By REBECCA ROGALSKI
Sports Writer
With four wins in their respective record books thus far, Pangborn and Ryan both aim to remain undefeated when they square off Sunday.
Pangborn (4-0) hopes to continue its success this season and build off last Sunday's 27-6 victory over Howard. Phoxes senior captain and offensive lineman Mary Kate Veselik said the team planned to improve the little things in practice this week.
"We've really got to work on achieving long yardage plays on offense, as well as making sure the defense knows each play call assigned," Veselik said.
Ryan (4-0), coming off a 31-6 victory against Howard on Monday night, plans to bring lots of intensity against the Phoxes, senior captain Andrea Carlson said.
"Our keys to winning on Sunday are simple: stay focused, stay consistent and play our hearts out," Carlson said. "We just need to play to our full potential."
Both Pangborn and Ryan recognize the importance of Sunday's game, as one team will remain undefeated while the other will suffer its first loss of the season.
Carlson said Ryan freshman quarterback Kathleen Conaty would be a factor for the Wildcats in Sunday's matchup.
"I have a ton of confidence in Kathleen," Carlson said. "She can throw the ball deep down the field and make quick, smart plays".
Veselik said the Phoxes know how well Ryan has played and plan to establish smarter play calls to outwit the Wildcats' defense.
"This will be our toughest game yet," Veselik said. "It'll be interesting to see how two very talented teams will clash on the field."
The Phoxes and Wildcats will duke it out Sunday at 4 p.m. at LaBar Fields.
Contact Rebecca Rogalski at rrogalsk@nd.edu
Badin vs. Lewis
By ALEX CARSON
Sports Writer
Badin will look to score its first win of the year, while Lewis will aim for its second victory in a row when the two teams meet Sunday.
Badin (0-4) has just one touchdown to its name this season, but sophomore captain and quarterback Kristina Techar said her team is still working hard to get better.
"We've really focused on a few plays we needed to make," Techar said. "When we instituted those in games, it worked well."
Badin will look to senior Kelly Harmon to anchor the defense while junior receiver Brianna Leon will be a focal point of the offensive unit, Techar said.
The Chicks (1-3) hope to build on their first victory of the season, a 6-0 win over Farley on Monday.
"Our defense stepped up [against Farley] and we were able to defend their best receivers, putting pressure on the quarterback," Lewis senior captain and receiver Colleen Haller said. "Our offense had a better completion rate, though we still look to improve offensively, especially with pass protection."
Lewis's win Monday night was a team effort, Haller said, as she stressed that no one player could be viewed above the rest on the Chicks' deep roster.
"We used three quarterbacks and had a lot of players step up," Haller said. "We've been using everybody and nobody in particular, with lots of people stepping into roles when necessary."
Badin and Lewis will face off at LaBar Fields this Sunday at 6 p.m.
Contact Alex Carson at acarson1@nd.edu
Breen-Phillips vs. Welsh Family
By MANNY DE JESUS
Sports Writer
Welsh Family will face Breen-Phillips on Sunday in a late season matchup, as both teams look to finish their seasons strong after close losses in their last games.
Breen-Phillips (0-4) hopes to gain success through the air this week with its new freshman quarterback, Emily Affinito, senior captain and linebacker Molly McNerney said. In the Babes' last contest, Affinito drove Breen-Phillips' offense down the field and scored on a 62-yard rushing touchdown.
"We've been practicing our offensive rhythm with [Affinito]," McNerney said. "We did well with her last game, so hopefully we can produce the same results."
Breen-Phillips will also rely on freshman receiver Kaheke Martinson for big plays, McNerney said.
The Whirlwinds (1-3) are trying to get their offense jumpstarted this week by working on precision in practice, senior captain and linebacker Carissa Henke said.
"We've been working on offensive plays and making sure they are being run as precisely as possible," Henke said. "We're also fine tuning our defense by working on our one-on-one coverages."
Henke said Welsh Family wants to continue improving on both sides of the ball as its season wraps up. Junior receiver Molly Knapp is a key player the Whirlwinds believe can contribute to push their offense to the next level of competitiveness.
"We're looking to make sure that we do what we can to make the playoffs and play our hearts out while doing so," Henke said.
The Whirlwinds and Babes will go head-to-head Sunday at 5 p.m. at LaBar Fields.
