Canada and the United States are headed to the women’s championship game at the IFAF World Flag Football Championships after taking very different paths through Saturday’s knockout rounds in Düsseldorf. Canada stunned world No. 1 Mexico 20-6 in one semifinal, while the United States erased an early 14-point deficit to defeat Great Britain 27-21 in the other, setting up a championship showdown between the two North American rivals.
Canada knocked off Mexico
Canada pulled off what might be called the upset of the women’s flag championship today, defeating reigning number one ranked Mexico, 20-6. That might be an upset, but one should remember that Canada beat Mexico in the Americas Continental Championship last year in Panama. Mexico did return the favor in the same tournament, but Team Mexico’s victory came in a weather shortened championship game. When asked about whether today’s game was “redemption” for last year’s loss, Catherine Gaumont told reporters that “I’m not seeing it like that. I don’t think its redemption. I think more that what happened in Panama, happened in Panama. We were like, okay that’s done, now focus on today.”
Canada got on the board first when quarterback Sara Parker found receiver Caroline Moquin-Joubert for the first score. Gaumont, who is listed simply as Athlete on the Canadian roster, then picked off Mexican quarterback Diana Flores, which resulted in the second scoring connection between Parker and Moquin-Joubert. Moquin-Joubert conversion catch from Parker ended the scoring for the first half, and Canada led 13-0.
Canada finishes the job
Team Canada kept its foot on the gas in the second half, and Parker threw for a third touchdown to Alexane Fournier, and added a conversion to Marianne Quirion to increase their lead to 20-0. It wasn’t until there was only 3:41 left in the game that Mexico finally broke into the end zone. Diana Flores finally found Silvia Contreras for Team Mexico’s fist, and only score of the game. The Canadian offense took over and Parker controlled the ball for the rest of the game.
United States came from behind to beat Great Britain
Team USA was seemingly doing the same thing. Britain built a 14-0 lead on a touchdown pass to Grace Conway from receiver Emily Kemp, and then Team Great Britain’s normal quarterback Brittany Botterill completed another touchdown pass to Angelica Tait. Conway caught both conversion attempts.
Great Britain’s rusher put enough pressure throw off USA quarterback Akemi Higa’s rhythm, but finally Higa had enough time to Maci Joncich to cut Great Britain’s lead to 14-6. Great Britain scored again though, when Botterill hit Kemp for both the touchdown, and the conversion. Then it was Team USA’s turn. Higa connected with Isabella Geraci for six points, and then Madison Fulford for the conversion. The score at half was still in favor of Team Great Britain, 21-14.
Geraci delivers on both sides
The second half was a different beast though. Higa hit Geraci for another score, but the conversion failed, so Great Britain held on to a one-point lead, 21-20. But after Geraci, now playing defensive back, intercepted Botterill with 1:28 left, Team USA began their final scoring drive of the game. With 19 seconds left, Higa found Joncich for her second touchdown. Team USA had the 27-21 lead, and the defense did the rest. Geraci got her second interception, this time against backup Jessica Allen, with 3 seconds left, to preserve their win.
Other placement games
In games to determine who will play for fifth place, Germany defeated Panama 33-14, and Austria overcame Spain 42-32. In the lower placement games, China defeated Australia 46-8, Japan beat Italy 41-24, and France handed Slovenia another defeat 34-26.
The Rocky Road to the Semifinals
Mexico defeated Spain by a single point
Top ranked Team Mexico scored in the closing seconds to secure their 27-26 comeback victory over Spain. Team Spain jumped out to a 12-0 lead on passes from quarterback Mónica Rafecas to receivers Olga Sotillo and Sara Villagrasa. With only 1:25 left in the game, they still clung to a 6-point lead, 26-20. Unfortunately for the Spanish, that was enough time for Team Mexico and quarterback Diana Flores. Monica Rangel, who unfortunately had to leave the semifinal game against Canada, caught two touchdown passes from Flores in the first half. Mexico, bolstered by their large fan base, scored late to win 27-26.
Team USA edged Germany
Likewise, Team USA had to mount a last second drive to defeat Germany. The game seemed in hand for Team USA, which led by 9, 21-12, at the half, but Team Germany had other thoughts. Trailing 28-34, with 1:53 left, and battling the noise of a full stadium packed with German fans, quarterback Akemi Higa drove Team USA down the field, completing passes to Ashlea Klam, Maci Joncich, and two, including the tying score to Madison Fulford, before hitting Isabella Geraci for the go-ahead one-point conversion. Germany had 25 seconds left, but the USA defense held the Germans to only one complete pass out of three attempts to seal their victory.
Great Britain came from behind versus Panama
Great Britain also had to struggle against Panama. They trailed 13-20 at the half, on the strength of three touchdowns from Team Panama quarterback Orlanda Castro to receiver Carolina Ojo. But in the final half, Team Great Britain quarterback Brittany Botterill found Angelica Tait for one touchdown to make the score 19-20, when the conversion attempt failed. Botterill then hit Emily Kemp, for her second touchdown of the game, to go ahead by 5. Hannah Elliott pulled in Botterill’s pass for the conversion, and after Great Britain’s defense held, their offense ran out the clock to make the final score 26-20.
Canada cruised to victory over Austria
Canada had an easier time of it. Quarterback Sara Parker threw the first two scoring passes to receiver Marianne Quirion, another to Frédérique Morneau, and a fourth to Laura Molimard. Parker contributed two of the conversions herself to make the score 27-0 at halftime. Team Austria’s offense finally got on track in the second half, when quarterback Saskia Stribrny connected twice with Franziska Sottner, but the damage was already done. Team Canada two more times, once from Parker to Caroline Moquin-Joubert, and Parker added another to make the final score 40-12.
Slovenia broke into the win column against Brazil
In the morning’s final women’s game, Slovenia finally stopped their run of bad luck by defeating Brazil 40-26. Slovenian quarterback Karin Lah spread the ball around, throwing scoring passes to Tia Govejšek, Nika Vreš, Kaja Koncilija, Astrid Kuhelj, Karin Lah, and Živa Kramžar. Team Brazil quarterback Olivia Delleva hit Taisa Alencar for three touchdowns, and added one to Gabriela Bankhardt.