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| The Rage defensive line gets set. |
In 2017, the Calgary Rage have gone to places they have
never gone before, and they don’t want
to stop just yet.
The Rage had by far
their most successful campaign in the Western Women’s Canadian Football League
posting their first undefeated 4-0 regular season record. With three teams active
in the circuit’s Western Conference this season, the first place finish gave
the Rage their first conference title and first berth in the WWCFL championship
game.
Calgary travels to
Saskatoon on Saturday to face the Prairie Conference champion Regina Riot, who
are 5-1 overall, at 8:30 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field for the league
championship. The championship game follows a consolation final between the
Saskatoon Valkyries, who are 4-2 overall, and the Edmonton Storm, who are 2-3
overall, which is set for 5:15 p.m. at SMF Field.
For veteran running
back Erin Walton, the 2017 campaign has been the fulfillment of a dream so far.
She joined the Rage for their first season in 2009, which was two years before
the formation of the WWCFL.
Walton played for
Canada’s silver medal winning team at the 2013 International Federation of
American Football Women’s World Championship in Vantaa, Finland, and while the
individual success was great, she desperately wanted to be part of a special
season with the Rage.
When the Rage downed
the Storm in Edmonton 34-29 on May 27 to finish the regular season at 4-0 and
clinch a berth in the WWCFL title game, Walton said her team made sure to enjoy
the moment, but they don’t want to stop there.
“We really took a couple
of days to celebrate that,” said Walton over the phone from Calgary. “We had a
lot of fun as a team celebrating that win, and we really enjoyed ourselves.
“The message has
been it is not over. It feels great to achieve something we have never done in
our club’s history. We’re really going to take the time to celebrate that and
enjoy it in the off-season.
“Until the season is
over, we are not done. We’re looking to make even more history. We just have to
believe we can do it and work hard for it.”
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| QB Becky Heninger has been a big addition to the Rage roster. |
The Rage entered the
season with a new look coaching staff with Carlo Iannuzzi installed as the head
coach and offensive coordinator. He was the club’s defensive coordinator last
season and an offensive assistant in 2015. Iannuzzi oversees a six-person
staff.
The bench boss knows
his side is fighting history in the WWCFL championship game as the circuit’s first six
title contests have been won either by the Valkyries or the Riot. The Valkyries
won it all from 2011 to 2014 and 2016. The Riot claimed the WWCFL title in
2015.
Iannuzzi said the
Rage want to be the first team to bring the WWCFL title to Alberta, and he
knows how big of a challenge it will be.
“It is going to be
monumental,” said Iannuzzi over the phone from Calgary. “We understand the task at hand too, but that is
why this is a championship game.
“They’ve earned the
right to be there, because they are a good football team. We understand that.
We’re not looking at this as an impossible challenge.
“As far as I’m
concerned as soon as the ball kicks off it is anybody’s game. We just have to
keep our emotions in check.”
The Rage’s fortunes
received a boost when veteran star quarterback Becky Heninger joined the team. Heninger played for the Lethbridge Steel from 2012 to 2014 and the Steel made
the WWCFL final in each of those campaigns falling to the Valkyries each time
out. She played quarterback the first two seasons and all over the field for her
third season before other life commitments took her away from the game.
“It all starts with
Becks at quarterback,” said Iannuzzi. “She has a great arm.
“She connects really
deep downfield with our receiver Alicia Wilson. It is really awesome to see how
those two have jelled together,”
Heninger and Wilson
will play for Canada at the International Federation of American Football Women’s
World Championship, which runs June 24 to 30 in Langley, B.C.
Running back Tolu
Fasuba and receiver Diane Nesbitt, who played for the Riot’s 2015 WWCFL
championship team, are also a couple of big offensive threats for the Rage.
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| Erin Walton (#21) catches a pass for the Rage. |
Iannuzzi said the
team’s front five really make the offence motor.
“We’re able to do
things on the offence, because we a dedicated offensive line,” said Iannuzzi. “They
are so studious at the game, and they are always working hard to get better.
“They never quit on
anybody too. The play really starts and ends with the offensive line.
“As an offensive
coach, I have complete faith in the five that we have up there too. They protect Becks incredibly well, and they will open up some awesome running lanes too.”
On defence, the Rage
have a linebacker that will turn heads quickly playing the role of a
terminator.
“On the defensive
side of the ball, it all starts and ends with Courtney Dawson,” said Iannuzzi.
“You can’t miss her. She just has a nose for the ball.
“She is ruthless.
She is relentless. She is everything that a coach wants out of a linebacker.”
Robyn Tarrant
anchors the defensive line at defensive tackle. She stood out at Football
Canada’s inaugural Senior National Women’s Championship tournament held last
year in Regina. Tarrant played a key role helping Alberta post a 30-12 bronze
medal game victory over New Brunswick.
“I think her
performance in the bronze medal game against New Brunswick was one of the best
I’ve ever seen,” said Iannuzzi. “She is a good foundation for us to have on the
D-line.”
Alyssa Quinney
supplies a good rush from her defensive end spot, and safety Tatrina
Medvescek-Valentine and defensive back Jennifer Mclean are the backbone of a
tough secondary.
While the players
have delivered a stellar season for the Rage, Walton said Iannuzzi and his
coaching staff have been outstanding in bringing everything together.
“He (Iannuzzi) likes
to have fun when we play football, and I think that is an important aspect of
football,” said Walton. “Sometimes, that takes a little time to build.
“There is a fine
line between fun and not being productive and fun and being productive. He has
been a really good addition to our club, and he has brought that kind of next
step coaching that we have always been looking for.
“I think one of the
biggest things for us was that we just committed to just trying bring the
vision of what our coaches wanted us to do to life.”
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| The Rage raise the Western Conference championship trophy. |
Now the only thing
left for the Rage to do is add the finishing touch to their dream season, which
would be capturing the WWCFL title. Having once lived in Regina, Walton knows
her side is in for a battle against the Riot.
“It is going to the
hardest game of the season for a reason,” said Walton. “You don’t get to the
championship game and not expect to be playing the best other team.
“They are the best
team that came out of their conference. We are the best team that came out of
our conference. I’ve known a lot of players on that team for a lot of years,
and I’ve got some great friends on that team.
“The only thing
going through my mind is man I just want to beat them, because I know if we can
beat them we’ve beaten the best and that makes us the best.”
If you have any
comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them
to stankssports@gmail.com. All the
photos in this post are courtesy of Candice Ward Photography in Calgary. Stanks’
Sermon passes on a huge thanks to Candice Ward Photography for the photos of
the Rage.
