Warriors End Season On Sour Note With Second Round Playoff Loss To Surge
 
By Matthew Robinson
 
Look, the Pacific Warriors have so much to be proud of. They made it to the playoffs when 17 other American Conference teams were nixed from the playoffs mathematically and physically after their respective season finales on June 9; they made it all the way to the second round of the playoffs; they found some new players who can help them in the future; the Warriors placed three players on the WFA American Conference All-American team (CRYSTAL ASI, TIFFANY HUMPHREY, and LAUREN DAVIS); and they found a head coach in KURT HOPKINS who has patience and who is dedicated to bringing this program sustained success. Oh yeah, they also finished in second place in the American Division 17 league with future hopes of getting to the top of that league.
 
Amid all that, there was also a game played on June 30 versus the San Diego Surge. The result of that game was a 54-0 loss in which the Warriors seemed uninspired or had their minds elsewhere. In this game the Warriors were held to negative 20 yards on 43 plays and netted only 4 four first downs (2 were aided by penalty). Meanwhile, the Warriors' 2012 season is in the books (actually it's on the Internet on WFA.com) and they must look forward to the 2013 season.  
 
Once again things started off tasty for the Surge as tight end CARMEN CRUZ returned the opening kickoff 29 yards to the Warriors 45 yard line. If it weren't for defensive back DAWN HARPER fighting off a Anna Sanford block and then crashing into Cruz for the tackle, Cruz probably would have had a 74 yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
 
On the drive her return led to, inside linebacker ASHLEIGH HAYES (7 tackles including 2 tackles for a loss of 7 yards) had one of the Warriors' key defensive plays. On said play, Hayes at the snap read the backfield then attacked the middle and then fought off a feeble block by left guard EBONI CHAMBERS and gobbled up running back CASSEY BRICK for a 5 yard loss on 3rd down. Later in the drive, safety BIANCA NIEVES took advantage of a high snap to quarterback MELISSA GALLEGOS from center JENNIFER A. WHITE, and tackled Gallegos for a 10 yard loss back to the Warriors 34 yard line. It was da esigned run so it didn't count as a sack for Nieves but it counted as a tackle for loss for her.
 
On the same drive and on another play, a facemask penalty was called (the Warriors only had three penalties on the night) on the Warriors defense. But before that play even started, the Surge's center twitched then moved her hips and posterior as if to snap the ball in a false start manner, but no penalty was called. That missed call and some key Brick and Gallegos runs led to the latter throwing a quick 6 yard touchdown throw to Cruz versus single/trailing coverage by linebacker ALICIA FREEMAN. The score was now 7-0.
 
On the Warriors' first offensive drive of the game, quarterback ALEXSIS "Legs" GLENN ran 4 yards downfield then pitched a backward lateral to running back TIFFANY HUMPHREY who then proceeded to gain 5 yards to the Surge 41 yard line. The play was aided by a crushing head-up block by fullback KIM HENRY on defensive end JANA SCHROTH (near the Warriors 49 yard line) and then a forearm shiver block by running back DESIGN TROTTER on a Surge defender near the left sideline. But on 4th down and 2, a failed Glenn to Henry pitch was fumbled by Henry and recovered by her too for an 11 yard loss.
 
But on the ensuing drive for the Surge, the Warriors came up with one of their better defensive efforts of the season. They forced the Surge to go nine plays without even scoring. Key plays on the drive defensively for Pacific was a shared tackle for loss of 1 yard by defensive tackle JACQUELINE CISNEROS and outside linebacker LAUREN DAVIS.  Linebacker MONIQUE ADAMS also chipped in on this drive, with a quarterback hurry that forced an incompletion to wide receiver HOLLY PETERSON versus solid coverage by cornerback LANIKA MANNING on 3rd down and 11. Then later in the drive defensive backs TAMI SINGLETARY and AMBER WILSON broke up a pass in the end zone, which was aided by quarterback hurries by defensive linewoman SIMONE SOUTHWELL and Hayes. Then on the last play of the drive, MacLeod broke up a Gallegos pass. The drive took so much time, nine plays as mentioned, and it went for 35 yards all the way to the Warrior 13 yard line.
 
