Dallas Diamonds are Division Champions
0 Ratings / 0 Comments
Dallas Diamonds are the Mid-South Division ChampionsThe final road trip of the regular season sent Dallas to a very warm Missouri to face the Kansas City Tribe. Overcoming several obstacles including a bus driver that took them 90 miles off course, the Diamonds came away with a hard-fought win over their northern rival. The 24-13 victory gave the Diamonds a 6-0 record and bragging rights as champs of the Mid-South division in the IWFL. The last meeting between these two teams was the season home opener for the Diamonds. Dallas dominated that game winning 58-0. This time was different. Playing on the Tribe’s home field, KC proved to be a more of a challenge. "It was a sloppy game on our part. Bill Parcells used to say a win is a win and you don't get style points. We won the division and we also got a wake up call. We have to play better than that to get to our ultimate goal, “ said Quarterback Karen Seimears. “"It was a great test for us in overcoming adversity. Our schedule was off, our pregame routine was off and yet we just buckled down and pulled together. Kansas has improved and we needed the test." The Diamonds defense made their presence known early, however. On the first play of the game, Diamonds Linebacker, KB Bowman chased Tribe QB Jenny Schmidt out of the pocket forcing her to throw incomplete to the sideline. The Tribe picked up a yard on the next play. Then on 3rd down, Diamonds Defensive End, Ingrid "Tiny" Mitchell, chased Schmidt down for her second incomplete pass of the game bringing up 4th and 9. The Tribe elected to punt but a bad snap put them back another 14 yards. Linebacker K Spain of the Diamonds made the tackle giving the Diamonds offense their first shot at the ball at around the 32-yard-line. The Diamonds offense wasted no time. Making a statement early, Seimears made a quick pitch to running back Jessica Springer and 32 yards later, the Diamonds were in the end zone. Emily Tidwell's extra point was good and the Diamonds led 7-0 with 13:28 to go in the 1st quarter.The Diamonds moved the ball down field their next offensive series. Jessica Springer and Rachel May had significant runs for great yardage. A holding penalty, however, on the Tribe 5-yard-line pushed the Diamonds back to the 15. This lit the fire under the Tribe. Two way player Rusty Sowers zoned in on a Seimears pass and hauled it in for an Kansas City interception. Schmidt and Sowers went on to move the ball for the Tribe. But again, the Diamonds Defense came up big and forced two incomplete passes and brought up a 4th down. A bad punt left the Diamonds in great field position on the Tribe 44-yard-line to end the 1st quarter. The second quarter proved to be a defensive battle. A key interception finally came giving the Diamonds offense another shot at the endzone. Running Backs Odessa Jenkins, Q Ragsdale and May racked up the yardage for the offense as they took it down field. Ragsdale received a pitch from Seimears on the 14-yard-line and was able to outrun the Tribe secondary to the corner of the endzone. The extra point was good and the Diamonds were up 14-0 with 2:25 to go in the half. KC quickly completed their series leaving the Diamonds with some time on the clock. A bomb from Seimears to rookie Umeeke Webb for 28 yards, another connection to Springer for 15, and the Diamonds were within striking distance. But a Diamonds field goal attempt was no good ending the half 14-0.Dallas opened the third quarter consistently moving the ball and gaining confidence. "I think a key play was 3rd down and 12 in the 3rd quarter. Coach called a run play which is not the usual call in that situation. In the huddle, I told the guys we needed 12 and we gave the ball to Springer. She got 13. That gave us so much confidence and determination. I have always said the times Springer is at her best isn't always the 80 yard run, said Seimears.
