The 7th of October, the most awaited day of the season had finally arrived and the Saints Ladies could not be more excited. The Superfinals were set to take stage at the Ravelin Footballzentrum and for the third time in FLL history, the Ladies were set to play for the gold medal and title of National Champions, a feat yet to be achieved but very much desired. The Saints’ mental and emotional status leading up to the this final could only be describes as diverse. There were obviously the nervous, the excited, the extremely(!) hyped and finally, the ones in denial, lying to themselves that it was just another ordinary day in Simmering.
Under the still shining autumn sun, the stage was set, cameras ready, flags flying proudly and the fans were ready to witness a rematch of FLL titans, returning for the second year in a row: DeLaSalle Saints Ladies vs Vienna Constables Ladies. After the ceremonials, the teams introduction and the national anthem it was time to get down to business. Captains Saskia and Sophie represented the team in the coin toss, but as fate would have they had to take that L and hope it was the last of the day.
The Saints Offense, comprising of SafeHandsTM and CrispRoutesTM Receivers Jessica, Franny, Claudia, Anja and Steffi and BulletThrower QB Sassi took the field first in high spirits and confident strolls. First snap, first catch and the jitters seemed to have been gone, this final was indeed underway. Confidently, the unit marched down the field with short completions, crowned by an excellent first down catch by Claudia. The Saints were therefore in prime position to score first in the game and hit the ground running. That was unfortunately not the case, as the Cons defense heroically managed to defend two short-yardage situations in front of their endzone.
Defense was immediately called to attention after that, to defend the castle and not allow the enemy to get hold of the scoreboard and sneakily add 6 points to their tally. For a lot of the drive the goal was looking achievable, even though the Cons offense patiently marched down the field. However when it came down to a long 4th and goal the opponents succeeded to convert not only for the six points but for another thanks to the PAT.
Everything was going to plan for the Cons and nothing for the Saints it seemed like, but the offense took the field once again to do what they have done time and time again during the season. As if the spectators were watching a rewind of the first Saints offensive drive, this second one proved very similar. The ball was carried easily past the first down and beyond, securing a manageable 3rd and goal, but the big scary Endzone was not a friend of the Saints, yet again. Strong coverage and blitzing from the Cons side, secured them another no-score drive and this was looking like an uphill battle for the Saints Ladies.
With a gold medal on the line and with last year’s loss still fresh in their minds, the defense had no time to wallow in self-pity, so along they went facing the Constables experienced offense. Although they succeeded to keep the opponents on their toes, forcing a long drive, the safe hands of the opposing receivers were enough to add another 6 points to their score, taking it to 13:00. This game was unfortunately starting to resemble last year’s loss pretty accurately, since the Cons were scoring every one of their drives with the Saints not being able to retaliate.
Some saying goes on about the third time being a charm, and so it was for the Saints offense. QB Saskia connected with WR Jess on a long pass from the Saints’ own 10 yard line, and long legs did the rest. Saints Ladies were finally on the board, and after a flawless catch in the Endzone by Steffi on the PAT, the new score did not seem as desperate anymore: 13:7
With the end of the first half in sight, the Saints Defense had one goal in mind, stop this last drive and give their receivers a much needed breather to start the second half in a better position. Typical now of their offensive drives, the Cons took their time and a total of 7 downs to get in the red zone. Yet again, no defense seemed capable to stop them, as they scored another touchdown from a short yardage situation on the 4th down. Having been drilled with the notion that Extra Points are of extreme importance, the defense set to do their absolute best to at least end the half on a small high. No such was luck was to be had. At the end of the firs half the scoreboard showed 20:7 for the Vienna Constables.
Slightly demoralised, thinking of other final losses and what Gods they might have angered in their past lives, the Saints Ladies needed a stern talking to. And that is exactly what they got, as HC Tudor made it very clear in his half-time speech that there was still all to play for and if they opponents could win a half by 13 points, so could his beloved team.
With the feeling that they had nothing to lose anymore, Saints DBs Sophie, Saskia, Alba and Esther had no choice but to play relentlessly, risk some more and give the ball back to the offense. After a slow start and allowing a quick first down, the big girl pants came on and the Saints stopped their opponents for the first time in this game, with a bit of help WR (turned scary blitzer) Jessica sealed the drive with a QB Sack. It was not looking like mission impossible after all… But it was indeed, since the team could not capitalize on this stop. A wonderful deep catch from Jess was ruled out of bounds and the Cons had the ball again.
