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<< Back to Gameday Recaps
April 16, 2005 ~ Against Chicago
ATLANTA BEATS CHICAGO!
The ATLANTA XPLOSION continued to improve their record this weekend to (3-0), after dominating Chicago. This was a game of two undefeated teams in which only one would prevail. The ATLANTA XPLOSION would be that team.
After a strange and unfortunate first quarter, that left the ATLANTA XPLOSION all knotted up at 0. “It was a horrible first quarter for us”, Head Coach Phil Beniamino stated. “After losing your starting QB (Cheryl Glover) on the second play of the game, it will make things a little uneasy.” The girls seemed a little bit set back at first offensively until Charmaine Chin, (7 rushes for 135 yards), opened up the second quarter with a 58-yard touchdown run. Atlanta’s two-point conversion was good and The Xplosion led 8-0.
“The defense came up huge today”, Beniamino added. Led by linebackers, #33 Denise Beniamino with 5 solo tackles and 2 assisted, Carla Odom with 3 solos and 3 assists, and Kiwanni Gibson 2 solo tackles and 4 assists. “The defense allowed our offense back on the field within minutes.” This allowed the second string QB, #11 Sue Cackowski to settle down and cap off a 60 yard drive with a nice toss to #84 Natasha Slan and the Xplosion lead was 14. Jessalyn Martin’s extra point kick was good and the Xplosion was out front 15-0.
After the defense once again forced Chicago’s offense off the field with solid plays from #76 Kimba Reams (2 solo tackles and 4 assists), and #58 Dee Ember (2 solos and 4 assists), the offense was back to work.
Cackowski then threaded the needle to #82 Angela Rowe to cap another 53 yard touchdown. Jessalyn Martin again came up with the extra point, and the Xplosion went into halftime with a 22-0 lead.
After Chicago received one of two first downs in this game, Atlanta’s #20 Krystal Holmes stepped in front of a pass at mid-field and returned it 50 yards for yet another touchdown. Unfortunately a penalty took the points off the board and the Xplosion regained possession at the 50 yard line.
It didn’t take long before #26 Takela Corbitt, (6 rushes for 44 yards), scrambled for 36 of those 50 yards to add yet another score. Jessalyn Martin’s extra point attempt kept her perfect and the score grew to 29-0.
During the fourth quarter, QB Benita Bearden connected for a 45 yard touchdown pass that was later called back on a penalty call. “Penalties always hurt any team,” stated Beniamino. “When you lose 140 yards in penalties along with two touchdowns, you don’t expect to win the game. It was the defense that kept them in this thriller.”
“The defense was unbelievable”, says Beniamino. “The girls were all over the field. I couldn’t ask for anything better from them. My coaches worked really hard getting these girls ready to play. When you keep a team like Chicago to less than 40 yards of total offense then you must be doing something right.”
The Xplosion hit the road for the first time this season, Saturday April 23, when they travel to Louisiana to face The Baton Rouge Wildcats.
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