Although their combined legacies surpass 45 seasons on the turf – with a lot of historical hardware collected by both – the St. Louis SLAM and the D.C. Divas have surprisingly never faced each other on the gridiron.
Photo Credit: Gerald Affeldt
For the finalists within the Women’s Football Alliance (WFA) post-season complexion, a first-time showdown between the pair Saturday has ultimate stakes involved.
On the surface, it’s a battle for a national championship.
More importantly on the grand scale for the winner, a well-deserved push to dynasty status will be accomplished.
The conference reps from the league’s Pro Division tangle at Tom Benson Field within Canton, Ohio’s Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Live coverage of the game on ESPN2 begins at 1 PM Central.
“We are extremely excited,” beamed SLAM quarterback Jaime Gaal. “Can’t wait ‘til Saturday! This is what we’ve worked hard for all year long.”
Photo Credit: Gerald Affeldt
St. Louis (8-0) makes their third consecutive trip to the Pro trophy tilt and seeks back-to-back “’ships.”
Founded in 2003, the SLAM claimed their fifth overall WFA title in a 30-27 upset triumph over then-five-time champ Boston on the same turf last July.
A repeat for the locals is not out of the realm, considering how well they’ve played during the American Conference playoffs.
The SLAM pushed their current winning steak to 17 games following a dominant 38-13 thumping of Minnesota Vixen at home two weekends ago to win the conference title (RECAP).
A 14-0 sprint in the opening five minutes set the tone for the contest. St. Louis was a little inconsistent on possessions for the remainder of the half, yet held a 21-0 lead at intermission.
“I think that was just another display of sticking to the plan, trusting each other, and executing,” reflected Gaal, who threw three touchdowns in the contest. “On offense, I know we made a ton of mental mistakes, but we regrouped and stuck to the plan.”
Photo Credit: Gerald Affeldt
A trifecta of end zone trips in the second half resulted in the team’s third straight conference title and Saturday’s return trip to Canton.
“In a way, I’m glad it happened that game and we were able to get it out of our system, learn from it, and get back on track,” the co-captain said.
Receiver Kerri McMahan pushed her touchdown catches to 11 in the victory while Sydney Bloch notched a six-point snare and 175 yards claimed overall.
Multi-weapon Jada Humphrey turned on the jets with a touchdown run and red zone grab while running back Robin Cooksey claimed the fifth scoring romp of her rookie campaign.
The SLAM offense this season has been propelled by the stellar work of linemates Pamela Green, Caitlin Erickson, Marion Ball, Tamikka Brents, Antonnia Washington and Katelynn Hartman-Grier.
Also contributing to the yardage has been running backs Patrice Fitzpatrick and Taylor Hay alongside receivers Amanda Richardson, Aaryana Cook and Keyonna Smith.
St. Louis comes into the finale averaging 48.6 points per game.
As impressive as that’s been, the SLAM defense has been equally dominant and should honestly be the most-important component to to a victory Saturday.
Photo Credit: Gerald Affeldt
The veteran unit anchored by Brooklynn Devitt, Jasmine Yandell, Raven Williams, Tay Johnson, Kinnaudy Daniles, Ciara Morgan, Mary Altepeter, Jennifer Perkins, Stephanie Moore, Jennifer Tussey, Myah LeFlore, Kaylee Neutzling and others this season have recorded four shutouts this campaign and have only allowed a pair of touchdowns in the playoffs.
On paper, this is arguably the best team the SLAM has ever fielded heading into a championship game.
“Offense, defense, and special teams have been clicking lately,” assessed Gaal of the team’s overall depth. “We have so many amazing athletes and playmakers all over the field. It’s fun to watch!”
Their opponent – whose franchise dates back 25 years – is also riding high on momentum and aims to add a fourth piece of hardware to their trophy case.
D.C. Divas (6-2) claimed the WFA National Conference trophy with a 35-34 nail-biting road win over top-seeded Pittsburgh two weekends ago.
Photo Credit: Gerald Affeldt
The three-time national champs (2006, 2015-16) stunned the Passion’s faithful with a come-from-behind heartbreaker via a two-point conversion claimed in the game’s final sixty seconds.
Veteran quarterback Amanda Congialdi leads an offense that relies heavily on an aerial attack, with receivers Navia Howell, Kristie Kelly, Dana Blakey, Hermonie Buckman and Lois Cook being primary targets.
The Divas, who average 37.4 points per game heading into Saturday, is supplemented by leading rusher Sarah Struber and a very experienced line.
Defensively, Kucheria Johnson, Haley Van Voorhis, Jameika Sharpe, Amiya King and others will attempt to give the SLAM offense fits.
St. Louis is looking forward to the challenge.
“We love playing new opponents and have a lot of respect for their organization,” assessed Gaal of the Divas. “I think it will be a great game for women’s football.”
Regardless of the outcome, the SLAM is fully aware that Saturday’s game contains the final snaps of the season.
For soon-to-be retiring athletes, their respective careers will end. For all players and staff, the season-long sweat equity invested reaches a final crescendo.
Photo Credit: Gerald Affeldt
If successful at the proverbial landmark of pro football, St. Louis will hoist their sixth national championship.
A trio of trophies claimed in both WFA Pro and previously in WFA Division 2 defines their legacy and ultimately designates them as the most-decorated franchise in the sport.
“There’s always so many emotions,” said Gaal heading into the tussle. “For me, the biggest one I remember after last year’s win was gratification. Such a great feeling!”
A SLAM repeat would be the cherry on top.
“I’m sure back-to-back would be even sweeter,” she added.
For more information on the SLAM, go to their official website.
Litehouse Media will have a full recap following Saturday’s championship game.
By trade, he is a six-time, regional Emmy Award-winning news videographer/editor for KTVI/KPLR-TV. By hobby, he is a writer for Litehouse Media, dating back to February 2014. Emphasis is on featuring and promoting local women's sports, but will cover anything that is not reported by traditional media outlets. Also a contributor to local concert reviews. Finally, he prefers Diet Ski over coffee.