What seemed impossible in the first half, became routine in this one, as rookie Esther deflected a ball in the Endzone. She did that, between two opponent receivers and on 4th down, undeniably cementing the title of Saints Rookie of the Year (Author’s note: at least in my eyes). As most of the second half was gone, the offense felt indeed some pressure to score in this drive. After a patient start, where all 4 downs were used to get over the first down line, a crucial catch from Claudia secured the much needed breather. The Cons defense did not know what hit them as, QB Sassi went for a deep throw right from the first down and found there as always Jessica, who yet again gifted her team with 6 points. New score: 20:13
As the game was getting hotter with every passing second, defense knew that each drive and each snap of the ball was crucial. Again, with a little help from Jess, aka the Tower of Power, a 4th down sack of the QB gave the ball back to the Saints offense. It was now or never. The Saints struggled slightly as the Cons defense proved yet again why they topped the FLL table in the regular season. After a drive that consisted of exactly 8 snaps, QB Sassi took matters into her own hands in 4th down and goal. In need of exactly 11 yards to reach the Endzone she threw a dime in the back corner of the endzone, where only WR Jessica could reach. Euphoric, but still knowing the game was on the line, the offense lined up for the PAT. Wouldn’t you believe, small but mighty Franny catches the ball in the middle of the opposing Endzone. Saints tie the game 20:20. Everyone was now thinking about the comeback story. Was this final that was proving to not be for the faint of heart, achieve a Hollywood ending? One last drive had to be played before the credits rolled.
The players on the field, undoubtedly all felt the weight of the whole season on their shoulders, be it the Saints defense or the Cons offense. Narrowly missing a stop before the first down mark, the Saints defense found itself yet again in their own half. So this was it. A 4th and short in the Saints Redzone. Ball is snapped, receivers run their routes, ball is in the air, but Captain Sophie said not in my house! An excellent deflection in the endzone sends the final in Overtime. The Saints Ladies had woken and like seasoned infomercial presenters had shouted: “But wait, there’s more!”
Unlike the NFL, the Overtime rules here were simple: Each team gets 4 downs from the midline to score in the Endzone. As fate would have the Constables offense took this opportunity first. First pass is incomplete, second an incredible catch, third stopped short of the endzone, but the opponents manage to score on their last opportunity. Another do or die moment on the Extra Point, another deflection from Captain Sophie in the Endzone. Cons lead 26:20 with the Saints getting the ball one last time.
QB Saskia fires a quick ball on first down, Steffi catches easily. On the second down Jess runs a sneaky out and up in the endzone and what does she find there? The perfectly placed ball thrown by Sassi. The Saints have tied the game for the second time, but this time they have one more shot. With everything on the line, the Saints receivers line up, no time for nerves only focus in their eyes. Ball is snapped, QB Saskia Stribrny quickly scans the field, and with ice cold determination throws a bullet to none other than the legend herself, the unanimous MVP of the game, Jessica Macharia. Ball is confidently caught, Saints are the National Champions of Austria!
After a long and winding road of coming always so close, the Saints Ladies had finally done it. Gold was theirs, the curse was broken and the elation immeasurable. At the end of a gruelling season with unfortunate injuries, but a lot of work and dedication by every single player and Coaches Tudor and Lila, the team could finally write their name in Austrian Flag Football history.
Celebrations were definitely in order, as the continued success of the team was followed by individual ones as well. Two of the Saints Ladies made it to the 2023 All Star Team, the usual suspects: Saskia and Jessica Macharia. The latter, unsurprisingly was awarded as Offense MVP of the final game, adding another accolade to her enormous bling collection.
A rollercoaster of a season came to an end in the most beautiful of ways and the Saints Ladies are off to a well-deserved offseason break. Fret not, they will be back to rigorous training in the new season, shenanigans and all. There’s a title to defend after all!
On the most important Saturday to ever grace the DeLaSalle Saints calendar, both the ladies’ and the men’s teams took the field at Ravelinstrasse Football Zentrum to fight for their spot in the big FLL and FLA finals. As it is custom, the ladies did go first, playing their semi-final against a familiar, yet always challenging team, the Amstetten Thunder Ladies. Excitement filled the air, as the ladies were itching to get on the field, so much so, that everyone made it to warm-up earlier than required. There to support on the sidelines, were not only the Saints Men (who honestly had no excuse not to be present, as they were warming up for their own game), but also family and friends proudly flying the newly acquired Saints flags.
