The regular season of the Dart Women’s League, under the Grand Cayman Flag Football Association, came to an end with the Androgroup Killa-Panthers positioned to swipe the championship from last year’s winners, the Hammerheads Lady Sharks.
Friday Night Lights began last week with Androgroup defeating Maples Bliss 19-6. Androgroup’s quarterback, Christina Hefner, kept her team on offence most of the time, dominating the field and completing 18 of 37 pass attempts.
Heather Roffey led her team to victory with two touchdown catches in the end-zone and three more receptions. Cassandra Bodden is looking to keep the lead as the offensive player of the year with nine catches, including one in the end-zone for a touchdown. Alicia Dixon, Gillian Roffey and Janique Samson each had two receptions and Dixon caught a ball for conversion points.
It was a game of interceptions for Androgroup, as Heather Roffey, Bodden, Suyen Coe and Samson each had a pick on defence. Stephanie Watler led in tackles with three, followed by Bodden, Samson, Coe and Gillian Roffey with two tackles each.
Maples Bliss had a rough game against Androgroup as quarterback Eleanor Berry was pressured into quick passes, completing just eight of 19 attempts with four interceptions thrown.
Isatou Smith (nee Sey) and Diannera Whittaker each had three catches, followed by Sheyla Torres with two. Annique Holness ran a punt return all the way into the end-zone that resulted in the only points for Maples.
The Bliss defence had to work hard to stop Androgroup, but too much time on defence resulted in fatigue and mistakes. Somali Hall, the league’s leading defender, led in tackles with five, followed by Berry with four. Torres had two tackles and two sacks and Marleena Smith also added a sack. Whittaker and Isatou Smith also contributed to defence with two tackles each.
Games continued on Friday night with Hammerheads shutting out the Hot 104.1FM Cheetahs 18-0. Lady Sharks quarterback Hong Nguyen was on her game, completing 15 of 25 pass attempts with three interceptions thrown.
Judy Rivers had a reception in the end-zone for a touchdown and Nguyen ran in the second. Jennifer Leggett’s interception resulted in a defensive touchdown for the Sharks. Rivers had three more catches, as did Rebecca Lucas and Lilia Conolly.
Leading on defence was Lucas with four tackles, followed by Rivers, Leggett and Ivana Powery with two each. Powery added a sack and Sarrah Kidd also had a pick on defence.
For a new team with over 80 per cent of the players having never played flag football before, making the playoffs was a huge accomplishment for the Cheetahs. Quarterback duties were shared between Jamesette Anglin, who completed six of 14 pass attempts and Tracey Seymour, who made one of five pass attempts and two interceptions thrown.
Jennifer Cotarelo led the offence with three catches, followed by Jessica Richards with two. Seymour, Sarafina McField and Darrah Jervis each had one reception. Although their defence is one of the best in the league, the Cheetahs need a major overhaul of their offensive strategy to make it anywhere in the playoffs.
Leading on defence was Amanda Nelson, with an incredible six sacks and three tackles. Cotarelo also had three tackles, followed by Seymour and Tonia Ebanks-McLaughlin with two each. Sara Dixon also added three sacks and picks were made by Ebanks-McLaughlin, Anglin and Cotarelo.
Saturday morning would be the last time the Subway Stingers and Lone Star Jager Monsters would see the field this season as both teams didn’t make the playoffs. Zulu Warriors beat Subway 19-0, with quarterback Jessica Pawlik completing an impressive 30 of 42 pass attempts and one interception thrown.
Leading the offence for Zulu was Maggie Ebanks with six catches, including one in the end-zone for extra points. Schmarrah McCarthy had her best game of the season, catching all three touchdown passes for the Warriors. Treveen Stewart caught five balls and gained major yards for her team by eluding Subway’s defence with her swift hip movements. Emily Vakauta continues to be a dominant force on offence, catching four balls, as did Agueda Blake.
Zulu didn’t have to spend much time on defence as Subway lacked any major progression. Tanjana Campbell had two sacks and an interception and Ebanks added the next interception. Adrianna Christian had a sack and Blake had the most tackles with two.
Despite finding out at the last minute the team wouldn’t have their usual quarterback, Subway fought hard until the end. Anna Nyaundi, who never played QB before, stepped up and completed four of 11 pass attempts with one interception thrown. Nikki Ebanks gave the position a try, completing no passes but one of her three attempts was also intercepted. Sophia Dilbert quarterbacked in the team’s last offensive possession, completing one of three passes.
On offence, Joanne Remillard caught three passes and Keisha Anglin followed with two catches. It was the hard work from their defence that kept Subway in the game. Nikki Ebanks had an outstanding game with 11 tackles, followed by Dionne Anglin and Nyaundi with four each. Remillard had three tackles and one interception and Shivonne Mitchell added a sack.
Although just missing the playoffs, Lone Star held the Burger King Wolverines to a 6-6 tie. Erica Bosch quarterbacked the Jager Monsters, completing 16 of 37 pass attempts with five interceptions thrown.
Tricia Bell caught three balls, including the team’s only touchdown. Monique Roberts and Renee Thompson followed with four catches each. Melanie Lewis had three receptions on offence.
Leading the defence was Thompson with six tackles and two interceptions. Bell also had a pick on defence. Devon Smith followed with four tackles. Roberts had two sacks and Laura Watler added one sack.
The Wolverines, once favoured as the team to win the championship this year, are in desperate need of their starting quarterback Antoinette Lewis to return to the field if they expect to be a threat in playoffs.
Alex Terry continues to lead the team, completing seven of 21 pass attempt with two interceptions thrown. Lewis did have a brief moment as quarterback, completing her only pass attempt.
Beneica Thompson had three catches including one in the end-zone for the Wolverines’ lone score. Carrie Barnett had three receptions, followed by Jahzenia Thomas with two.
On defence, the Wolverines were relentless. Terry had five tackles and two interceptions with Alexandria Saintvil and Shinette Rhoden each posting four tackles and one interception. Barnett had one pick.
The Dart Women’s League takes a break this weekend as the top six teams prepare for the playoffs. The teams that made the playoffs rank from the top as follows: Androgroup, Hammerheads, Burger King, Zulu, Maples and Hot 104.1FM.
Playoffs begin at the Camana Bay Field on Friday, 21 September, at 8pm with the Wolverines meeting the Cheetahs on field one and Maples battling Zulu on field two. Hammerheads and Androgroup have automatically advanced to the second round of playoffs.
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