Two years ago, the Kansas City Tribe traveled to Dallas for their first game in the Independent Women's Football League. And they got absolutely destroyed.
That day in April 2008, the Tribe was trounced by the Diamonds, falling 58-0 to the team that ultimately won the IWFL title that year. But the ladies from Kansas City got real good real fast. In their second year in the league, the Tribe took the national title last year, inspiring a caravan of 150 fans to watch them take down the Washington, D.C., Divas.
Saturday marked the team's first home game of the 2010 season. Hundreds of fans came out to Center High School for a showdown between the 2008 and 2009 champions and witnessed the Tribe down the Diamonds, 28-21. Click here for a slideshow.
When they took the field on Saturday night, the Tribe already had one in the win column. Last week, they took a trip up to Des Moines and schooled the Iowa Crush, 77-0. Fans packing the stands knew the Diamonds wouldn't be such a push-over.
They weren't.
The Tribe was the first on the scoreboard, but couldn't contain Dallas' dominant running game and went into the half down 14-7. A touchdown in the middle of the third quarter nearly evened the score, but, instead of the going for a field goal, the Tribe fell short on a two-point conversion. Start of the fourth quarter: Dallas 14, KC 13.
The Tribe fans, some decked out in face paint, tried to amp up the home field advantage, screaming and cheering from the front of the bleachers. Tribe quarterback, Jenny Schmidt, didn't disappoint. With 10 minutes on the clock, facing third down and 11, she threw a perfect pass for a 61-yard touchdown. Tribe fans went crazy.
But the 20-13 lead was short-lived. Dallas marched down the field, plowing through the Tribe's defense before running it into the end zone. With just under five minutes to go, Dallas held a 20-21 edge.
The tension built to a near-frenzy. "O-ffense," the Tribe crew chanted. "De-fense," the Diamonds fans countered. Though their passing game kept them in the contest, it was a short run from Larisha Graves that sealed the deal. The runing back drove two yards through traffic for the touchdown that put the Tribe over the top.
Final score: 28-21.
Now, the 2009 champs have two weeks to get ready for the Wisconsin Wolves on April 24.
Nut up, bitches.
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