And just like that, it was semi-finals time. The ever hasty and chaotic lineup on the Saints sideline took place, Captains Saskia and Sophie shook hands with the opponent captains, the referee tossed that infamous coin and as fate would have it: Loss! However, the Thunder Ladies chose to start the first half with the ball, so actually a Win in Captain Sophie’s book (Author’s note: disagree).
Historically, playoff and final games have been defensive games for the Saints Ladies, so the defense unit took the field buzzing, but confident and fully prepared. The first Thunder drive proved short, as they were not allowed to make it past the first down line. Receiver turned defense cast regular, Alba had apparently forgotten her catching hands at home, as she only managed to bat the ball down on the opponent’s 4th down. Nevertheless, the team could let out a breath they did not know they were holding, as the offense had the ball in its own hands now. Unfortunately, the Saints could not turn this drive into points, as catches were also followed by drops.
On the other side of the ball, the Saints defense took care of business and although Thunder receivers were showing safe hands, they did not manage to reach the Endzone once again. Having got rid of the first day of school nerves, the offense started this game anew, as consistent catches from Claudia, Franny and Steffi, were crowned at the end of the drive with a beautiful TD from Jess. Saints were finally on the board.
For the next two defensive drives, the opponents did not manage any first downs, as DBs Esther, Saskia, Sophie, Alba and Carola only allowed short completions followed by immediate, lightning fast flag pulls. The Saints offense reciprocated in kind with safe hands all around, crisp routes and a Touchdown by the Tower of Power, Jessica Macharia.
On the closing drive of the half, the Thunder Ladies brought out their A game in offense, scoring their first points of the game, courtesy of an outstanding catch by their slot receiver, all that while being in double coverage.
Ending the first half one score in front of the opponents, did not yet mean job well done. There was still business to be taken care of, and luckily the Saints offense had checked their e-mails, because duties were fulfilled, dimes were thrown and caught, and a Touchdown was scored. Defense had studied the night before the exam too, stopping the Thunder Ladies at the first down mark, thanks to a deflection by Captain Spitzer.
If you know one thing about the Saints offense, is that once they get the ball rolling, there is no obstacle to bring a stop to it. QB Sassi and receiver Steffi had neither the time, nor the patience to keep the Saints fans on the edges of their seats, so they decided to connect on a spectacular 45-yard Touchdown from their own 5-yard line! After these Hall of Fame level stats, defense took the field again, after a very short break, courtesy of the two aforementioned rascals. The Thunder Ladies showed resilience, by completing relentlessly on their closing drive, topping it off with another faultless catch in the Endzone. Nonetheless, Father Time was on the Saints side, as they took the field one last time with the goal of getting a first down, and practically ending the game on their own terms. And just that they did! Saints win the semi-final with a score of 27:13.
The job was finally done, the ladies were free to celebrate and enjoy the fruits of their hard work. Congratulations are in order as well for the Amstetten Thunder Ladies, on an outstanding season and we wisht them good luck on their small final game for 3rd place.
The referee’s whistle sealed another grand final appearance for the Saints Ladies, a 3rd in 5 FLL seasons played! Still euphoric from this achievement, the ladies remained on the field to cheer on and support the Men’s Team on the sidelines. That nail-biting semi-final deserves its own game report, and it shall indeed get one, but for now this one spoiler: They made the FLA Final for the first time in history!
A most successful playoffs weekend came to an end, with the promise of the biggest day in club history yet to come, where both teams are going to play for the championship title. Saints Family, this is your chance to come support the teams and witness history!
15:00 FLL Final: DeLaSalle Saints Ladies vs Vienna Constables
16:30 FLA Final: DeLaSalle Saints Men vs Vienna Vipers
Another legendary FLL regular season came to an end this past weekend, on the 16th of September. After probably the most successful weekend of the club’s history the previous week, with 5 wins in 5 games across FLL and FLA, the Saints geared up once again to finish this season in a comfortable position for the upcoming playoffs. The weather had still not received the memo of it being mid-September, so yet again the ladies enjoyed a sunny gameday, this time with a tent to shelter their ever heating heads (Who said we don’t learn from our mistakes?). Armed with a carefully attained knowledge of their opponents and a slowly, but surely growing fan club, the Saints ladies were set to face the Domžale Tigers, the Vienna Constables and the Vienna Knights/Vipers.
