Gameday Recap

Darkness falls over Detroit in 62-0 rout

Contact: George Howe Media Relations (773) 368-4848

CHICAGO, IL The Force came out of the gates with purpose and played a near flawless opening season game dismantling the Detroit Dark Angels 62-0 in front of a spirited crowd Saturday in Evanston. After a quick opening offensive series for the Angels, the Force scoring explosion erupted. QB Sami Grisafe led her troops to the line of scrimmage starting at the Force four yard line. Two quick runs by Brandy Hatcher, and a pass completion to Jeanette Gray set up an impressive 76 yard touchdown dash by Darcy Leslie. Leslie converted the two point conversion as well for an 8-0 Force lead. Leslie is by far one of the most gifted athletes on the team. Head Coach John Konecki decided early on in pre-season practice that he was going to find ways to get playmakers involved on both sides of the ball. Leslie, who has been primarily a defensive linebacker, is now also featured as a running back. She certainly didn’t disappoint, scoring 4 touchdowns and adding 5 two point conversions totaling 34 points on the day. “Darcy is a special player and as long as she doesn’t run out of gas I want to utilize her talents” said Konecki.

Steady Grisafe had her typical passing day completing 16 of 21 for 224 yards, including two scoring strikes to Ashley Berggren, one for 62 yards. Hatcher racked up 142 total yards, and had an impressive 33 yard scamper for a score. Mary Choules, who has shown that she is a strong steady running back, also found pay dirt.

On the defensive side of the ball, a group of primarily veteran players continue to impress. Newcomer Angel Smith turned quite a few heads with her opening performance, recording six solo tackles, two quarterback sacks, and a total of nine tackles on the day. Keesha Brooks added five tackles, and Elisha Okrey recorded a safety.

Konecki was cautious, and chose his words carefully addressing his players after the game. “I was happy with the start don’t get me wrong’, explained Konecki. 'I don’t want us to think that we are better than we are. We did send a message to the league. I don’t want us to lose sight of the big picture, and that is winning a national championship.” If this first game is any indication, get ready for another exciting season.

The Force host the Indianapolis Crash April 20. Game time is 5pm.

For tickets and more information please visit chicagoforcefootball.com or call the Force hotline at (872) 222-5078.