Finally Week 1 is here and all the hard work put in over the off-season and pre-season will come to light!
Several teams make their WFA debut this week. Grand Rapids, Wis., welcomes back women’s football with the debut of the Tidal Waves. Their previous team — the Grand Rapids Carpenters — won the National Women’s Football Association (NWFA) championship in 1985. Also making their WFA debuts are: the Columbus (Ind.) Vanguards, Mississippi Royalty, Knoxville Lightning, Colorado Freeze, Wisconsin Dragons, Roswell Destroyers, San Diego Rebellion, and Capital City Rage (Sacramento).
Capital City Rage (D2) @ San Diego Rebellion (D2)
The cities of Sacramento and San Diego have rich legacies in women’s football as well as championship pedigree. Sacramento has three national titles with the Sirens, while San Diego has one WFA title with the Surge. This week, two new teams square off in representation of these two great football towns. Both competing in Division 2, the Capital City Rage and the San Diego Rebellion each look to emerge as a top contender in the American Conference. I am picking the Rebellion as the slight favorite.
One game has already been played, and if it is any indication, this will be an exciting season that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.
Tampa Bay Inferno (D2) @ Atlanta Phoenix (D1)
This game will go down as a classic in a long line of close, hard-fought games between these two perennial foes. The defensive squads for both teams shined in this one, stifling the other team’s prolific offenses all night. An inauspicious overreach by the officiating crew (who penalized Tampa for a lineman downfield although the pass was behind the line of scrimmage) effectively ended game, stopping an Inferno drive in the red zone in the final seconds. The call turned the ball over to Atlanta who took a knee to seal their victory 7-6.
Here are my picks for the remaining games of WFA Week 1. My picks are underlined.
Boston Renegades (D1) @ Philly Phantomz (D2)
New York Sharks (D2) @ Baltimore Nighthawks (D2)
Richmond Black Widows (D3) @ Maine Mayhem (D3)
Keystone Assault (D3) @ Connecticut Hawks (D3)
Pittsburgh Passion (D1) @ Cleveland Fusion (D2)
Columbus Comets (D2) @ Detroit Dark Angels (D2)
Toledo Reign (D3) @ Grand Rapids Tidal Waves (D3)
Flint City Riveters (D3) @ Columbus Vanguards (D3)
Carolina Phoenix (D2) @ Jacksonville Dixie Blues (D2)
Music City Mizfits (D3) @ Cincinnati Sizzle (D3)
Knoxville Lightning (D3) @ South Carolina Smash (D3)
Mississippi Royalty (D3) @ Huntsville Tigers (D3)
Alabama Fire (D3) @ Derby City Dynamite (D3)
Daytona Waverunners (D3) @ Orlando Anarchy (D3)
Wisconsin Dragons (D2) @ Kansas City Titans (D1)
Minnesota Vixen (D2) @ Madison Blaze (D2)
Acadiana Zydeco (D3) @ Arkansas Wildcats (D3)
Houston Power (D3) @ Arlington Impact (D1)
Dallas Elite (D1) @ Austin Outlaws (D3)
Tacoma Trauma (D2) @ Portland Fighting Shockwave (D1)
S. Oregon Lady Renegades (D3) @ Everett Reign (D2)
Utah Blitz (D3) @ Utah Wildkats (D3)
Mile High Blaze (D2) @ Roswell Destroyers (D3)
Colorado Freeze (D3) @ La Muerte Las Cruces (D3)
Santa Fe Dukes (D3) @ Rocky Mountain Thunderkatz (D3)
Capital City Rage (D2) @ San Diego Rebellion (D2)
Ventura Wolf Pack (D3) @ Sin City Trojans (D2)
Kern County Crusaders (D3) @ Inland Empire Ravens (D3)
