The Crew, Blue Steel Brew and Ravens all advanced in the Cowichan Women’s Football League postseason after wins in the first round of the playoffs at McAdam Park last Sunday.
The top-ranked Crew advanced straight to the final with a 46-6 win over the sixth-seeded Wild, while the second-ranked Blue Steel Brew knocked off the fifth-seeded Storm 40-6 to set up a semifinal duel with the fourth-ranked Ravens, who upset the third-place Law 37-12.
Marilou Sullivan led the Crew’s onslaught with three touchdowns and a convert, while Jessica Lines-Wikkerink had two majors and a convert. Janelle Mould ran 50 yards after an interception for a pick-six, and Kerynne Bain also scored. Jennie Hittinger had a convert, Nenagh McCulloch had three sacks and a convert, and Kat Owens also recorded a pick.
Heidi Haslam powered BSB with three touchdowns, while both Monni Savory and Mila Main had one touchdown and a convert. Sam Miiller also had an extra point, and Michaela Peet chipped in with a sack. Rachel Paddle scored the Storm’s lone TD.
Autumn Cooper, Nikita Kitagawa, Jamie Russell and Brittany Williams scored touchdowns for the Ravens, with converts by Russell and Dana Thorne, while Becki Paterson had a sack on defence. Kim Scafe had both touchdowns for the Law and Shelly Hodgins added an interception.
The regular season started to wind down last Wednesday with a makeup game won 32-6 by the Law over the Wild. Megan Newton scored twice for the Law, with Hodgins, Toni Williams and Wendy Charles also finding the end zone. Hodgins and Tanya Green added converts, Newton and Deanne Garside had interceptions, and Jodi Buttle recorded a pair of sacks. Rhiannon Kemmler answered back with a touchdown for the Wild.
The Law then played their last regular-season game against BSB last Friday evening, with second and third place on the line. BSB locked up second place with a 26-8 victory thanks to touchdowns by Kara Olson, Monni Savory, Shelby Wilcox and Heidi Haslam. Savory, Wilcox and Jessica May added converts, and Michaela Peet had a sack. Hodgins had the Law’s lone touchdown and Jaimie Olson had a pair of rouges.
Also on Friday, the Ravens got by the Storm 21-13. Jamie Russell, Becki Peterson and Barb Smith had the Ravens’ touchdowns, and Barb and Veronica Smith and Lauren James added converts. The Storm got quick touchdowns from Caitlin Evans and Chelsea Morton in the going, and Kristen Labao punted for a single point to tie the score at 13-13 before halftime. Labao added an interception in the second half and Morton had a sack.
BSB and the Ravens squared off in the semifinal on Wednesday night, with the winner facing the Crew in the championship final this Friday at 7 p.m.