After picking up a crucial win two weekends ago, the St. Louis SLAM women’s tackle football franchise returns to the gridiron this Saturday to claim its second straight win and maintain traction in the hierarchy of the Women’s Football Alliance (WFA).
Photo Credit: Mick Lite Photography
The SLAM (2-2) travels to the Bluegrass State to face the Derby City Dynamite (1-4) this Saturday in Elizabethtown, Kentucky.
With its 35-18 win over the Indy Crash (3-2) on April 30, St. Louis surged in the WFA’s calculated rankings, which is based on a mathematical methodology that takes into consideration on-field results combined with strength of schedule. This week, the SLAM currently sits in the number two slot of the 18-team WFA Tier II Division and currently possesses an opportunity for a potential post-season berth.
Pushing all algorithms aside for a moment, and simply going back to the alphabet, the SLAM’s “W” over then-higher-ranked Indianapolis was a momentum shift by the team at this pivotal stage of the regular season.
Photo Credit: Mick Lite Photography
“It was a very important win,” said SLAM defensive specialist Jelani Kelly of the 17-point triumph two weekends ago. “We were able to pick up some momentum and prove to ourselves that all of the hard work that we have been putting in is not going to waste. It also put us in a little better position to potentially go to the playoffs.”
A fully-chartered, and fully rested, SLAM roster will take the Kentuckian trip this weekend. Quarterback Jamie Gaal has 13 touchdown strikes on the season while receivers Kaylee Kneutzling and Keyonna Smith have snared multiple grabs. Rushing will be paced by veterans Taylor Hay and Raven Williams.
The key to Saturday’s tussle will be the SLAM’s solid defense, paced by Kelly, Williams, Smith, Brooklyn Bastain, Tiffany Pugh, Chelsey Clay and Danielle Brock, who stubbornly held Indy to a lone second-half touchdown two weekends ago.
Photo Credit: Mick Lite Photography
“I attribute it to hard work and working as a unit,” said Kelly of her defensive unit’s performance in its last game. “The second half of the game is when players begin getting tired, maybe taking a play off here and there, but we were able to hold each other accountable. We encouraged each other and celebrated big plays. We stuck with our assignments and worked as a group. It paid off and we were able to hold Indy.”
The SLAM faced Derby City, currently ranked #16 in the WFA Tier II, at its April season opener and recorded a 71-0 thumping. To its credit, the Dynamite (1-4) has performed well against comparable opponents, highlighted by a 14-0 win over Huntsville in mid-April.
Even with the SLAM’s earlier romp, Kelly feels that her squad won’t take the Dynamite lightly in Saturday’s re-match.
Photo Credit: Mick Lite Photography
“The mindset is that this is a business trip,” she said. “Yes, we are going to play a game, but we have goals to meet. When it is time to play Derby City, we will face them like any other team. This weekend, both teams are starting off with a score of zero and at the end of the game, the team with the most points wins. We will bring our ‘A’ game, just as we expect Derby City to do.”
After Saturday’s game, St. Louis plays its final contest of the regular season at home May 28 against the Kansas City Titans at Lindenwood University in St. Charles. For more info on the SLAM, go to stlslam.com.
Arch City Sports will have a recap of this game posted on Sunday.
