LEGACY ONE AWAY FROM REPEAT

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By Robert Balajadia

Legacy’s Gianna Sarusal finds room to run that would lead to a touchdown. (photo by Asha Robles)

Going undefeated in the regular season did not guarantee Team Legacy a spot in the Guam Women’s Tackle Football League championship game, but their resilience against the Steel Blazers did.

Legacy used a defensive surge in the second half to score 14 unanswered points to beat the Steal Blazers 28-21 in the GWTFL semifinals on Saturday.  The win gives Legacy a chance to defend their title against the Island Stunnerz who defeated Team Sindalu 46-27 in the other semifinals game.

The top two teams from last year will play each other again, but don’t call it a rematch.

“We have a whole new team.  We have a lot of heart and have shown it all season.  Next weekend, We’ll see who wants it more.  We do all our talking on the field,” stated Legacy running back Gia “the cheetah” Sarusal.

Trailing 21-14 at the half Team Legacy got a big 78-yard touchdown run from Sarusal, the longest play of the game, to bring Legacy within one 21-20.  Moments later, fellow running back Olivia Flores broke a 27-yard run for her second touchdown of the game to give Legacy the definitive 28-21 lead.

The fourth quarter was all defense.

Legacy linebacker Kineshia Flores stated that “Our defense just had to stay focused and not let them get into our heads.  I told them to keep calm and just play the game.  If we get it correct then we win the game, we just had to hold them down.  Defense wins championships.”

Legacy flipped the switch on the Steel Blazers by completely shutting them down in the second half.

Defense was the motto for Team Legacy in the second half, bringing down explosive players like Steel Blazers receiver Liz Smith. (photo by Asha Robles)

Team Legacy was all about the big play, scoring three of their four touchdowns over 55+ yards.  Olivia Flores put up the teams first points on a 57-yard punt return in the first quarter and Sarusal punched in the teams second on a 67-yard run.  Flores and Sarusal followed up their first half performance with a touchdown a piece in the second half which won them the game.

Mae Ann Pajaro scored the first touchdown for the Steel Blazers while quarterback TJ Rodrigues and dual threat Andrina Taimanglo added the second and third in the first half.

The running game paced Legacy against the Blazers and they can expect to see a heavy dose of running from the trio of running backs from the Stunnerz next weekend.

Defensive leader Kineshia Flores is more than read for the Island Stunnerz running core simply saying “We just have to play the game.  We always play with the quote ‘we do our talking on the field ‘ so just come and see what happens.”

You can see Team Legacy and the Stunnerz duke it out at Eagles Field at the championship game next Saturday at 10:30 a.m.

PHOTO GALLERY BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

Gia ‘The Cheetah’ gets by the Steel Blazers defense to score. (photo by Asha Robles)

Steel Blazers quarterback TJ Rodriquez drops back to pass. (photo by Asha Robles)

Joey Pereira gets swarmed by the Legacy defense. (photo by Asha Robles)

Mae Ann Pajaro finds the end zone for the Steel Blazers. (photo by Asha Robles)

Legacy’s Olivia Flores breaks out of the Steel Blazers defense. (photo by Asha Robles)

Legacy quarterback Morgan Reyes winds up for a pass attempt. (photoy by Asha Robles)

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