Northern Ice Wins National Title

The Northern Ice win the WPFL title November 8,2003 against the Florida Stingrays, in Kenosha WI. Brenda VanCruick and Cindy Herr both take home honors for the game. The Northern Ice went 12-0 for the season.

KENOSHA, Wis. (PRWEB) November 11, 2003 -- The Northern Ice dominated the Florida Stingrays on a frosty Saturday evening to win its first Women's Professional Football League championship 53-12 and end its season a perfect 12-0.

            Running backs Cindy Herr and Brenda VanCuick combined for 302 yards rushing and six touchdowns behind an offensive line that moved up and down the field at will. VanCuick, a two-way player, also picked off three passes, returning one 58 yards for a touchdown.

            The Stingrays were unable to stop the Northern ground game as the Ice piled up 420 yards rushing and just a single yard passing.

            They ran what they ran very well. We knew what was coming we just couldn't stop it," said Florida linebacker Carol Clein.

            Herr, who ran for 165 yards on 18 carries, was named the offensive player of the game. Our offensive line was great on every play. You run play and when the blocks are there, its so easy for us in the backfield," Herr said.

             VanCuick, who rushed for 137 yards on 14 carries on offense, was named the defensive player of the game after she and Herr, who also played both ways, shut down the Stingrays speedy receivers.

            We switched up our defense specifically for this game. We went man to man on their two ends with two safeties deep," Herr said.

Added VanCuick, "Our assignment was to hit them and ride them five yards and make their lives miserable."

            Florida quarterback Anita Marks said that the aggressive Ice defense kept her receivers off-stride all night. Marks finished the game 10 for 25, passing for 113 yards, but threw four interceptions. The Stingrays rushed for just 74 yards.

            We cheated ourselves and we cheated the Ice because the way we played tonight isn't half of what we are," Marks said. I don't know if it was the weather or our first time at the big dance or maybe it was just that the Ice is an excellent ball club. My hat is off to them, but we just couldn't get it together."

            The Ice took the opening kick off and drove 62 yards in nine plays, with Herr scoring on a 13 yard run. The point-after kick by Laurie Ansorge to make it 7-0 Northern.

            Florida's first possession was disastrous. The Stingrays had the ball barely 60 seconds before Marks tried to go deep on third and eight, only to watch VanCuick step up and pick off the pass intended for receiver Trigger McNair.

            The Stingrays offense never seemed to warm up in the near freezing Wisconsin night, with temperatures near freezing. But Marks said the weather wasn't as much of a factor as the Ice pass rush. They were bringing six people every time and sometimes they brought everything but the kitchen sink," Marks said of the Northern rush.

            Ice Coach Norm Killion said his game plan was to blitz at least one player every single down and sometimes more."

            The Florida defense was nearly as stout in the first half, keeping the Ice out of the end zone for a second score until 7:19 to go before half-time, when Herr charged up the middle on fourth and goal from the three. The kick by Ansorge put the Ice up 14-0.

            And the Stingrays offense came out with promise to start the second half.

            Beginning at its own 40, the Stingrays showed the Ice a glimpse of smash-mouth themselves, running at Northern with determination and moving down the field. Florida scored its first touchdown on a 24 yard pass from Marks to running back Lori Bembenaste on a skinny post just three minutes into the second half.

            A failed two-point conversion put the score at 14-6, but it looked like the Stingrays might make a game out of it.

            The scoring strike only stirred the Ice.

            A fired-up Northern offense answered with three rushing touchdowns, two by Van Cuick and one by Herr over the next 11 minutes to put the game out of reach.

            Even so, the Stingrays didn't fold.

            Florida kick returner Tammy Terrell ran back a punt 75 yards for a score with 10:59 left to play. A missed two-point conversion attempt left the score 35-12.

            Van Cuick added a 49 yard touchdown from scrimmage and the 58 yard interception return for a score. Ansorge missed both kicks, but the Ice led 47-12.

            With the second string mopping up, running back Angelica Villalobos added the final score for the Ice with 13 seconds left on the clock. Ansorge missed the kick to leave the score 53-12.

            The Ice finished the season without a loss to claim its first WPFL championship. While the Ice was new to the league, about 80% of the players were on the roster of the 11-1 Wisconsin Riveters team that lost the 2002 championship to the Houston Energy.

            The Riveters team owner moved to a spring league this year but the core of the team formed the Northern Ice and stayed in the WPFL.

                                                        Thank You,
                                                Jacque Tiegs
                                                         Northern Ice Media Director

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