards on six plays. Facing fourth and long with the ball on the Boston 47, they went for it. A short swing pass to Deana Guidry resulted in a loss to give Boston the ball at midfield.
Boston’s offense sputtered taking the ball just 16 yards on seven plays to San Diego’s 34 yard line before they turned the ball over on downs.
San Diego then made two first downs before RB Deana Guidry broke loose on a sweep down the right side for an apparent 49 yard TD. Due to an offensive holding call, the play was brought back. Boston then stuffed the run and knocked down three passes to take over on downs with the ball on the Boston 48.
On Boston’s first play, they fumbled the ball and the Surge regained possession. Ten plays later, the Surge scored on a deflected pass caught by TE Carmen Cruz. After the point was blocked by DB Brianna Gallo, Surge led 6 to 0 with under two minutes left in the first quarter.
On Boston’s third possession, beginning at their own 33, they went back to their running game featuring RB Stacey Tiamfook and FB Dorothy Donaldson to soften up the defense. Five runs and two passes later, WR Adrienne Smith caught a 21 yard slant pass from QB Allison Cahill for Boston’s first score. After K Danielle Resha split the uprights, Boston led 7-6 at 12:04 of the second quarter.
On the Surge’s next possession, they ran off 13 offensive plays, two were desperation passes to TE Carmen Cruz to keep the drive alive (one on a treacherous 4th and long from their own 32). The drive ended on the Boston 27, when Boston’s Chante Bonds picked off an errant Melissa Gallegos pass and returned it 11 yards to the Militia 26 yard line with 5:42 left in the second quarter. Five running plays later Boston’s Whitney Zelee ran it in from three yards out, extra point good, Boston led 14-6.
At this point, with 2:44 left in the half, it appeared Boston was in the driver’s seat, especially after the deep kick gave the Surge possession at their own 13. With Boston sky high, this was the point in the game where the Surge needed to regroup and finish out the half down just eight points.
Instead, the first play from scrimmage was a pass play that was nearly picked off. On second down the Surge rushed for one yard. On third down the pass was dropped. Facing a fourth and nine on their own 14 yard line, Gallegos dropped back to throw her third pass. It was an incredulous move by the Surge. After calling for an all out blitz, the Boston coaches started licking their chops. Gallegos got little if any protection as she released the ball early. The only person who could have possibly caught the hurried pass was a Boston defender who ended up dropping the ball.
After taking over on their opponent’s 14, it was a simple matter of running three plays, the last being a short 12 yard pass to Whitney Zelee for Boston’s third score. After a fumbled snap on the extra point, Boston led 20-6.
With the Surge in a frazzle, Boston regained possession after recovering a high onside kick. After five plays, Boston was at the Surge 22 close enough to try a field goal. The Ashley Snyder field goal attempt from the 32 missed and the first half came to a merciful end.
During the half-time break, I heard some negative comments about the Surge coaching staff.
One coach said he was flabbergasted. “Why he (the San Diego Head Coach) didn’t run out the clock is beyond me.”
A second coach agreed, “I’ve heard he has this thing about going for it on fourth down, but come on. In a game like this, you have to be flexible. At that point in the game, he needed to settle things down.”
After receiving the kickoff to start the second half, Boston’s Zelee ran it back to the Surge 40. Then, after just six plays, featuring a run by Zelee for five yards, a pass to RB Chante Bonds for 25 yards and a 10 yard TD pass to Emily Weinberg, Boston increased their lead to 27-6.
Put on notice, the Surge offense came right back with a 30 yard TD pass to Jessica Javelet with 9:34 left in the third quarter. The point after made it Boston 27 San Diego 13.
After an off-sides on the kickoff, the Surge had to kick from their own 30. At that point, their defense stiffened forcing Boston to go three and out.
