Jones stands undefeated after powderpuff romp

By Ryan Glassman     10/1/09 7:00pm

The past weekend was the time of the year when Rice flexed its muscles, primping the school and putting itself on display for the annual Families Weekend. While the new Barbara and David Gibbs Recreation and Wellness Center's opening was spectacular, and the football team's home opener drew some excitement, Week Three of powderpuff football may have stolen the show. With an extended slate of Saturday games on tap, parents watched their daughters battle in the heat during a day of big crowds and big plays. And on Sunday, fans saw a new league power, Jones College, on display. In our Game of the Week, Jones took on the tandem of Will Rice College and McMurtry College in a Sunday night primetime showdown for the finale of Week Three action.

Game of the Week: Jones 19, Will Rice-McMurtry 0

Through the first two weeks of the powderpuff season, the calling card of the Jones squad has been the dynamic offense, specifically the passing game.

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"We are super-athletic, so, as a coaching staff, we just make sure the ladies keep their fundamentals strong and understand the game plan," Jones Head Coach Danny Newman said. "We have total confidence in what we are trying to do on both sides of the ball, and that really shines through."

Much of that confidence stems from a Week Two thriller, in which Sid Richardson College held Jones scoreless for the first three-and-a-half quarters, but a pair of touchdown passes in the final 20 seconds gave Jones the win.

Jones's offense went right to their aerial attack in the game against McWill. But not even a team with two names could get in the way of Jones's offensive juggernaut. Finding success early and often through the air and showcasing a stellar defensive output against a tough McWill offense, Jones earned a 19-0 shutout victory on Sunday night to move themselves to 4-0 on the season.

On the opening drive of the game, Jones's offense went straight to their passing attack. Junior quarterback Valicia Miller gained multiple first downs on passing plays, connecting with junior receivers Gabi Quart and Maria Failla. After a short gain on the ground and a subsequent incompletion, Miller took a third-down snap and scrambled far enough to move the chains. The crucial conversion set up the first score of the game, as Miller found Failla for the score, putting Jones on top 6-0.

Down a touchdown, McWill's offense moved the ball on its opening possession. Facing a fourth down, McWill picked up the first down on a run by McWill junior quarterback Jessi Scully. However, Jones' defense would not surrender the early lead in the next series, stymieing McWill's attempts.

After stopping Jones on downs, the game moved into the second quarter with McWill on the ball. But the Jones defense did not budge on the next drive, sacking Scully and stopping the run before Jones sophomore cornerback Rebba Moore intercepted a fourth-down pass.

With optimal field position and the clock running down in the first half, Miller and Quart went back to work in the passing game, with Miller finding Quart for a touchdown. At the conclusion of the first half, Jones held a 12-0 lead over McWill thanks to their potent passing game and strong defense.

McWill started with the ball in the second half but were forced to punt after three plays. Jones responded with Quart catching what appeared to be her second touchdown of the game. However, the play was nullified by an illegal block penalty against Jones, and McWill intercepted Miller's next passing attempt.

With the turnover, McWill's window of opportunity opened as the momentum shifted in their direction for the first time in the game. But once again, the Jones defense made a few crucial plays and sealed the win for Jones. After a short gain on the ground and an incomplete pass, Jones brought the heat and sacked Scully, returning the ball to the Jones offense.

In the fourth quarter, Jones ran the ball, killing the clock. Sophomore running back Nnena Okeke picked up a pair of first downs on handoffs. With their established success on the ground, Jones went right back to the passing game, where Miller threw a touchdown to Failla, her second receiving score of the game. After the extra point, Jones held a comfortable 19-0 lead. McWill passed for a first down on the next drive, but did not score and eventually had a fourth-down passing attempt fall incomplete. The ball went back to Jones, and the offense ran out the clock for the 19-0 victory.

With the double-digit win over a strong McWill squad in the Game of the Week, Jones established itself as one of the upper-echelon teams in the league. When asked about his team's stature among others in the league, Newman gave his squad a vote of confidence.

"I knew our team stacked up well from the beginning," Newman said. "I think we've got as good a shot as anyone to dethrone that group at Martel College, and that is certainly a challenge we're willing to take on."

Baker Duncan 14, Sid 0

In a make-up of a Week Two game, Baker College and Duncan College displayed a speedy offense and a stifling defensive unit in their shutout of Sid. BaDunc senior quarterback Jessica Chidi ran for two touchdowns, accumulating over 100 rushing yards on the game. The BaDunc defense was impressive as well, containing Sid's heavy passing attack in the victory.

Brown 19, Wiess 6

Coming off of losses in its first two games against Martel and McWill, Brown College entered the game determined to gain a win. Brown scored on the first drive of the game, crowning a running drive with a pass from senior quarterback Mary Chapman to senior Jackie Ammons to take a 7-0 lead. Wiess College bounced back and scored a touchdown on a run by junior Molly Bryan in the second quarter.

After an interception by Brown junior Lauren Baba, Ammons went on to score a touchdown for Brown, but could not convert the extra point. In the final seconds of the fourth quarter, sophomore Corinne Young ran in the final touchdown for Brown.

Baker Duncan 18, Hanszen 0

After shutting out Sid Thursday night, BaDunc's defense came out on Saturday to continue their no-score trend. Allowing only one first down to Hanszen College, the BaDunc defense proved their team is more than just a strong running game. However, Chidi again put on a clinic when it came to gaining yards on the ground, scoring all three of BaDunc's touchdowns in the first half. BaDunc had the potential for another score in the fourth quarter, but three touchdowns on three consecutive plays were all called back on penalties.

Lovett 6, Wiess 0

This Sunday showdown turned into a battle of the better defenses. Neither offense found a way to put up points on their own, and the game was decided on interceptions. Lovett College struck first, as sophomore Bri Bennette nabbed an interception in the second quarter and pushed past 60 yards for a touchdown. In the second half, senior receiver Erin Finn grabbed three more interceptions, but none translated into scores.

Late in the fourth quarter, Wiess junior safety Natalie Clericuzio picked off Lovett sophomore quarterback Kelsey Wolak, putting Wiess within scoring range. However, Wiess turned the ball over on downs and dropped the game.

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