Intensity Shuts Out Manchester in Tight, Smash Mouth Contest

MEDWAY, MA - The New England Intensity, of the Independent Women's Football League (IWFL), continued their winning ways, defeating arch-rival Manchester Freedom 13-0 at Hanlon Field on Saturday and improving to 3-0.   

In sharp contrast to the first home game last month, where the weather was quite inclement, May 2^nd was almost the perfect day for a football game . . . sunny, slight breeze, temperatures in the upper 60's.  The crowd was abuzz, anticipating a very physical and emotional game with both teams currently in the running for post-season play.

New England received the opening kickoff and DB/P Jojo Gauthier returned the kick 21 yards to give the home team offense the ball on their own 44 yard line.  Trying to go deep early, QB/LB Erica Statkus would throw an interception on the first play from scrimmage that was returned to near midfield before the interceptor was tackled by QB/WR Tricia Donovan. 

Manchester also came out passing, completing a short one (3 yards) before the receiver was brought down by DB Andrea Covelli (who had a team-leading 4 solo tackles).  The Freedom was then whistled for a false start, brining up 2^nd and 12.  A rushing attempt was then stopped for only a 2 yard gain by rookie LB Samantha Thacker (team-leading 8 tackle assists) and LB/FB Kate Miechkowski.  The visitors would rip off a 10 yard run, good for first down, followed by an 18 yarder, giving them first and 10 on the NE 21.  With the Freedom driving, the ?D' needed a big play and that is just what they got . . . Gauthier intercepted the Freedom pass attempt at the 10 yard line, stopping the Manchester assault.

Captain RB/LB Steph Samuelson would gain 15 of her career-high 190 yards on the next play, notching her first of 5 first down runs.  Two more short runs by Samuelson, followed by a short run by Donovan brought up 4^th and 5 and a punt by Gauthier (a 17 yard punt downed by Captain OL/DL Maia Goodall at the 47 yard line of NE).

The Freedom offense returned to the field, but would be met with a withering barrage of Intensity defenders.  Their first down run was stopped for no gain by Goodall (7 tackle assists) and OL/DL Nancy O'Loughlin.  Their 2^nd down run was even less successful, as DL/FB Suzanne ?Swissy' Dubey and Goodall tackled the Manchester RB for a two yard loss.  On 3^rd and long, the visitors attempted a pass that fell incomplete, defended by Miechkowski, forcing them to punt.

On the first play of the ensuing offensive series, a mix-up in the backfield left Gauthier defenseless and tackled for a 7 yard loss.  A 6 yard run by Samuelson was followed by a false start and another short Samuelson run, leading to another Gauthier punt.  Manchester managed a decent return, the returner eventually tackled by rookie OL/DL Lamia Bouhallel and Miechkowski at the NE 35.

The visitors first down pass was well-defended by Covelli and their 2^nd down pass attempt was also incomplete.  Another false start on the Manchester offense resulted in 3^rd and 15.  The last play of the first quarter was a run that

DE Bridget Cambria would break up, forcing a fumble that Dubey would recover on the NE 47.

The home team offense came out to start the 2^nd quarter with a 4 yard rush by Samuelson.  Donovan was whistled for an intentional grounding penalty, bringing up 3^rd and 12.  Statkus would throw an incomplete pass and Gauthier would have to punt again.  In a mildly disturbing theme, the punt coverage for New England surrendered another long return (16 yards) before Captain OL/LB Kim Herrig and Thacker brought the returner down.

Captain DL/OL Jennifer ?Coco' Edwards stopped the Freedom RB for a short gain on first down, and DB Lizz Vogel tackled the ball carrier for a 6 yard loss after a fumbled snap on 2^nd down.  Dubey laid the wood to the runner on the next play, stuffing her for a 3 yard loss and causing a 4^th and 15 for the visitors, who elected to punt. 

With the punt being downed at the NE 22, the Intensity Offense came back out onto the field.  In what would be a franchise record-tying TD reception, Statkus linked up with Donovan for a 78-yard TD reception and a 6-0 lead with 10:52 left in the 2^nd quarter.  Rookie K Kerri Richardson completed the PAT, pushing the score to 7-0.