Contact Manny De Jesus at mdejesus@nd.edu
Cavanaugh vs. Pasquerilla East
By RENEE GRIFFIN
Sports Writer
Cavanaugh and Pasquerilla East will face off Sunday in a clash of two explosive offenses.
The Chaos (3-1) and the Pyros (3-1) both lost to undefeated division rival Pasquerilla West, and both teams have talented offenses that look to test the opponent's defense. Cavanaugh's offense is led by junior quarterback Sam Flores, who has helped the Chaos put up a strong scoring front.
"Our offense has really taken off in the past few games, and we've been putting up a lot of points," Cavanaugh senior captain and middle linebacker Meaghan Ayers said. "I think that has a lot to do with getting more confidence and team chemistry."
Pasquerilla East senior captain and defensive lineman Caroline Kuse said that with the presence of junior quarterback Macy Mulhall, senior running back Kiah Schaefbauer and a host of receivers, the Pyro offense has pulled its weight as well.
"I think more so than years past, we've kind of let the skills of our team dictate the system of our team," Kuse said. "The talent we have drives our offensive and our defensive plans."
As the winner of Sunday's matchup may be able to challenge Pasquerilla West for the top spot in the division, the game will be surrounded by playoff implications.
"Cavanaugh is our biggest competition in the bracket after [Pasquerilla West]," Kuse said. "I know they are really disciplined, so we'll have to match that same dedication and intensity in our game."
Cavanaugh and Pasquerilla East kick off Sunday at 5 p.m. at LaBar Fields.
Contact Renee Griffin at rgriffi6@nd.edu
Howard vs. McGlinn
By ALEXANDRA LANE
Sports Writer
McGlinn and Howard will face each other Sunday in what looks to be a game between two evenly matched teams.
McGlinn (2-2) is moving in a positive direction lately, winning its two most recent games after dropping the first two. Senior receiver Tara Crown said the Shamrocks would look to add to that winning record this Sunday.
"We got off to a shaky start," Crown said. "Our first two games were losses, but we are starting to play much better."
Crown said sophomore quarterback Katherine Petrovich emerged as a leader, keying the team's success, and she feels confident in her team looking ahead to Sunday's game.
"I know Howard is a good team, but I hope we can build on the positive momentum we have right now," Crown said.
Howard freshman offensive linemen Catherine Finney and Sierra Hajdu said their team is also excited about this week's game. They said they know this game is important for the Ducks' playoff chances.
"The team is really talented," Hadju said of Howard. "The upperclassmen especially all play really well together."
"We have high expectations going into this game," Finney said.
Finney and Hadju named Howard's captain, senior quarterback Clare Robinson, as the leader of their team.
"[Robinson] is really dedicated to the team and a really good player for us," Finney said.
The Shamrocks and the Ducks will match up at LaBar Fields on Sunday at 4 p.m.
Contact Alexandra Lane at alane2@nd.edu
Farley vs. Lyons
By MATTHEW GARCIA
Sports Writer
Coming off a pair of Tuesday night shutout losses, both Farley and Lyons will aim to regroup this weekend when the two teams meet Sunday.
Lyons (2-3) was shut down against Pasquerilla East on Tuesday, as the Lions allowed Pyros junior quarterback Macy Mulhall to put up big numbers. Lyons did not have a deep bench for the matchup, which hindered the team from making a run in the 32-0 loss.
Lyons senior captain and receiver Christina Bramanti said she does not use the lack of depth as an excuse for the Lions' performance, but admitted that with only eight players available for the team, the personnel battle was not in its favor.
"There was only one sub for everybody," Bramanti said. "Playing against a big team like the Pyros, they can get fresh legs in there."
As for defense, flag pulling was a focal point for the Lions in practice this week, Bramanti said.
"There were so many times when the defense was where we needed to be, but we just couldn't get the flag," Bramanti said. "That's something we're going to work on this week."
The Lions defense may have an easier task this week when it faces the Finest (1-3), who were shut out Tuesday against Lewis. With just six points over the last two weeks, Farley's offense has struggled to put points on the board.
In fact, Lyons and Farley have been outscored by a combined margin of 96-19 over the past two weeks. Both teams will look to turn their offenses around when they square off Sunday at 6 p.m. at LaBar Fields.
Contact Matthew Garcia at mgarci15@nd.edu
