Howard proved it means business this season with a 33-0 shutout of defending champion McGlinn Tuesday.
"We were really excited to show that our win against Welsh Family wasn't a fluke," junior captain and quarterback Kayla Bishop said
The Ducks (2-0) dominated all aspects of the game from the start, as both their offensive and defensive units controlled the Shamrocks (0-1).
Bishop had her pick of capable receivers, namely sophomore Kristyn Jeffries, junior Kaitlin Robinson and freshmen Laura Coletti. When it came to the multiple opportunities for touchdowns and extra points, the Ducks ran well-executed plays and Bishop effortlessly painted the corners of the end zone by consistently placing the ball in the hands of her capable targets.
Jeffries, Robinson and Coletti each provided multiple receptions and were the ultimate offensive contributors to Howard's 33 points.
The Ducks' defense used consistent pressure to record four interceptions of McGlinn sophomore quarterback Lauren Miller. The offense converted two of these interceptions into scores.
Despite the disappointing loss, the Shamrocks' senior captain Emily Dore expressed confidence in her team and their season.
"It was our first game," Dore said. "We were getting our kinks worked out. I think we'll have a strong showing of offense and defense on Sunday."
Howard already has its sights downfield this season, chanting "championship" both during halftime and after the game.
"We're really excited," Bishop said. "We're looking to go all the way."
Pasquerilla East 6, Lewis 0
What had been a slow defensive battle turned into a wild finish as Pasquerilla East topped Lewis 6-0 Tuesday.
A 40-yard bomb put Lewis on the Pyros' 25-yard line with 30 seconds to go. The game ended on four consecutive deep passes falling to the ground, either slipping through a Lewis (0-2) receiver's hands or being knocked down by a defending Pyro. For Pasquerilla East (2-0), the final stand was icing on the cake for an outstanding defensive game.
"The shutout was key," Pasquerilla East senior defensive captain Liz Ruiz said. "Our defense was definitely feeling the pressure at the end there, but we managed to get the job done."
For Lewis, it was a disappointing end to a hard fought game.
"It was really uptight and tense at the end, we had a lot of momentum but it was just unlucky," junior Christy Nypaver said.
Until that point, the game had been mostly a defensive struggle. Pasquerilla East scored on their first possession of the game, as senior captain quarterback Tara Pillai dove in to the end zone.
"Our running game has improved 10-fold from last year," said Ruiz. "We were moving the ball and using up the game clock."
The Pyros look poised to reach their season goal of reaching the postseason.
The Chicks are still looking for their first win but are far from giving up on the season. They had decent success running the ball throughout the game, but two costly interceptions in the second half stalled any momentum they had gained.
"We feel like we have improved a lot since last game," Nypaver said. "From here we need to practice, practice, practice and just get it down. We have a lot of new people together."
With four games left in the regular season for each team, the year is far from over.
Farley 12, Welsh Family 6
Undefeated Farley managed to keep a zero in the loss column with a 12-6 win over Welsh Family Tuesday.
Farley (2-0) used a strong passing game to overpower the Whirlwind (0-2) defense, and an opportunistic defense to limit Welsh Family's scoring chances.
The Finest intercepted Whirlwind senior quarterback Demy Hueth twice in the game, as sophomore Katie Smith and senior Chrissie Andrews each pulled in Hueth passes while on defense.
Each interception gave Farley sophomore quarterback Megan Bustedo good field position, and Bustedo capitalized twice with two touchdown passes to lead the Finest.
"Our offense had great position," junior captain Emma Klosterman said.
A long first-half drive resulted in Welsh Family's touchdown and a tied halftime score. After Farley went ahead 12-6, the Whirlwinds had a glimmer of hope after an interception of their own by sophomore Jenna Spizzirri, but Farley's defense held the Whirlwinds out of the end zone with only four minutes left in the game.
"We improved from our last game," Welsh Family senior captain Julia Dombrowksi said. "We need to keep working."
The Whirlwinds play Pasquerilla East Sunday, while Farley looks to keep its record unblemished when it faces McGlinn.
"We will continue to work and win," Klosterman said. "We cannot wait for Sunday's game against McGlinn."
