All Sports News:FOOTBALL: Riptide fall to Dixie Blues, lose playoff berth
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By BARRY SCHUCK
News Journal correspondent
JACKSONVILLE — The Pensacola-Gulf Coast Riptide ended a successful season in the Women’s Football Alliance on Saturday.
The team’s only lament was missing out on a playoff spot.
Needing a road win Saturday night, the Riptide couldn’t contain tailback Issie Lay, who scored four touchdowns to power the Jacksonville Dixie Blues to a 37-14 defeat in a game deciding the WFA’s Southeast division championship.
The Riptide (6-2-0) won only two games last season as the Pensacola Power. This year, both of the team’s losses were against Jacksonville (8-0).
In Saturday’s game, the Riptide hurt themselves with four turnovers, missed tackles, busted plays and numerous dropped passes.
“(Jacksonville) can put up points, and the way to beat them is to stay with them on the scoreboard,” said Riptide head coach Mike Thomas. “But football is about execution and preparation — and how you practice. And against a good team, you cannot win with turnovers.”
But Thomas saw enough from his team this season to be encouraged about the future.
“We are physical on defense and have one of the best running backs in the league,” Thomas said. “This is something to build on for next year because we had a great season.”
The game showcased two of the top-rated quarterbacks in the league: Ella Williams of Pensacola and Brantley Mack of the Dixie Blues. Each passer proved her worth and produced several big plays.
But Jacksonville’s Lay was the star of the game.
She opened the scoring on the first play from scrimmage with a 51-yard scamper for the Dixie Blues (8-0-0) and a quick 7-0 lead. She then started the second half with a 76-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
The Riptide kept the game competitive, however, the entire first half.
Following the Dixie Blues’ first touchdown, Williams capped off a 10-play drive to score on a 6-yard run behind a block by Dee Dee Knight. Williams then ran for the two-point conversion to take an 8-7 lead.
“That was the first time all season we were behind in a game,” said Jacksonville head coach Donnie Braddock. “(Pensacola) just pounded it out down the field with their physical style.”
Riptide running back Lakeisha Johnson, ranked fourth in the WFA, finished the game with 164 yards on 42 carries and 1,187 yards for the season.
