VIXEN VENGEANCE NOT SO VICTORIOUS

It was a winning season for the New York Sharks Women’s Professional Football Team as they became the Atlantic Conference Champions heading for the playoffs.  The win would have put them into the IWFL Championship game if not for an “edge of your seat” and overtime coach error 40-34 loss against the Minnesota Vixens, vying for an historic “vengeance” game. 

The last time that these two teams met was back in 1999 when the Vixens were barnstorming in the US to show that women were playing tackle football.  At that time, the Sharks were a well-known flag team on Long Island.   A challenge gave the Sharks two months to prepare, winning the game with a 12-6 score. 

Both teams had an 8-0 season with the Vixens coming in as the Midwest Conference Champions getting the home advantage in the St. Paul area. 

Football fans saw a “tit for tat” game starting with a Sharks kickoff resulting in a touchdown by Vixen Marlissa Brown.   New York was on the scoreboard almost immediately as Quarterback Karen Mulligan tossed the ball to Brilynn Fields for the 18-yd TD.  With the score tied at 6-6, the Vixens made the next TD, followed with another Sharks goal by Erika Cottle.  Brilynn upped the score to 20-13 to go back to another two Vixen touchdowns.  With a score of 27-20, Shannon Morris ran the ball to make it 27-26.  A Vixen touchdown and Brilynn’s third, the score was now tied 34-34 and into the double overtime.  With two yards to go and a few tries left, the Vixens managed to intercept what was a poorly called pass (What was Head Coach Richard Harrigan thinking?) running the entire field for the winning touchdown and putting them into the Championship game where Vixens took a loss of 6-49 against the Utah Falconz.  

The Vixens celebrated and were heard to be muttering how they “crunched” the Sharks during the IWFL games weekend.  Due to regulations, All-Star players from the Minnesota team were given a bye.   Back to the brag.  Say WHAT?  Let’s look at the stats on the Vixens.  During the season, they gave up a total of 15 points.   Giving up 34 points just in the playoff doesn’t say much nor did the wrong call by Harrigan earn them bragging rights, but rather “luck”.  With the 6-49 loss, it gives the Vixens a postseason point give up of a total of 83! Hey Vixens do you still want to brag? 

New York Sharks opening game

Here is video of a 58-yd TD by rookie Alana Casner.

Photo by Merle Exit

Power Drive: Rookie wide receiver Maggie Natell scores the Sharks’ first touchdown against the Wreckers in their first home game of the season at Aviator Sports Complex

Opening day was a feeding frenzy for the New York Sharks — the city’s professional women’s tackle football team — who chewed up the visiting Connecticut Wreckers 50–0 in the team’s first home game at Aviator Sports Complex last Saturday.

The shutout vindicated quarterback Karen “Mulli” Mulligan’s confidence in her team.
“We went down to Baltimore last week for some scrimmages with other teams and I think our team is well prepared,” said Mulligan. “I’m excited for our players.”

Shortly after former New York Liberty player Kym Hampton sang the National Anthem and performed the coin toss, Mulligan chummed the waters with a 10-yard pass to rookie wide receiver Maggie Natell who ran it in for the touchdown. It was not only the Sharks’ first touchdown of the season, but Natell’s first touchdown — ever.

“This was my first experience with football,” Natell said. “It was a short pass but I had to break a tackle to get into the end zone.”

Like many of her teammates, she grew up playing a variety of team sports, but the Sharks offered Natell her first opportunity to play tackle football.
After that, the Sharks’ defense matched the tone of the offense, and didn’t allow the Wreckers to get anything going.

The Sharks were up 16–0 in the first quarter with their first three possessions before the Wreckers had a chance to significantly move the ball. Wide receiver Rookie Alana Casner answered by scoring the second touchdown off a 39-yard pass from Mulligan.

In the second quarter, it was another pass to Casner for her second touchdown of the game, and a long pass to rookie wide receiver Brilynn Fields, who caught the ball on a six-yard pass, running 58 yards for another Sharks touchdown.

The Sharks had 36 points by the second half, which Mulligan started off with another touchdown pass to Casner.“I had three passes and three touchdowns, totaling 107 yards,” said Casner. “It was exhilarating running into the end zone knowing that I scored — the first one being the best.”
The Wreckers did take advantage of some Sharks mistakes in the second half, gaining some momentum on yardage, but it never translated to scoring.

A touch pass to wide receiver and safety Krystal Molina and a 12-yard run by rookie running back Gina Pettigano closed out the scoring.

“I guess it paid off with the coaches teaching all pre-season,” said rookie outside linebacker Amber Terrell, who also got her first game experience on Saturday. “It felt great to tackle someone other than my teammate. The ball came my way often enough to get a lot of opportunities to show off what I’ve been taught.”

The Sharks’ second home game at Floyd Bennett Field at Aviator Sports Complex is April 26, at 7:30 pm against the Pittsburgh Passion.

©2014 Community Newspaper Group

IT'S A BIG DEAL TO AMY

“Experience tells you what to do - Confidence allows you to do it - But real strength is being knocked down and having the determination to get back up and keep on going -NEVER GIVE UP! Play Strong - Hit'em hard - GOOD LUCK  - GO SHARKS!! I believe in you! Love you lots – Mom”

New York Sharks linebacker Amy Deal (#59) received the above from her mother, Julia, known as “Indiana Mom”. It was placed in her shoe and carried around during the playoff game against the Boston Militia.  I don’t think that she’s the only team player wearing it as they are copied and given to her teammates. Some whose parents were a distance away; some whose parents were no longer living and an inspiration for all. 

