Sunday's game between the Wild Women of Walsh and the Purple Weasels of Pasquerilla West appears to have an intense rivalry after the two teams met last year.
According to team captain Leslie Schmidt, the Purple Weasels missed the playoffs because of last year's loss to the Wild Women. It was a fiery game where the winner would move on to the playoffs and the loser would stay behind.
"We are trying to redeem ourselves," said Schmidt.
The team is looking forward to avenging the loss and proving to Walsh that they are going to be a tough opponent.
The women have also been practicing several times a week to be able to make the victory possible. Receivers Alyssa Howell, Heather Van Hoegarden and defensive lineman Lynne Francis are critical parts to the Pasquerilla West game.
"Getting down the fundamentals is our goal because we want to move the ball really well," said Schmidt.
Pasquerilla West is looking confident after a 12-6 win over the Pangborn Phoxes on Tuesday night.
"We won our game and it has definitely boosted our confidence for Sunday's game," said Schmidt.
Despite last year's game, Walsh team captain Colleen Gannon admits that the team is looking beyond Pasquerilla West for more challenging competitors. Schmidt believes key players Karla Bell and Amanda Borys will be difficult to play against.
In addition to several returning veterans, the team has been practicing several times a week and is "watching other teams to adjust to [our] games," said Gannon.
"Everyone is ready to get back onto the field and we are confident we can win," said Gannon.
The Wild Women are confident despite Tuesday night's loss to the Welsh Family Whirlwinds.
"We all played well on Tuesday and it was a really close game," said Gannon.
The team is regaining their focus and is certain they will be difficult to play against.
Catch the two teams play on Sunday 2 p.m. at the McGlinn Fields.
Lewis vs. McGlinn
The Lewis-McGlinn interhall football match-up Sunday afternoon is shaping up to be a close, competitive game between two talented teams.
Both teams have a couple of games under their belt and were 1-0 going into Thursday's games.
"We just want to take it one game at a time, go out there and have fun," said Lewis quarterback Erin Nasrallah. "McGlinn is always a strong team."
"It's not a long season so every game is important. At this point we just want to improve on last year," teammate Sheila Dawes said.
In their season-opener against Badin, the Lewis Chicks came out strong and won the game 8-6 despite what Nasrallah describes as "a sloppy second half."
"There are some things we need to improve on for our next game, but we're coming along," Nasrallah said.
"As we play each game, we get more and more comfortable playing with each other," Dawes added.
In a similar fashion, the McGlinn Shamrocks defeated Lyons 7-0 in the first game of the season and are hoping to come out victorious again against the Chicks.
"It'll be a good game, but we're pretty confident. We have a lot of experience," McGlinn cornerback Becka Saunders said.
"Lewis has a lot of girls and we know they're a good team," said Bridget Meacham, the Shamrock quarterback. "We've been practicing hard every practice and we prepare for them just like we prepare for any other opponent."
After playing defense last year, Meacham is still getting accustomed to the offense and her role of quarterback.
"It's a lot more pressure than I thought it would be. We just need to work at playing as a team," she said. "The receivers and I are still getting on the same page."
In addition to their all-star quarterbacks, both teams are led by a solid defense and speedy wide receivers.
"Our defense is amazing," Nasrallah said. "And on offense, we have some key newcomers and some proven veterans who are coming together really well."
"We have some awesome receivers. Our defense and offensive line have really been strong," Meacham said.
Lewis and McGlinn may not be bitter rivals, but their history of playing each other leaves both teams hungry for a win. And as the season gets into full swing, they know full well that this is an important game on the road to the championship.