Eventually going for a touchdown on 4th and 13 from the 18-yard-line, the Diamonds turned the ball over. KC's Angela Mabrie intercepted Seimears’ pass and took it 82 yards to put the Tribe on the board with 6. The extra point was good. Diamonds led 14-7 with 11:09 to go in the 3rd quarter. The interception was not characteristic of the Diamonds said Seimears, . "It was hotter than its been all year and we were stiff from being on the bus for hours and yet, we did what we needed to do to get a victory. We don't turn the ball over much and we had two interceptions. We can't do that in the playoffs and we know it." The Tribe did move the ball but not enough to score. Diamonds Running Backs Springer, Jenkins, May and Ragsdale all carried the ball to get the Diamonds down to the KC 4-yard-line. QB Laura Cantu, now in for the Diamonds, kept the ball. She ran it in to give the Diamonds a 21-7 lead with 5:34 left in the 3rd quarter. An onside kick attempt by the Diamonds was unsuccessful and the Tribe took over at the Dallas 40. Tribe utility player Megan Penrod continued to give the Diamonds fits on both sides of the ball. Nonetheless, the 3rd quarter ended with the score remaining 21-7. Opening the 4th quarter, Springer unloaded one of her trademark runs for 54 yards and a touchdown. Tidwell's extra point was good and the Diamonds led 28-7 with 11:35 left in the 4th quarter. Not backing down, Sowers, Penrod and Burns would keep the Tribe alive and push both teams to their limit in the final minutes of the game. With a 1st and 10 at the Dallas 14-yard-line, a completion to Penrod put them at the 9. Another pass to Sowers would get them to the 1-yard-line just shy of a touchdown. A handoff in the backfield would give KC a loss of 1 yard and a 2nd and goal from the 2-yard-line. Schmidt kept the ball for no gain bringing up 3rd and goal from the 2-yard-line. A pass interference call on the Diamonds took the ball back to the 1 and gave the Tribe another set of downs. It was time for the Diamonds Defensive to hunker down again.A Springer tackle moved the ball back to the 4-yard-line after a loss of 3 yards. A handoff, another Springer tackle, and the Tribe was backed up 4 more yards to the to the 7-yard-line. Following an incomplete pass, Kansas city faced 4th and goal from the 7. On the next play, Schmidt connected with Sowers in the end zone for the 7 yard touchdown leaving both teams drained from the effort. The extra point was blocked by the Diamonds so final score left Dallas with the victory 28-13 and the title of Division ChampionsThe Diamonds next effort will be against the Tucson Monsoon this Saturday at 3PM at Pennington Field in Bedford. The final regular season game will be at home against the Miami Fury Saturday the 14th of June. The Dallas Diamonds ask you to join them and their fans as they continue their "Quest for Four" during these last two games at home. For more information, please call 817-690-3126 or find ticket information through the website at www.dallasdiamondsfootball.com.
Eventually going for a touchdown on 4th and 13 from the 18-yard-line, the Diamonds turned the ball over. KC's Angela Mabrie intercepted Seimears’ pass and took it 82 yards to put the Tribe on the board with 6. The extra point was good. Diamonds led 14-7 with 11:09 to go in the 3rd quarter. The interception was not characteristic of the Diamonds said Seimears, . "It was hotter than its been all year and we were stiff from being on the bus for hours and yet, we did what we needed to do to get a victory. We don't turn the ball over much and we had two interceptions. We can't do that in the playoffs and we know it." The Tribe did move the ball but not enough to score. Diamonds Running Backs Springer, Jenkins, May and Ragsdale all carried the ball to get the Diamonds down to the KC 4-yard-line. QB Laura Cantu, now in for the Diamonds, kept the ball. She ran it in to give the Diamonds a 21-7 lead with 5:34 left in the 3rd quarter. An onside kick attempt by the Diamonds was unsuccessful and the Tribe took over at the Dallas 40. Tribe utility player Megan Penrod continued to give the Diamonds fits on both sides of the ball. Nonetheless, the 3rd quarter ended with the score remaining 21-7. Opening the 4th quarter, Springer unloaded one of her trademark runs for 54 yards and a touchdown. Tidwell's extra point was good and the Diamonds led 28-7 with 11:35 left in the 4th quarter. Not backing down, Sowers, Penrod and Burns would keep the Tribe alive and push both teams to their limit in the final minutes of the game. With a 1st and 10 at the Dallas 14-yard-line, a completion to Penrod put them at the 9. Another pass to Sowers would get them to the 1-yard-line just shy of a touchdown. A handoff in the backfield would give KC a loss of 1 yard and a 2nd and goal from the 2-yard-line. Schmidt kept the ball for no gain bringing up 3rd and goal from the 2-yard-line. A pass interference call on the Diamonds took the ball back to the 1 and gave the Tribe another set of downs. It was time for the Diamonds Defensive to hunker down again.A Springer tackle moved the ball back to the 4-yard-line after a loss of 3 yards. A handoff, another Springer tackle, and the Tribe was backed up 4 more yards to the to the 7-yard-line. Following an incomplete pass, Kansas city faced 4th and goal from the 7. On the next play, Schmidt connected with Sowers in the end zone for the 7 yard touchdown leaving both teams drained from the effort. The extra point was blocked by the Diamonds so final score left Dallas with the victory 28-13 and the title of Division ChampionsThe Diamonds next effort will be against the Tucson Monsoon this Saturday at 3PM at Pennington Field in Bedford. The final regular season game will be at home against the Miami Fury Saturday the 14th of June. The Dallas Diamonds ask you to join them and their fans as they continue their "Quest for Four" during these last two games at home. For more information, please call 817-690-3126 or find ticket information through the website at www.dallasdiamondsfootball.com.
