It wasn't over 'till it was over. Literally.
Sin City wanted to run the cards and pull off an upset. A game total of 12 turnovers and one of the most apocryphally officiated contests in sports history gave them a chance to. Yet the So Cal Scorpions put up with none of it and trot into the playoffs with a 32-18 win over the Las Vegas Showgirlz.
A diverse Scorpion offensive attack saw running back Desiree Weimann score four touchdowns, as she carried the ball 12 times for 87 yards, only playing in the first half. Her longest carry - a 17 yard dash.
"Being able to move the ball like we did...it's great for our confidence," says Weimann, who also caught two passes from quarterback Melissa Gallegos for gains. "We were just firing off, on all our pistons."
The most eye-catching of Weimann's four scores came on a pass-and-lateral from Gallegos to wide receiver Elizabeth Quintard (#80) in the second quarter. Quintard caught the ball, then gunned it backwards to Weimann who ran it in for the touchdown, capping a 34-yard play.
"Our game is tough," Weimann adds. "Teams will practice the entire week to stop me going to the outside. Everything was working tonight."
Defense was another of those working elements. So Cal defensive back Athena Reyes intercepted two Showgirl passes, one of which was nearly run back for a touchdown. The Scorpions held the entire Las Vegas offense to 31 total yards, with the first Showgirl touchdown coming on a kickoff return late in the first half, and the other two courtesy of their own defensive prowess.
Vegas though never took a drive inside the 30-yard line of So Cal, who won 32-0 in offensive points.
"We did exactly what we knew we needed to do," says Scorpion defensive back Crystal Stokes, who along with number 24 Kalila Lawson made the tackles and sacks they amassed look easy. "I have every confidence that we will continue to be the number one defense in the league."
The offense also is among the WPFL's elite. Gallegos completed 11 of 23 passes for 133 yards, highlighted by a 30-yard bomb to receiver Teresa Smith (#84).
"Being able to complete passes is what's been helping us," says Gallegos, who connected with six different receivers on the night. "My o-line picked them (Vegas) up pretty good."
The passing touchdown was a 13-yarder from Gallegos to Quintard in the second quarter, a period in which 25 So Cal points were tallied.
The officiating kept the game interesting. In the second period, Reyes was whistled down on the aforementioned interception despite picking off the ball, hitting the ground untouched, and running it into the end zone.
Later, a Showgirl punt was touched by Las Vegas, yet not whistled dead. The ball was then touched by So Cal, and the ensuing scramble for the ball gave it back to the Showgirlz. In the fourth quarter, Scorpion backup quarterback Aisha Ruffo threw a forward pass that the officials judged to be a lateral. The ball hit the ground and was picked up by Vegas' Carrie Walters (#29) who scored.
Yet it's all behind the Scorpions now, as they prepare for a postseason matchup with the Los Angeles Amazons.
"We've got a lot of work ahead of us," claims Gallegos. "When they (L.A.) watch your game, they try and adjust to what you've already run."
The Scorpions split two meetings with the Amazons in 2007, winning the one in L.A. 23-12. Their third meeting will take place at Bassett High School in La Puente, Saturday, November 3rd.
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