This past Saturday under hot weather conditions at the Wanderer’s Grounds in Halifax, the Vipers won the SupHer Bowl Championship Game with a 49-42 victory over the Fredericton RV World Lady Gladiators. It marked the highest scoring game in the history of the league.
On the first drive of the championship game, Marie-Noelle Beaulieu got the Vipers on the scoreboard first as she scored on an 80 yard run. Janelle Brine’s conversion attempt was successful and gave the Vipers an early 7-0 lead in the first quarter.
However, the Lady Gladiators responded back on their next possession as star player Alex Black scored a touchdown and kicked for the extra point to tie it up 7-7.Β Β Then, Justine Barter spun around tackles to find her way to the end zone to give the Vipers a 14-7 lead still in the first quarter.
In the second quarter, Tara Keohan scored a touchdown to build the Vipers lead to 21-7.Β Β However, receiver Jill Blanchard got the Gladiators back on track by scoring a touchdown which cut the deficit down to seven points.Β Β Before the end of the first half, more touchdown scores would be exchanged by both teams.Β Β At halftime, the Vipers were in front with a 28-21 lead.
As for the second half, it was a battle that kept on going back and forth until the Vipers offense got the better of the Gladiators defense to score the final touchdown of the game.
Offensively for the Vipers, offensive guns Beaulieu, Barter and Keohan tallied majors for the win.
“The Championship Game was an offensive showcase with over 80 total points scored,” assesses Vipers acting head coach and pivot Jenny Miller soon after the victory.Β Β “The Gladiators used a disciplined and balanced offense throughout the game that challenged every element of the Vipers defense.”
“For their part, the Vipers offense was able to capitalize on their speed and blocking skills to exploit the outside run.”
For the Lady Gladiators, Blanchard scored three touchdowns on the day while amassing 137 yards on nine receptions.Β Β Black had 13 completions for 180 passing yards while rushing for 45 yards, two touchdowns and adding six PAT’s.Β Β Steph Bosse chipped in with a rushing major and also caught an interception.Β Β Robyn Neill registered a fumble recovery in the loss for the Lady Gladiators.Β Β For their efforts on the field, Blanchard was named offensive player while Kristen Chatterton was defensive player of game for the team.
“Offensively, we moved the ball very well, completing over a dozen passes,” says Lady Gladiators head coach Steve Drisdelle after the loss.Β Β “Our drives were sustained, and probably the most balanced we have been all year. Rushing we moved the ball very well.”
“Running backs Tracey Underhill, Kristen Chatterton, and Steph Bosse all played well and when you add in the scrambling ability of Alex Black, we rushed for well over 200 yards on the day.”
Both teams brought different things to the field on Saturday which made them successful in different elements of their game.
“The Gladiators and Vipers were teams of contrast offensively on Saturday,” comments Drisdelle.Β Β “We managed the clock well, and put up sustained drive after sustained drive.”
“The Vipers, on the other hand were able to explode out of each drive thanks to the speed and patience of their running backs”
With the number of times this game went back and forth between the two teams, Drisdelle says it was the Vipers defense that came up big to secure the championship game win.
“It’s not often you will hear someone talk about defense winning a game when the score is 49-42 but that is essentially what it amounts to;Β Β the Vipers were able to stop our offense one time more than our defense was able to do to them,” explains the Lady Gladiators head coach.Β Β “When you are trading majors like we were all afternoon it is going to come down to who has the ball last, and who is able to stop the most drives.”
“Moncton did just that Saturday; they had a lethal outside run that we were unable to make the proper adjustment to stop.”
While the Lady Gladiators were unsuccessful and disappointed with the final outcome, the team will draw on the many positives from the game.
“I am much more pleased with the composure, and the resilience of the Lady Gladiators,” says Drisdelle, whose Gladiators were the third seeded team in the playoffs.Β Β “We played our way into a championship game that was decided in the last two minutes of the game, and stayed right with a team that in the previous two meetings beat us up rather convincingly.”
“As a team we peaked at the right time, we were upbeat and positive going into the playoffs and we made a heck of a run for it, and that is nothing to hang our heads over.”
Meanwhile, the Vipers, who were the top seeded team in the playoffs, are savouring this special victory in the SupHer Bowl Championship Game.
“The atmosphere on the sidelines after this hard fought win was ecstatic,” reflects Miller.Β Β “The Vipers had not won the championship game since 2009, and the players felt that they had truly come together as a team this year to claim the Judy Upward Trophy for the second time in nine years.”
“The months of practices and games had finally come to an end with a hard fought win.”
Moncton Vipers Team Photo (Photo 1) Courtesy of Moncton Vipers Facebook Team Page/Maritime Women’s Football League (MWFL) Facebook Page
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