By Kevin J. Stone/@kstone06
REVERE – One local professional football dynasty may be crumbling but another seems to be just getting started.
In front of a huge crowd at Harry Della Russo Stadium in Revere on Saturday night, the Renegades got a ridiculous eight touchdown performance from quarterback Allison Cahill – including three in the first quarter – en route to a 63-3 blowout in the Women’s Football Alliance Division 1 National Conference Championship game.
Boston (6-0) is looking to three-peat as WFA Division 1 National champions when they play the American Conference Champion Minnesota Vixen in the title game at the Pro Football Hall of Fame on July 24th. The Renegades will be making their fourth straight appearance in the championship game after losing in 2017.
The WFA was started in 2009 and is currently the largest 11-on-11 pro league for women with 63 teams competing this season. Luckily for local supporters – and there were a lot of them on hand Saturday night – it appears that Boston may just be the best team in the country.
This one was only close for a few minutes in the first quarter. Fans were still buying pregame beers when the Renegades received the opening kickoff and only needed six plays before Cahill hit Chante Bonds for a 21-yard touchdown. Vanessa Aukshunas added her first of several extra points on the night for the 7-0 lead less than two minutes in. The militia men in the end zone were busy all night and woke the crowd up with their first of many musket firings as well.
Tampa picked off Cahill and returned it to the 32 after having to punt, but settled for a 24-yard field goal to cut it to 7-3. Cahill found Adrienne Smith for a 20-yard touchdown with 5:49 to go in the first and soon after a fumble recovery for Briannah Gallo, Cahill threw a 62-yard bomb to Emily Beinecke for a 21-3 lead heading to the second.
Bonds punched in a 3-yard touchdown run eight seconds into the second quarter and with 6:28 to go Cahill had her fourth touchdown of the game, a 23-yarder to Smith to make it 35-3. Cahill still wasn’t done, finding Beinecke again from nine yards out in the final minute, giving the Renegades a 42-3 halftime lead.
Two more Cahill touchdown passes to Stephanie Pascual (9 yards) and Ruth Matta (35-yard screen) made it 56-3 after three quarters as the Boston defense allowed little to no movement downfield at any point in the night.
Cahill capped the scoring with 13:42 to go on a 20-yard pass to Lauren Yung. With the clock running for the final 15 minutes, the game was delayed about 25 minutes with 1:16 to go when a Tampa player was injured and an ambulance was needed. Despite facing fourth down once the game finally resumed, the Renegades took a knee and the teams let the final seconds tick away.
There was no huge celebration despite a quick water jug shower for coaches. There was a been there, done that mentality to the entire Renegade program even as they took the field on Saturday night and it showed even after such a dominant win and the realization they’d be heading to Ohio.
If we’re all being honest, it was probably the only win a professional football team from New England will have over Tampa Bay this season too.
Seriously though, teams with that championship mindset are always looking towards the next one and the next one for the Boston Renegades could be historic.