But for any momentum the Warriors seemed to have after that big defensive stand, it died when defensive back LORIE MOORE took back a Glenn pass 27 yards for a score and a 13-0 lead (the two-point conversion failed due to an alert Harper tackling a Surge ball carrier who tried to score). The Warriors next drive didn't go anywhere so they punted. Brick returned the Wilson punt 27 yards to the Pacific 30 yard line. That play helped lead to a 5 yard run by Brick to give the Surge a 20-0 lead with 1:45 left in the first quarter. 
 
On the Warriors next drive, Pacific didn't get past their own 30 yard line as the drive ended on a tackle for loss of Glenn. A high snap to Wilson forced her to run for her life and she ended up getting tackled at her own 9 yard line. This gave San Diego delicious field position and they took advantage of it, as they scored on the first play of this drive on a run by their all-purpose player MONIQUE ZAKY for a 27-0 lead. The Warriors had their next drive end on a combined sack by linebacker CILENA TANAYA MOSLEY and defensive end BROLIK STOKES on Glenn for a 7 yard loss. Then the Surge took advantage of the sack and scored on a 5 yard Cruz touchdown catch to take a 34-0 lead. 
 
After another three and out by Pacific, the Surge scored again on a KAYCEE CLARK 4 yard touchdown pass from Gallegos to make the score 41-0. The Warriors next drive died due to another Mosley sack and a fumbled exchange between Glenn and Humphrey. Mercifully, the clock ran out on the Surge after a 17 yard run up the middle by running back/cornerback ASHLEY MOODY, in which she (Moody) almost scored on the run but Wilson made sure she didn't as the ball carrier was tackled at the 1. 
 
On the first drive for both teams in the second half Trotter caught an 8 yard pass versus tight coverage from Moody, with Moody more keen on intercepting the pass than providing solid woman for woman coverage. But her catch was wasted due to an interception that was returned 51 yards to the Warriors 17. This theft led to another Cruz shallow slant route scoring pass for a 48-0 lead. Due to that score and WFA rules, a running clock was used with about 9:17 left in the third quarter.
 
When the Surge got the ball back Southwell and MacLeod hurried the quarterback which helped force an interception into the waiting arms of LASHEREE CHRISTIAN who returned the theft 6 yards to the Pacific 15 yard line. Another Mosley and Stokes sack forced a fourth down situation and punt for the Warriors. Wilson though on the fourth down punt, secured the Warriors' first true first down of the game as she scurried 9 yards on a non-designed (a high snap forced her to take matters into her own hands) fake punt to the Warriors 26. On this drive that Wilson's run led to, left tackle REBECCA MUNOA recovered a Glenn fumble---that was forced by linebacker KALILAH LAWSON---that kept the drive alive. But Munoa's alertness and gratuity was erased by an incomplete pass to Trotter in double coverage, versus linebacker TARRAH PHILPOT and defensive back DOMENIQUE MANNING that helped turn the ball over to the Surge.    
 
But on the Surge's next drive, the Warriors executed their second straight defensive stand in which they didn't allow a score. A key play on this drive was a Christian tackle on Peterson, in which Christian read the play and dropped Peterson for a five yard loss in a very angry manner. Then the Surge's offensive drive died on fourth down due to big pressure on the quarterback by AMANDA MUNOA (coming hard and intense from the right side) and Davis, which aided in forcing an incomplete pass into the end zone that was intended for either Brick and/or wide receiver/kicker RYLIE BUCKHOLZ. Harper, Manning, and Wilson were all over those two receivers, legally, as the Warriors got the ball back with not too much time left in the game. 
 
Glenn threw a 12 yard pass to Manning down to the Warriors 22 which gave them their second true and earned first down of the game. On the play, Manning got off the line, then she ran to where right cornerback STEPHANIE TOMLINSON was positioned, then she shook then spun away from the defender and caught the pass for what may have been the play of the game for Pacific despite it coming sooooooooo late in the game. Glenn later threw a 16 yard completion to Trotter along the right sideline who was then ushered out of bounds by defensive back KRISTIN LOVE. Good blocks on that play were provided by offensive linewomen DENISHA "Debo" TERRELL, CRYSTAL ASI,  and the Munoa sisters.      
 
