PHILADELPHIA: The Philadelphia Region was blanketed by heavy rain all day Saturday fortunately for the Philadelphia Liberty Belles and Binghamton Tiger Cats the rain stopped before Women’s Football Alliance Region 1 game kicked off. Unfortunately for the Tiger Cats that’s the only thing that went their way has the Division Champions Liberty Belles out gained the Tiger Cats 350-(-7) on their way to a 53-0 victory at Frankford Chargers field. “We try to mix up our schemes tonight and we did a great job with everyone responsibilities to make up for our mistakes” is how Linebacker Danielle Grubb would describe the defensive effort on the night. Head Coach Bill Systma echoed Grubb’s remarks by saying “our defense has been pretty much been lights out”
In the first quarter, the Tiger Cats did a great job keeping the Liberty Belles off the field only giving the 1st ranked offense in the nation five offensive plays in the opening fifth teen minutes. The Belles would take advantage of their fifth play has Marirose Roach took the handoff and was off to the races for a 27 yard touchdown giving the Belles the 7-0 lead at the end of one.
After Shania Kirkland sacked Kishan Zuber forcing a fumble Jeanette Hibbs would extend the Belles lead two plays later when she would race 18 yards for the touchdown. The extra point was no good giving the Belles 13-0 lead.
Roach would again strike this time from 3 yards out. The two-point conversion was no good giving the Belles the 19-0 lead.
After a three and out Roach would show why she is the most exciting player in the WFA has she took a Kristen Bunker punt broke a few tackles on her way to 60 yard touchdown to give the Belles the 26-0 lead heading into the half.
Defensively in the first half the Belles got to the quarterback three times, forced two interceptions and three fumbles.
The Belles wasted little time in the second half to add to their lead has on the third play of the half Michelle Phan took the handoff and raced in from 9 yards out. Hibbs pick up the bobble snap and take it in for the two-point conversion giving the Belles the 34-0 lead.
Roach would extend the Belles lead on their final offensive play of the third quarter when she raced 60 yards for the score giving the Belles the 40-0 lead.
After another three and out Roach would again take a Bunker punt back to the house this time from 55 yards out to give the Belles the 47-0 lead heading in the fourth. After the game Systma had high praise for Roach calling her the best player in the WFA. Roach would finish the game with 107 yards rushing on just 6 carries and 222 All Purpose yards.
Jaya Echevarria would capped the scoring on the final play of the game when she returned a Bunker’s punt 28 yards giving the Belles the 53-0 victory.
The Liberty Belles improved to 8-0 on the season and have momentum as in the last two games they’ve outscored their opponents 112-0. The Belles won’t be in action again till July 11 when they will host a first round playoff game with opponent TBA
