Sid ends rocky year with fifth consecutive powderpuff titile
In a season full of upsets and wild finishes, Sid Richardson once again came out on top. Sid (7-3) defeated Jones (6-4) 7-0 in the powderpuff championship game late Monday night. Played at Rice Stadium, the game was hardly perfect, but thanks to some timely defense and ball-control offense, Sid was able to cap off a difficult season with its fifth-straight championship.
Following a turnover on downs by Jones to start the game, Sid took over on its own 36-yard line and promptly began to move down the field. Senior quarterback Lindsay Balthrop converted twice on third down and found senior wide-out Andrea Dinneen on an eight-yard strike to give Sid an early 7-0 lead on an 11-play, 64-yard drive.
“Their wide receivers ran some precise and surgical routes on that drive,” Jones head coach Matt McDonell said. “They were able to use the double move and confuse our defensive backs.”
In the second quarter, Balthrop was picked off by senior cornerback Caitlin Goodrich to give Jones the ball on Sid’s 30-yard line. But Jones could not muster any momentum on the drive, turning the ball over on downs yet again.
Later in the quarter Jones had the ball on its own 27-yard line with fewer than two minutes remaining. After a roughing-the-passer penalty on a third-down play prolonged the drive, senior quarterback Theresa Ring broke a big run to the outside and made it all the way to the five-yard line. With enough time remaining for only one play, Ring threw a pass into the end zone that was picked off by junior cornerback Marisa Gonzalez to end the half.
Following an eventless third quarter, Sid produced one of the most productive non-scoring drives of the season when its offense used 16 plays to go 60 yards, milking nearly 12 minutes off the clock. A controversial pass interference call on fourth-and-six extended the drive and essentially put the game on ice. After recovering the ball, Jones was left with only 20 seconds and no time outs. Jones ran just two plays before the game ended.
A team that relied the outside running of Goodrich and Ring all season, Jones looked to have an advantage heading into the matchup as Rice Stadium’s field is wider than that of a customary intramural field. Nevertheless, Sid was ready for Jones’ game plan.
“We thought [the field] would be more open to run the sweeps,” McDonell said. “But Sid defended it very well and we were stubborn to keep on trying it. If I were to do it all over again I would run it up the middle and do more short passes.”
The latest championship for Sid has been their toughest yet. After a three-game losing streak in the middle of the season dropped them to sixth in the standings, Sid had to win all three of its remaining regular season games and needed Hanszen to lose in the last week of the regular season to garner the fourth and final spot in the playoffs.
“After the third loss in a row I told the girls that the playoffs start right now,” Sid head coach Cassius Mensah said. “The seniors became really vocal and it carried through to the rest of the team.”
This season, Sid also saw Balthrop develop from a game manager to the focal point of the offense. The converted wide receiver only attempted seven passes in the season opener against Baker on Sept. 15 but was 17 for 25 passing for 128 yards in the championship.
Although Sid’s four previous championship teams were better on paper, Balthrop said this particular team stands out from the rest, especially considering that Sid lost Christi Disch (Sid ‘07), the most explosive player in powderpuff last year.
“I’m more proud of this team than any other team I’ve played on,” Balthrop said. “Knowing who we lost last year, no one expected us to be here. We would have been happy just to make the playoffs, but to win it all again is just great.”
Other sports stories
- Cold reception, hot offense not enough to overcome Tulsa
- Early woes continue for men's basketball
- Sports notebook
- Women's basketball cools off with losses to Clemson, Colorado
- Women's cross finishes 16th at harsh NCAA meet
News
- Boniuk Center changes co-sponsorship policy
- Brown College opens new fitness center
- Construction springs leak in gas line near Duncan
- Faculty Senate looks to extend winter break, debates mid-term spring recess
- Job market for grads stays consistent
- Jones named Texas Professor of the Year
- MOB makes national headlines in wake of Tulsa outrage
- Police apprehend suspect in strong-arm robbery case
- Rondelet dance to return in spring
- Wellness Center announces short-term goals in report
Arts & Entertainment
- August Rush is a unique musical experience
- Counting the best pop culture moments of 2007
- New Futurama flick scores big with old diehard fans
- Nudity does not save predictable Beowulf