“I started doing this when Amy first started in competitive sports in school in the 6th grade”, said Julia. “ I was a single Mom at that time and I would send she & her little sis off to school in the morning and leave work & race to what ever event she was in, but wouldn't get to actually talk to her until it was over most times.  I just wanted to let her know that I loved her and wished her good luck & if she tried her best that was all that anyone could ask of her, so I would write a little note and while she was getting ready for school, I would tuck it inside her shoe in her duffle so that when she was getting dressed for her event, that she would find it. Amy liked them so I did the same for her sister when she started competing.  

“Sometimes the notes were nothing more than - Run hard... run fast..I know you can do this!  Or winning is 99% mental.  Anything I could think of, or other times I would search through inspirational quotes and adapt them to fit the situation.  Mostly I just wanted them to feel loved and supported.

“It wasn't until several years later that I found out that Amy & her sis would read the note & put it back in their shoe for good luck, so the note was with them while they ran, played basketball, soccer or what ever.  Then when she graduated high school I found out that she had saved them all in a shoe box.  Lots of them then went into a scrapbook she made.

“ I think I can count on one hand the times that I missed an event she was in during high school, and that was usually only because her sister was in  an event at the same time, so my hubby and I would split up and one of us would go to Amy's event and the other to her sister Erin's.  So when she started playing football in LA for the Amazons, I couldn't stand that I wasn't going to be there to see all of her games.  So the good luck shoe notes were back.  Then after a game or two, she said... you know mom Christina or Gina or Chandra or whomever doesn't have anyone to support them, do you think you could send notes for them too?  And so began the multiple shoe notes for her team mates for the Amazons and then the San Diego Surge and now for the Shark's.  

“I've had the privilege of meeting lots of her football team mates over the years and I can say that they are all an amazing group of women.  The dedication and love for the game that they all show is truly inspiring.  They all work, or go to school or take care of their families and then give up valuable time and sacrifice their bodies to attend multiple practices and meetings each week and show up and give 110% out on that field.  I won't even mention the monetary sacrifices they each make to play and travel with the teams.  I just wish some sponsors and the sports world would take notice and give these ladies the attention they deserve.  

“I always told my girls - get involved in something...I don't care what it is, sports, music, theater, art - just get involved in something you love. My girls chose sports and I couldn't think of anything better.  It taught them sportsmanship, leadership, organizational skills and helped to turn them into the wonderful young women they are today.  And really, what else could a parent ask for.... I knew where they were, who they were with, they were being supervised by some wonderful dedicated coaches and they got to meet some people from all walks of life through the years and travel and make some wonderful memories.

“I am so proud of Amy and all of the women of the Sharks and all of the other teams around the league for the strength they show and the leadership they provide to the next generation of young ladies coming up.”  

This was Amy’s first season as a “Sharkie”, also having been a teammate on Team USA in the first International Women’s Tackle Football Tournament and bringing home the gold.  Notes were brought to the venue in Sweden. 

Here is a sampling of notes given to Amy: “Don't just wait for the moment, bring the moment to you. Excellence is not an act, but a habit. Show em what you've got! Play hard. Good luck go sharks Love you lots, Mom”.  “Champions keep playing until they get it right. Do your best, don't give up, take one play at a time and move on. Good lil, go sharks. Love you lots, Mom ps I'm so proud of you.” “Victory isn't defined by wins or losses. It is defined by effort. Give it your all, play with heart. I am so proud of you. Good luck, go sharks. Love you lots, Mom”

And her personal FAVORITE: “Somewhere behind the athlete you've become and the hours of practice and the coaches who have pushed you is a little girl who fell in love with the game and never looked back... Play for Her. Good luck, go sharks. Love you lots, Mom”

Julia Rubinstein is an inspiration to all of us women!

NEW YORK SLIGHTLY ASSAULTS KEYSTONE

The score was 18-13 with the New York Sharks leading against the Keystone Assaults.  An edge of the seat tackle football game.  No surprise that with 4:45 minutes left to go in the 4^th quarter, it took over 20 minutes until the end of the game in the first playoff of the North Atlantic division.  New York came in as the wild card team having won only 4 of their eight seasonal games taking the playoff at a final score of 24-19….no it’s not a typo.

Here’s how it went.  Sharks have the ball, 1^st down, ball thrown to Lauren Pringle…fumble!  Keystone has the ball…gain of 13 yds to the 22 yd line.   Three minutes left to go…and at this point on the 21 yd line.  It’s third and long, clock at 2:16 a great run brings Keystone to the Sharks 19 yd line.   2- minute warning, Keystone manages the TD and is now in the lead 19-18.  They go for the two-points but Jay Danzler stops it.

With the clock at 1:39, Keystone delivers a short kick as Cheri Eleazer gets the ball and runs it to the Keystone’s 40 yd. line.  At 1:39 left to go, the ball is thrown to Lauren Pringle taking it to the 19 yd. line.  Next play takes the ball to the 3 yd line and Pringle takes it in for the TD.   One minute to go, 2 pointer fails and the Sharks are now leading 24-19. 

Kick off return and Keystone takes it to the 40-yd line. 54 seconds as a pass interference has the ball winding up at New York’s 47 yd line.  50 seconds ball incomplete.  At 37 seconds and third down the ball is blocked by “Blue” Hall.  4^th down, Keystone goes for it and gets the 10 yds.   13 seconds on the 34 yd line, incomplete and it’s a do or die for Keystone at 7 seconds left to play.  Last play and the throw is incomplete!!  Owner Andra Douglas takes a breath!!!!  Let's also hear it for New York Sharks quarterback, Karen Mulligan!!!

New York battles the Boston Militia (yes, another New York vs Boston game) on Saturday, June 30^th somewhere near Boston.  For further information go to www.nysharksfootball.com