Facing the Tigers has historically never been an easy task for the Saints ladies, since the former bring a much needed diversity to the FLL with their run-play heavy offensive system. This game saw the opponents start with the ball, trying to get first on the board. The Saints defense did a good job of covering the Tigers receivers on the open field, but because of the opposing QB’s impressive run skills, they marched down the field, ending their first drive in 6 points. The Saints offense responded with a quick a score of their own, in part thanks to a 25-yard catch by receiver Steffi Schönecker. As the first half went along, considerable improvement was seen on the defensive side of the ball, but unfortunately that could not be translated into the scoreboard.
The Tigers managed to score another three times in this half, utilizing their athleticism as best they could. Offense did their best to keep up, performing under pressure and finishing this first half only 6 points behind the Slovenians. Some may say it was luck, but those on the sidelines knew it was the coaching and the team’s ability to adapt to the opponents that turned the game in the Saints favor. Defense was able to implement all the lessons learned in the first half, not allowing the Tigers to score on their opening drives of the second half. Not being ones to let opportunities pass them by, the Saints receivers led by QB Saskia Stribrny embraced this chance to get in front of the Tigers by scoring another 20 points in this half. The opponents never gave up, by finishing strongly and scoring on their closing drive of the game. First game, first win for the Saints: 40:34.
On went the Saints to their next match, the most important of the day, against the leaders of the FLL, the Vienna Constables. Both teams had comfortably secured a place in the playoffs, so this game only served to decide the opponents of the post-season stage. The Saints captains, also known as the SaskiasTM, won the coin toss for the team, so the defense was the first to be sacrificed to the Gods of Flag. This turned out to be a well-thought-out sacrifice, as the Cons offense did not manage to get the first down on this opening drive, turning the ball over to the Saints. The offense could not take advantage of this particular chance, but they were so ashamed of that, they made sure to capitalize on every other opportunity of the first half. QB Sassi led the team patiently on the field, taking the time to spread the ball around to her receiver army.
On the other side of the ball, defense made their opponents work for every caught ball, forcing long drives but still conceding 12 points during this half. The halftime break saw the Saints in a 8 point lead over the Constables, with a real chance of finishing the regular season at the top of the standings themselves. The second half showed why the opponents are one of the best Austrian teams, as they persevered by showing determination and outscoring the Saints by 9 points. Just like on the first meeting of the season, the determining factor turned out to be the PATs, where the Cons never made a mistake. Saints narrowly lose this game 32:33.
The ultimate game was set to be played at 16:15, the last time slot of the day and to say the Saints were overly motivated for this one would be a blatant lie. Alas, the job had yet to be done against the young but very talented Viennese team Knights/Vipers. They proved very quickly in their opening drive that no teams are to be underestimated in the FLL, speaking to the steady growth of the game in the past few years. The Knights offense took our rather new defensive unit by surprise, thanks to well-constructed plays that ensured continuous scoring. As a result, despite the Saints offense not missing a beat, the Knights’ team ended the first half only 6 points behind.
This game was starting to seem like the very identical twin of the teams’ first offensive showdown, earlier in the season. Both defenses continued to struggle in the second half, with the Saints only stopping a few drives, helped in part by a pick from the team’s personal pick machine, Saskia Macharia. Approaching the end of the game the defense, plagued by many injuries during this season, took another unfortunate blow, as star Blitzer Helena Bachler got injured in the line of duty. A somehow sloppy win for the Saints to end the regular season: 53:35.
With these two wins and one loss, the ladies end up on the third place of the table, set to face the second-placed Amstetten Thunder in the semi-finals. Now that the duty is done and the first goal of getting into the playoffs reached, the Saints will go back to training, the drawing room and to film study to prepare for the hottest phase of the year.
Next Gameday, 30th of September at Ravelinstraße Footballzentrum Wien: 11:15 Semi-final vs Thunder
Die folgenden Fotos wurden uns von Fabian zur Verfügung gestellt.
Die folgenden Fotos wurden uns von Hanna zur Verfügung gestellt.
