New York 28 @ Manchester 0
Manchester, New Hampshire, April 30, 2005
The New York Sharks (4-0) travelled up I-95 towards New England for the third time this season as they went up against the Manchester Freedom (1-2). The Freedom have been division rivals with the Sharks from the very beginning of the IWFL. Over the years, they have steadily improved on their record and this season they looked to compete for a playoff position.
It was a very rainy Saturday in New Hampshire when the two teams took the field. Due to the poor weather conditions, Sharks’ head coach Lynn Lewis delayed going to the ballpark until the last minute so the team would not have to stand around in the rain.
With the rain and both teams playing well defensively so far this season, it looked like it could be a defensive battle. And in the early going it was. The Sharks had lost the coin toss and kicked off to Manchester to start the game. The New York defense was in fine form. Historically the Sharks have played Manchester twice and beat them both times with a shut-out in New York. This was the first time the Sharks have played in New Hampshire and despite the rain, the water felt fine. After only 3 plays of which 2 were sacks by Missy Marmorale and Donna Spilotras, the Freedom were forced to punt.
In the early goings, the Sharks have been plagued by mistakes and this game was no diffent. For the third time in only four games, the Sharks turned the ball. This time it was a fumble by Marmorale that was recovered by the Freedom on the New York 48-yard line. Manchester tried to capitalize on the early gift with a 22 yard gain by running back Ange Picard to make it first down on the Sharks’ 27-yard line. But the defense stiffened and with a Wanda Williams sack, the Freedom drive was snuffed out.
The Freedom took an aggressive approach to their defense. They tried to stuff the front line and the New York running attack was going nowhere. Plus with all of the pressure from the linebackers, quarterback Val Halesworth had little time to connect with her receivers. The few times she had some time, the passes were being dropped due to the wet ball.
For most of the first half, the Sharks were unable to move the ball out of their own territory, but the defense was able to keep Manchester at bay. The Freedom came close to a score when kicker Katia Pashkevitch attempted a field goal from the 25-yard line but the kick was blocked.
Starting from their own 25-yard line, the Sharks started to move the ball downfield. Going to a shotgun formation to give Halesworth more time, the Sharks were able to take advantage by tossing footballs into the rain-filled air. They moved to the Freedom 16-yard line but were turned back by Manchester. For the first time in the game, the Freedom were starting their drive deep in their own territory, but it didn’t take too long for things to change.
With the Freedom running game stopped, they tried to go to the air and with disastrous results. Defensive back Lori DeVivio picked off a Kristal Hanley pass at the 28-yard line and returned the ball to the Manchester 20-yard line. After an incomplete pass, Halesworth connected with Jen Blum for a touchdown. The extra point attempt went awry on a bad snap, but New York took the lead with 4:58 left in the first half.
After the ensuing kick-off, the Sharks defense struck again. This time it was Shana Segers who broke through the line and hit Freedom running back Jenna Mills as she was about to take the handoff from Hanley. As the ball bounced off the bodies of the two players, Segers grabbed it and the Sharks had the ball on the Manchester 30-yard line. Still staying to the air attack, Halesworth found DeVivio for a big 19-yard gain and then connected with Blum for a short 4-yarder. With the ball on the Freedom 2-yard line, Halesworth ran it in herself for another New York touchdown. The Sharks were successful for the 2-point conversion when Halesworth hit Blum in the endzone. New York was now ahead 14-0 with 2:56 left in the half.
It did not take long for New York to strike again. After the kick-off, Spilotras recovered a Freedom fumble on Manchester’s 35-yard line. Halesworth threw to DeVivio for a big 25-yard pickup. DeVivo ended up with 3 catches for the day and 63 yards. With the ball resting on the 3-yard line, Halesworth called her own number again and ran it in for the Sharks third touchdown in less than 3 1/2 minutes. Kicker Megan Antonucci kicked the extra-point to make the score 21-0.
Coming out of locker room in the second half, coach Lewis went to her second string. Rookie running back Mandy Oppel showed everyone of things to come as she had a few nice runs in the second half. She ended the day gaining 63 yards on 12 carries. Defensively, the Sharks continued to shut down the Freedom offense.
The Sharks got their last score of the game after another Freedom fumble deep in Manchester territory on the 21-yard line. Halesworth went back in as quarterback and threw to Junko Tanida. Tanida leaped into the air to make the catch in the endzone. Antonucci split the uprights for the final point of the game and the Sharks now led 28-0 with 9:13 left in the game.
The Sharks defense has gotten their second straight shutout and were really the major factor in the victory. Every time the Sharks scored, it was after a defensive take away. Game balls were given to Segers who had a sack and a fumble recovery and to Spilotras who had 4 sacks and a fumble recovery. Overall, the Sharks sacked the Freedom quarterbacks eight times.
The Sharks get a bye week, before they head up to New England for the fourth time but hopefully not the last time this season. They will be travelling to the Ocean State to take on the Rhode Island Intensity on Saturday, May 14th at 2pm. If you cannot make it up to Providence, you can still follow all of the Sharks football action by listening to the game on www.kedu.us.
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
New York Sharks | 0 | 21 | 0 | 7 | 28 |
Manchester Freedom | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Scoring Summary
Second Quarter
NY – (04:58) Blum 20 yard pass from Halesworth (pass failed)
NY – (02:56) Halesworth 2 yard run (Blum pass from Halesworth)
NY – (01:35) Halesworth 3 yard run (Antonucci kick)
Fourth Quarter
NY – (09:13) Junko yard pass from Halesworth (Antonucci kick)
Happy birthday, Beth!
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