Defending champion Martel continues win streak

By Ryan Glassman     10/8/09 7:00pm

Sometimes even the grittiest women must deal with the elements. Of the six scheduled powderpuff games last weekend, Sunday's heavy rain washed out four. But even with a shortage of games, there was still plenty of powderpuff played. Martel College, the defending league champions, entered the weekend at 2-0 coming off a layoff of nearly three weeks. Cast in the spotlight of our Game of the Week, Martel (4-0) faced Will Rice College-McMurtry College as they looked to cement themselves as the favorites to defend their title.

Game of the Week: Martel 12, Will Rice-McMurtry 0

Although Martel's focus level was high, its task was not an easy one. McWill (1-2) may have been coming off a loss at the hands of Jones College (4-0), but the squad featured a potent offensive attack, led by junior quarterback Jessi Scully and junior running back Alex Espinoza.

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After a three-and-out by Martel on the first drive of the game, the McWill offense took over in its first attempt at a score. Faced with a key fourth-and-one, Scully (9/12, 77 yards) scrambled to the right and picked up the first down. But after moving the ball into Martel territory, the drive stalled and McWill was forced to punt.

Pinned inside their own 20-yard line, Martel went to the running game and put the ball in the hands of freshman running back Erin O'Brien (9 carries, 36 yards). O'Brien took the first three carries for a first down, but the drive ended when Martel senior quarterback Aubrey Sansing (7/13, 151 total yards, rush TD) had a pass attempt intercepted.

McWill took over at Martel's 37, but the Martel defense was again dominant while defending the short field. Following a sack on a third and long, McWill again punted, this time placing Martel down at their own 13. Stuck deep in their own territory, Martel opted to run the ball to gain some breathing room. On the second-and-10, Sansing took the snap under center, dropped a step and scrambled directly up the middle, eluding a pair of tacklers en route to an 87-yard touchdown run.

"The running game got off to a slow start, but we were able to find holes in the defense," Martel Head Coach Wally Kelm said.

With the running game back on track, Martel took a 6-0 lead into the half.

McWill opened the second half with a three-and-out but again left Martel inside their own 15 with a remarkable 62-yard punt.

Taking over on offense, Kelm moved senior Lauren McCauley from receiver to running back and gave her free reign to take over. After running for long first downs on each of her first two carries, McCauley (12 touches, 143 yards, TD) took a hand-off straight up the middle for a 50-yard touchdown, leaving a number of McWill defenders in her dust. Martel now had a 12-0 lead with under three minutes in the third quarter.

Back on offense, Scully and Espinoza (12 touches, 67 yards) led McWill back into Martel territory. Following a trick play in which Espinoza took the snap under center and tossed it to Scully, who then scrambled and threw it downfield to Espinoza, McWill was at Martel's 20 with over 10 minutes left in the game. But following a pair of short gains on the ground, Martel sophomore Jaclyn Youngblood intercepted Scully.

Once again starting deep in their own territory, Martel gave the ball to McCauley on a drive that lasted almost seven minutes and covered 55 yards. McCauley touched the ball eight times on the drive, gaining 52 total yards and helping to ice the win for Martel. By the time McWill got the ball back after a turnover on downs, they trailed by two scores and were at their own 25 with just 1:33 left in the game.

Facing a stout Martel defense, the task at hand was simply too much for McWill to overcome. Scully gained a pair of first downs through the air, but McWill could not convert on a fourth-and-13 to end the game.

Still undefeated, Martel looks forward to a match-up with Baker College-Duncan College (2-2) as the next step in their campaign to repeat as champions.

When asked about how the team will approach the rest of its season, Kelm said his team still believes in their chances to repeat.

"We definitely look to take things one game at a time," Kelm said. "But with that said, we can't help but look to the future and remember how much fun it was last year."

For Martel this weekend, the statement was simple: They are a team as determined as ever to repeat their championship, no matter who stands in their way.

Martel 20, Hanszen 7

Two days after trouncing McWill, Martel had its way with the still-winless Hanszen College squad. Martel scored on its first possession and held the Hanszen (0-4) offense in check for the first half. But following the early score, Hanszen's defense, led by senior captain Jaime Wirth (one interception) stepped up and held Martel to just six points through the first three quarters.

Trailing 6-0 midway through the fourth quarter, Hanszen senior quarterback Alyssa Cotterman hit freshman wide receiver Kari Van Grinsven on a streak pattern for a 50-yard touchdown pass, the first points Martel's defense had allowed all season. The conversion was successful and Hanszen had a 7-6 lead with two minutes remaining.

On the ensuing possession, however, a penalty put Martel in strong field position, and senior quarterback Aubrey Sansing found senior Lauren McCauley on a long touchdown pass. With the 13-7 lead, McCauley intercepted a Hanszen pass attempt and returned it for a touchdown, sealing the win for Martel in thrilling fashion.

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