McGlinn vs. Howard
When it opens its 2009 season tonight against Howard, McGlinn will be anxious to show that its championship victory in the 2008 season was not a fluke.
"We're out for [the championship] again this year," senior captain Emily Dore said. "We want to show everyone that we're not just a one-trick pony".
Not only was Dore confident that the Shamrocks could repeat a championship victory, she even cited some improvements in the team for the 2009 season.
"We have a lot of depth on our team, even more than last year," she said.
Dore highlighted the strength and versatility of both the offensive and defensive squads, saying that the team feels extremely confident putting the ball in the hands of sophomore quarterback Lauren Miller and her favorite receiver, junior Kathleen Stanley. Dore also praised the ruthless defensive line, led by sophomore Jillian Stinchcom.
"We're really excited for our opening game against Howard," Dole said. "We've been waiting for this [game] for a long time now."
Howard's (1-0) senior captain Kayla Bishop echoed the same high hopes for the Ducks 2009 season, after winning their first game against Welsh Family.
"We're hoping to gather momentum from our win on Sunday and carry it through the season," she said. "McGlinn is an excellent team, we're expecting them to put up a good fight."
In order to combat the toughness of the Shamrock squad, Bishop said the team plans to rely on their solid wide receivers, particularly sophomore Kristyn Jeffries and junior Kaitlin Robinson.
"We're expecting [Jeffries and Robinson] to step up and make big plays," she said.
As for the Duck's strategy to combat the defending champion Shamrocks, Bishop anticipates the team will play hard and fight hard.
"We're hoping to come out strong and play with that same intensity throughout [the game]," she said.
The McGlinn Shamrocks will open their season against the Howard Ducks (1-0) tonight at 7:00 p.m. at Riehle Field.
Pasquerilla East vs. Lewis
Two teams looking to bounce back from lackluster seasons last year square off tonight as Pasquerilla East takes on Lewis. The two teams combined for one win last year and are both looking for statement wins tonight.
In just one week, the Pyros have already surpassed their win total from last season, dominating Breen Philips 22-0. They look to improve to 2-0 tonight, leaving a forgettable season last year behind them. As they showed in the first game, this is a new Pyro team.
"Last year was last year," senior captain Tara Pillai said. "We had a horrible record, no wins, a tie and a bunch of losses. We have put that in the past. This year we are 1-0, it's a great start."
Lewis is also trying to put last season behind them, as they finished 1-4-1. However they face a little more of an uphill battle than the Pyros do, trying to get their season on track after a 7-0 loss to Farley last week. However, the Chicks are staying optimistic.
"Even though we lost, we thought we looked pretty good," sophomore Brandy Cerne said.
"[We've looked] amazing in practice," senior captain Tara Gilbride said. "We definitely have some secret weapons we're going to use."
The game should tell both teams a lot about their chances of reaching the playoffs and accomplishing their goals for the season.
"We want a winning record and to make the playoffs ... and of course the goal of every team is to make it to the stadium," Pillai said.
Added Gilbride: "Our eyes are on the stadium."
The two teams are set to square off at 8:00 p.m. at Riehle Field.
Welsh Family vs. Farley
When Farley faces Welsh Family under the lights tonight, one team will be hoping to build on its momentum while the other will be hoping to create some.
Farley won a close 7-0 game over Lewis Sunday, while the Whirlwinds fell to Howard 13-12. Farley junior captain Emma Klosterman made it quite clear what the momentum has done to the Finest's mentality.
"We are undefeated so far this season," Klosterman said. "We go out and practice hard to keep it that way."
Even though Farley only managed one touchdown against Lewis, Klosterman expects the team's coaches, juniors Tommy Smith and Kevin Ritt, will help generate some points tonight.
"We have to give a lot of credit to our offensive coaches," Klosterman said. "I'm sure they will think of something good, but for now it's a secret."
Welsh Family hopes to change its recent fortunes senior captain Tara Schimpf said.
"We are a very driven and talented team," Schimpf said. "There is a new dynamic to our team this year, so we are concentrating on meshing well."
Farley hopes to continue its unbeaten season, en route to the ultimate goal.
"We just have one common goal, [to] get to the stadium," Klosterman said.
The Whirlwinds look to prove their talent on the field, returning to the interhall dominance they have shown in past years.
"No matter what ups and downs we may have in a season, or what changes we have gone through as a team, we give our all on the field," Schimpf said.
Kickoff will be at 9:00 p.m. between the two at Riehle Field.