Richardson's kickoff was fielded at the Manchester 35 yard line and returned 13 yards before rookie DE Bri Giarrusso made the tackle.  The Freedom's first down run was good for 7 yards before Giarrusso and Miechkowski (1 solo tackle and 6 tackle assists) brought down the RB.  Though Vogel and DT/OT Torrance Brown stopped the runner for a short gain on 2^nd down, forward progress was good enough to move the chains.  New England was whistled for a pass interference penalty, giving the visitors a first down on the NE 31.  Their next play, also a pass, was incomplete and defended by DB Stacey DeLuca (team-leading 4 passes defended, as well as 3 solo tackles and 5 tackle assists).  A holding call on the Freedom, followed by meager 2-yard run that LB Stacey Martin and Thacker combined for the tackle on resulted in 2^nd and 18.  Gauthier defended the pass attempt on 2^nd down, and on 3^rd down, DeLuca made a tough tackle, preserving a 4^th and long that the visitors elected to run on . . .  and Covelli stopped short of the first down, causing a turn over on downs.

Samuelson rattled off another long first down run, this one 20 yards, before Donovan's pass attempt went awry.  Donovan scampered for 5 yards and Samuelson 6 yard run on 3^rd and 5 resulted in another first down.  Miechkowski lowered her shoulder and gained two hard-fought yards, with Samuelson picking up 6 yards on 2^nd down.  Statkus' pass on 3^rd down was incomplete and she was sacked for an 8 yard loss on 4^th down, giving Manchester the ball back.

The Freedom took over possession on its own 38 yard line.  Their first down rush was stopped for a one yard loss by Edwards and DeLuca..  Their 2^nd down pass attempt was incomplete and their 3^rd down run was stopped after a short gain by Miechkowski and Dubey (5 tackle assists), brining up 4^th and 6.  Manchester, long known for their ability to run the ball, would pick up 14 yards and a first down on the next play.   Determined not to let that happen again, Defensive Coordinator Peter Brown's D dug in and kept the first down rush attempt to a mere one yard with Cambria (5 tackle assists) and Goodall making the last tackle of the first half.   The teams went into their break with the score NE 7 - Manchester 0. 

Richardson's line drive kickoff to begin the 3^rd quarter was caught by the Manchester returner?preventing what might have been a touchback, given the mustard that was on that kick.  Cambria and Gauthier were in on the tackle after only 11 yards worth of return.  DeLuca stepped up with a big first down tackle on a rush that gained only one yard.  Thacker and Dubey followed this with a strong one yard tackle for loss on 2^nd down, bringing up 3^rd and 10 and an incomplete pass attempt.  The Freedom's punt on 4^th down was downed on the NE 14. 

Samuelson opened this offensive series with a 4 yard run on first down and a 25 yard run on 2^nd down.  Applying the adage ?if it isn't broke, don't fix it', Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator Jason Fernald kept serving up the rushing attack and Samuelson delivered with a 9 yard gain, followed by Miechkowki's 4 yard run.  Sadly, what started in very promising fashion, had the wheels came off pretty quickly, as Samuelson fumbled and the visitors regained possession of the ball.

The D would have to rally the team again . . . And they would not disappoint.  Martin and Miechkowski tackled the runner for no gain on first down.  The Freedom's second down pass sailed incomplete and Martin kept their 3^rd down run to only 4 yards.  Manchester's punt was shanked and only went 6 yards, giving the home squad great field position at the NE 49.

On yet another huge first down run, Samuelson scampered for 46 yards and a first and goal from the Manchester 5.  The O-Line, who played great all day, laid waste to the Freedom D line and Samuelson was able to waltz into the endzone untouched to put the Intensity up 13-0 with 6:28 left in the 3^rd.  The O-line as a whole (Center Bettyann Perry, Bouhallel, Edwards, Herrig, Goodall, Brown, O'Loughlin, Lopes, OL/DL Lisa Paulson?returning from a hand injury, and OL/DL Pam Curtis) played very well all day, continuously winning their individual matchups and getting to the second level.  The high snap forced Richardson's timing to be off on the PAT and was unable to convert, so the score would remain 13-0.