Well, in the words of Jay-Z it's on to the next one. The next one being the 2013 season.

-06/30/12

Final Score

-06/23/12

Final Score

Warriors - 27

Showgirlz - 20

-04/14/12

Warriors avoid getting stung by San Diego

Manhattan Beach, CA ? The 2012 season for the Pacific Warriors opened at home against the San Diego Sting. Both teams were looking to improve on the 2011 season results and both entered the game with high hopes. The Warriors entered the game with several familiar faces on the field and sideline but were led by a different head coach and a couple of vets from other teams. Kurt Hopkins made his debut as the Warriors Head Coach after 6 seasons away from women?s football.

The Warriors would win the toss and elected to defer choice until the 2^nd half. The first series on offense for San Diego would be indicative of the night ahead of them. Nancy MacLeod, #51, would stop the Sting RB in the hole for a 1-yard loss on 1^st down. On 2^nd down, Stephanie Taylor, #88, jumped offsides to give the Sting a 2^nd and 6. San Diego put the ball in the air and the ball was almost picked by Bianca Nieves, #10. On 3^rd & 6, Tracy Cabugao, #9, would scramble for her life but would eventually be sacked by Alicia Freeman, #20. Both teams lined up in their respective punt formations and the snap from center was dropped by the punter, Christina Manzanares, #12. She quickly picked up the ball and attempted to run the 11 yards for the 1^st down but was pushed out of bounds by Shawn Bolton, #14 after a gain of one yard.

Pacific would go right to work on offense. Dee Trotter, #31 would pick 6 yards, followed by Alexsis Glenn , #18, for 5 yards and the first 1^st down of the game. Glenn would connect with Tami Singletary, #24 and the Warriors quickly found themselves at the 4-yard line. An all-out blitz by the San Diego worked to perfection as they were able to sack Glenn for an 8-yard loss. Trotter would take the next play up the middle and bounce to the outside, outrunning the defense for the first score of the game.

San Diego would drive all the way to the Warriors 24-yard line thanks to two penalties by the Warriors defense on 3rd downs. That would be all they got as the pass would fall incomplete on 1st and 2nd down, and 3rd down would result in lost yardage. They lined up to go for it on 4th down but the snap went over the head of Cabugao and once again she had to scramble to find a receiver. Nieves was able to force her to step up where Crystal Asi, #73, registered the sack.

After a 1^st down incompletion, Glenn connected with Amanda Munoa, #32, for a 18-yard gain. Trotter would receive a pitch to the left and race Akilah Green, #2, to the endzone. Green caught Trotter at the 7 but a well time and even better executed stiff arm by Trotter knocked green to the ground and Trotter picked up her second TD of the night.

The rest of the game would proceed with much of the same. A ferocious defense led by Ashleigh Hayes, #56, and MacLeod would force the Sting offense into 4^th down situations where San Diego would chose to go for it instead of punting. This left the Warrior offense with a short field and easy scoring opportunities. The score at halftime was 36-0 and after another quick score in the 3^rd quarter, the mercy rule running clock went into effect. The Warriors would add another TD in the 3^rd to reach 48 on the night and the only thing left in question was if the defense would secure the shut out. San Diego would reach the Warriors 16-yard line, once again because of penalties, but were pushed all the back to the 34 after a holding call and a sack for an 8-yard loss by Jackie Cisneros, #92.

Standouts for the game on offense were Trotter with 173 yards rushing and 5 touchdowns, Tiffany Humphrey, #28, with an additional 96 yards and a score. Obviously kudos go out to the offensive line for creating some great running lanes. On the defensive side, Nieves and Lanika Manning, #21, registered interceptions to go along with 10 sacks, three by Hayes.

The Pacific Warriors (1-0) travel to Phoenix and Las Vegas the next two weekends before coming back home on May 5^th for a game against the San Diego Surge. Please check back here for updates and to follow all going on with your 2012 Pacific Warriors.

Final Score

Sting ???? - ?0

Warriors - 48