The summer break may be over for the Saints Ladies, but the summertime weather followed them like a lost puppy on this 4th week of the FLL regular season in Schwechat. The calendars said it was the 10th of September, but as if the tan some of the Saints had acquired during the rather long summer vacations wasn’t enough, they had the pleasure of taking the field three times under the scorching sun to meet with the Thunder, Adler and Vikings. Coming to this gameday as the 4th ranked team and with the big bad playoffs within reaching distance, the pressure was on in order to secure a spot on the finals of the FLL.
Due to previous injuries during the season, the defense had notable absences with veteran defensive backs Sophie Spitzer and Eva Krancan having sacrificed a knee each for the love of the game. Under these dire circumstances, receiver Alba Gumbardhi was forced to leave her beloved offense behind and help out where needed most.
Set to face the Saints first were the Amstetten Thunder, who at that point occupied the second place in the rankings. Captains Saskia and Saskia won the coin toss for the team, but the first 7 points of the day went to the Thunder after a slow start from both teams. They went on to score twice more in the first half, managing to convert all three extra points as well. The Saints offense replied in kind with Steffi Schönecker and Jessica Macharia scoring 12 points, but because the opponent’s defense was able to hold on both PATs, the team went in the halftime in a two score deficit to the Lower Austrians.
With the beginning of the second half, the Saints receivers found their groove, converting drive after drive, with the remaining receivers Claudia Freiberger and Anja Pewny getting on the board as well. Defense was not far behind holding all but one of the Amstetten attempts to reach their Endzone. The Saints manage to claw their way out of this one and take the second win against the Amstetten Thunder Ladies with a score of 32:28.
Rest is for the weak, so along marched the Saints Ladies to the next game of the day against the Tirol Adler. Earlier in the season the Saints managed to win the first matchup against the Eagles from the far away land, but not without trouble. Defense started the game solidly, managing to stop every drive of the first half, helped by an early interception from Captain Saskia Macharia. Not wasting any opportunities, the offense, led by QB Saskia Stribrny converted that turnover into points and with that every other drive of the first half. The usual suspects Jessica and Steffi scored 13 points each on this half, with Liz Bringas also getting her first 6 points of the day.
After the small halftime break the offense started with the ball, scoring another 7 points and putting the Saints in a very comfortable position. Because of this lead provided by the ever scoring offense, the Saints defense had the luxury of playing more gutsy, culminating in a QB sack by Eszter and a pick from Alba. Towards the end of the game, the Saints took their foot off the gas, allowing a last drive TD from the opponents on an impressive breakaway run from their own half. Nevertheless, a job well done by the team ending the game in a 46:6 win.
Since winning requires a lot of energy, a lunch break was well earned by the team before their third and last game of the day versus the Vienna Vikings. A slow start was in the stars for both teams in this match, with none of the first three opening offensive drives being successful. QB Saskia and her band of receivers took matters into their own hands after this, never to be stopped again in the first half scoring a total of 21 points by receivers Jess, Claudia and Anja. Defense did a great job of stopping the Vikings offense, especially their tricky flat crosses and dangerous runs.
The unsung heroes of this defense, full-time cornerbacks and part-time blitzers (also known as Esther, Helena, Eszter and our guest player from Finland, Carola Lindholm) made the Viking’s offensive feat of getting yards after catch impossible in their short zones. This pattern followed the teams well into the second half, with the Saints offense scoring two more touchdowns, and their defense only allowing one opposing score in the closing drive of the game. Thanks to her football IQ and speedy legs, defense captain Saskia Macharia had more opportunities to catch a ball than most receivers get in a lifetime, but could sadly not make her interception dreams come true. Nonetheless, another game, another win (34:14) for the Saints Ladies making it three for three on the day.
With a record of 7-2, the team now sees itself in a much comfortable second position in the rankings, also securing a definite place for the FLL playoffs on the 30th of September. Returning next weekend, the Saints seek to end this regular season on a high, playing against the FLL leaders Constables as well as the Tigers and Knights/Vipers at the Football Center Ravelinstraße in Vienna.
Next Gameday, 16th of September:
12:30 vs Tigers
13:45 @ Constables
16:15 @ Knights/Vipers
Die folgenden Fotos wurden uns von Andreas zur Verfügung gestellt.
Die folgenden Fotos wurden uns von Fabian zur Verfügung gestellt.