On the next offensive series for the visitors, the Freedom's first down rush was stopped after one yard by Goodall and Thacker, and Covelli held their 2^nd down run to 4 yards, bringing up 3^rd and 5.  Brown's pressure on the QB contributed to the incomplete pass and led to 4^th and 5 from the NE 46.  Unfortunately, the visiting squad was successful on their 4^th down pass attempt, good for 11 yards and a first down.   Goodall brought the pressure on the next play, leading to an incomplete pass, and Martin stuffed their 2^nd down run for a short two yard gain.  DeLuca would defend the Freedom 3^rd down pass and Goodall stepped up again, hurrying the QB, causing an incomplete pass and another turn over on downs.

Runs of 2 and 10 yards by Samuelson moved the ball to the NE 45, and Dubey lumbered for 5 more.  The 3^rd quarter ended with the home team on top 13-0.  Gauthier continued the run parade with a 4 yard gain into Manchester territory as the 4^th quarter began.   Dubey plowed ahead for 3 more yards and a first down.  A two yard gain by Miechkowski was sandwiched between 3 yard gains by Samuelson.  Donovan legged out the first down on 4^th and 2 from the Manchester 35 to keep the fourth quarter drive alive.  A rush and a pass for no gain on the next two plays were followed by a false start, ultimately resulting in 4^th and 15 and another Gauthier punt that was downed at the visitor's 19.

DeLuca stuffed the first down run for only 2 yards and Cambria and ?Brickwall' Goodall slammed the door right at the line of scrimmage on 2^nd down.  DeLuca defended the 3^rd down pass attempt and Manchester punted away again. 

The upcoming offensive series was a comedy of errors for the home team . . . a 2 yard run on first down by Samuelson, a block in the back on 2^nd down followed by a false start and another block in the back.  An incomplete pass by Statkus on 2^nd and 35 and a run for no gain on 3^rd down brought up 4^th and 35 . . . and Gauthier's 5^th punt of the day.  Herrig was in on the coverage, tackling the returner at the Manchester 42 yard line. 

The D kept humming along for the start of Manchester's next possession, stopping two runs for no gain (Dubey and Thacker on the first, and Thacker and Goodall on the second).  Gauthier and Covelli tackled the receiver after a 3 yard reception on 3^rd down, leading to 4^th and 7 from the Manchester 45.  The Freedom got another big pass play, this one for 14 yards and a first down to the NE 41.  Their first down rush was stopped by Martin and Cambria for a one yard gain.  The home team was then whistled for too many men on the field, negating an incomplete pass and instead giving Manchester 1^st and 10 from the NE 25.

While time was winding down, there was still more than enough time left for Manchester to score and attempt an onsides kick, so New England was far from out of the woods.  DeLuca and Gauthier defended the first down pass attempt and the D forced an incomplete pass on 2^nd down.  On 3^rd down, the defense surrendered a 10 yard pass for a first down, followed by a 13 yard pass, giving the Freedom 1^st and goal from the NE 2. 

The D rallied behind the ?It's about Pride' cry behind a line that had been punishing the visitors all day (Cambria, Giarrusso, Brown, Goodall, Edwards, Dubey, Paulson, O'Louhglin, Bouhallel and Lopes), they dug in their heels in amazing fashion on the goal line.  Manchester had one of their lineman line up in the backfield (to attempt to  rumble in for the score from so close?a play that worked swimmingly against Central PA during their previous week's game).  No such luck against the Intensity as Brown and Goodall, amongst about 6 other blue shirts got a tremendous surge and met the pseudo-RB three yards behind scrimmage.  A 2^nd down pass attempt by the visitors was incomplete and Goodall brought the heat on 3^rd down, resulting in a quick pass and a quick tackle by the Intensity secondary inches before the goal line as time expired, with the Intensity prevailing 13-0 and improving their season record to 3-0. 

This was a very important win for New England, as crucial a win as a 3^rd game of the season can be.  Overall, the Intensity preparation and execution was superior and, predictably, led to the win.  Defensive Coordinator Peter Brown's D held the prolific Freedom offense to 54 total passing yards on 26 attempts and 88 total rushing yards on 29 attempts.  Meanwhile, the Intensity offense gained 295 yards (217 on the ground).  Much of the credit to New England's effectiveness on both sides of the ball is a result of the continued high level of play by the line.  Line Coach Jim Callahan and Assistant Coach Nuri Barlas really have this group working well.

The Intensity will travel to Manchester for the rematch on 5/9/09 as the Intensity and the Freedom will battle each other again (where New England has had a particularly tough time winning in recent years) in what will be the biggest challenge for the 2009 Intensity thus far!