Taking possession on their own 33, the Surge offense gave it four tries but ended up going 15 yards in reverse. Again, the Boston offense returned to take full advantage of the unbelievable field position. At this point I’m certain the Boston coaching staff was primed to give someone a big hug. Who in their right mind, goes for a first down when it’s fourth and 20 from your own 18? It took Boston just four plays to register their seventh touchdown, another Zelee TD behind the blocking of OT Sade Williams. Boston 34, Surge 13 with 4:09 left in the third quarter.
The quick strike Surge offense then took the ball 61 yards aided by two facemask penalties. Faced with a fourth down and eight at the Boston 10 yard line, Gallegos was picked off by LB Molly Goodwin with 1:30 left in the third quarter. After two safe running plays, Boston moved the ball to the 24 yard line to end the quarter. At that point, the Surge defense forced a three and out. Their offense took over at midfield and made two first downs before the drive stalled.
With 9:54 left in the game and deep in their own territory, the Boston coaching staff must have gotten a bit full of themselves because they had their signal caller, Allison Cahill throwing the ball. DE Cilena Mosley picked off the Cahill pass and returned it to the Boston 19. Three plays later Gallegos hit TE Carmen Cruz for her second score. After failing to make the point-after, the score read Boston 34, San Diego 19.
After Boston failed to move the ball, San Diego went on a 12 play drive from their own 38 to the Boston 11 yard line. On their final shot at the end zone, the pass was dropped by WR Kaycee Clark.
With 5:22 left on the clock, FB Dorothy Donaldson and her mates rushed for 85 yards to run out the clock. Final score Boston Militia 34, San Diego Surge 19.
Over the past two seasons, the Boston Militia has now won back-to-back National championships, first the IWFL World Championship in 2010 and now the 2011 WFA National Championship.
Offensive leaders for Boston: Whitney Zelee ran for 101 yards, followed by Stacey Tiamfook with 94, and Dorothy Donaldson with 60.
Allison Cahill went 8 for 13 for 106 yards with two TDs and one interception.
Defensive leaders: Jessica Penta had 11 tackles (2 for a loss). Jennifer Olivieri had 6 tackles, one for a loss, plus one sack. Chante Bonds had an interception and two tipped passes. Molly Goodwin had an interception plus 5 tackles.
Game analysis: As mentioned in our preview, this game should have been a toss-up. After all, Boston had the younger team with 20 new rookies, while the Surge had the more experienced veterans.
The selection of the dark jerseys to play in the sweltering heat of Bedford, Texas had to hurt. The Boston players wore white jerseys and had far less trouble with the heat.
Both teams had an above average quarterback, but the edge had to go to Cahill who added the dynamic of quickness. By rolling out to her right or left, she was better able to see her receivers.
When comparing the coaching staffs, you’d have to give the edge to the Militia. The one glaring mistake they did make? In the closing minutes, instead of protecting their lead by running out the clock, they had their quarterback throwing the ball which not only stops the clock but led to an interception that could have pulled San Diego within eight points.
Both defensive coordinators did a fine job especially from the standpoint of having their people in the right position and keeping the morale up. The one stat that might surprise you, is the one that says the San Diego Surge, the league's #1 ranked defense, gave up fewer yards.
On offense:
What hurt the Surge was their inability to get their running game going, the passes that went up like lame ducks, the team’s refusal to use any gadget plays, cut-back traps or screens. Of course having your defense play almost the entire game with their backs against their own goal post was suicidal. Thinking you can run the other team ragged when they’re younger and in better condition, played right into the Boston Militia’s strength.
Special teams: the Surge’s veteran kicker, Andrea Grant, never had a shot at punting the ball and two of her three extra point attempts were blocked. On the other side of the ball, Boston had rookie kicker, Danielle Resha and field goal kicker Ashley Snyder to pin the Surge offense down.
The award for WFA National Title game MVP went to: Boston’s Whitney Zelee
The Surge MVP trophy went to WR Jessica Javelet who immediately took the award to the gal she believed deserved it more, TE Carmen Cruz who caught six passes, two for a touchdown and four to keep the most critical drives alive.
Conference Offensive Player of the Year: Allison Cahill
Conference Coach of the Year: Coach Derrick Beasley
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