What: Majestic's Wine Tasting Party
When: Friday, June 19th, 2009, 730-930pm
Where: Castle Bridge Winery. 7645 S. 180th Street Kent, WA 98032 Phone: 425.251.0983

Why: To raise much needed money for the playoffs

How (Details):

~ $20 ticket includes 10-14 tastings, food/appetizers, opportunities to buy limited edition Majestic private label wine, raffle.

~ Pre-sale of Majestic's private label wine. 

"Majestic Melee"(red blend)  &  "Crush Em Chard" (white)

                        
~ Case purchases get automatic entry into raffle.

(Case of red = 25 tickets.  Case of white = 15 tickets.)

~ Raffle of various prizes and gift baskets.

For more information, to purchase tickets to this event, or to purchase these limited edition wines:

email the Majestics at: info@theseattlemajestics.com

There is an old saying that 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder.'    Well, in this case it was true.  I loved this game.  The setting was a wonderful PNW spring day with the warm sun shining down on a beautiful field.   The tailgate lunch was wonderful, and I got to meet several new people.   The game was fun to watch and I enjoyed the fans and mascot as well.

The football game was a great win for the team.  It was not however, their best.  In after game chitchats with team members, the view in their eyes, was that they should have done better.    In a league where points for and against are paramount for tie breakers, determining playoff position, etc. this effort had its ups and downs..

The hope before the game was that the Majestic's defense could stop the Shockwave’s strong passing attack.  Offensively the Majestics hoped that the Seattle running game would wear down Portland's defense.   Special teams also needed to have a strong presence.  I would say that three for three wasn’t too bad, except that Portland gave up its vaunted passing game to pursue an average ground game.

The Seattle outstanding defense came thru time and time again.  It seemed that Portland had watched filmed and tried to neutralize middle linebacker Kasey Rivas.  Rivas felt that she did not play up to her standards.  She did have a de-cleating tackle towards the end of the game that became an exclamation point.  So what did the Majestic defense do when their leader was double teamed and neutralized? They all stepped up to foil Portland’s offensive line.  They found the football as a swarm time and time again.  The defensive speed kept the Shockwave bottled up. The leading tackler for the game was an unlikely candidate who is listed as a linebacker, but played as a tackle.  Andreana “Campy” Campolo,  #17 pushed thru the much bigger OL time and time again, to have her name boom over the loud speaker until it seemed like a recording.  In notes on the game, there are fifteen numbers as having made at least half a tackle.  

When they decided to use it, the Portland passing attack was in trouble all night long. The Majestics practiced for that attack during the previous week. Portland’s only big play was 30 yards and did not lead to a score.   Heather Gallemore #13, knocked down a pass.  Crystal Brown was in the receiver's faces constantly. 

Added excitement was provided by Faatuiese “Ese” Sesepasara.  Ese stepped in to sing the National Anthem and then stepped in to intercept a pass.   She also recovered a fumbled Shockwave attempted punt.  Steady play by #47 Shannon Fitch kept running backs from breaking any long runs.  SFitch, Gallemore, Wilson, Gore, and Gollnick protected the sidelines pushing Portland out of bounds routinely.

From the start special teams provided the spark.  On the opening kick-off, Wilson slipped thru huge holes made by the upfront blockers.  Her outside speed left the Shockwave looking around.  Seventy-five yards later, the end zone was her destination.  Before the crowd had found their seats, the score was 6-0.  Newcomer, Shanna McCarron, kicked the first of five extra points.  The Majestics were up 7-0.  Wilson scored another touchdown from 12 yards out from a pass from QB Volk.

Quarterback, Michel Volk used the passing game enough to loosen the defense.   Volk accepted the fans accolades on a good game.  She then also talked about the short arm pass she threw and missed to a wide open Wilson.   Volk’s calm manner led the team on drives that ate up the clock.   The Shockwave had trouble locating the ball in the 'woman in motion' offense of the Majestics. The Shockwave tried to bottle the running of Rachel Gore #3 who still went over 70 yards for the night.  But that left the rest of the running corps loose. The Majestics went to their own Crystal “Air Force 1” Sanderson to power run all over the Shockwave Defense, captivating on a 40 yard TD run and totaling a garnered 86 yards for the night. McCarron had the longest run from scrimmage of 57 yards. Wilson also added to the mystery. 

There are still things to work on.  Penalties stopped drives or led to several third or fourth down and long.  Coaches again stressed the need for discipline in the post game team gathering.  Timing between the quarterback and receivers will be a focus. 
Game balls to the whole team for stepping up and working as a team.  The OL/DL lines are almost always undersized yet played as big as any in the league.  Campy, Air Force, Wilson, Gore, Volk all deserve a standing ovation.

Please see the game re-broadcast at Mogulus.com/seattlemajesticstv. Please watch and blog the next games May 16tt and 23rd. There is a bye week on the 30th.  Then join the Majestics against these same Shockwave June 6th in Kent at French field 7pm.

Note to parents: This is a great place for your kids to be part of history.  They can dance with the Mascot, see Football at its purest, and meet the players on the field after the game.  

Submitted by Sandi Edwards

Seattle Majestics 33 - Sacramento Sirens 8

There is only one word to describe the Majestics' total dominance in this early season game to determine the power on the West Coast; "Team".

The Sirens' powerful offense met the Majestics' overwhelming defense in what was billed as a knock down drag out: mano e mano, every play counts battle to the last down played.  What unfolded was a team whose total package was better than the sum of its parts, asserting its collective will.

The Sirens scored first after they had deferred to the second half and kicked off to the Majestics.  Camille Head returned to the Majestics 29 yard line.  The Sirens defense intercepted a pass.  Their offense took little time in scoring.  The kick was good, but a Majestics penalty allowed for another play and the Sirens ran the ball in for 2pt conversion.  Sirens 8 Majestics 0.

Quarterback Michel Volk then took over in the huddle ad calmed the Majestics' offense down, leading to 33 unanswered points.  The running back onslaught began.  Rachel Gore, Shanna "McCrackin" McCarron, and Crystal "Air Force" Sanderson pounded the ball down the field.  Gore scored and McCarron's kick was good.  The first quarter ended Sirens 8 Majestics 7

The offense added Adrienne Wilson and Crystal Brown to the running and passing arsenal.  The Sirens' defense stopped the Majestics' outside running attack so Seattle changed tactics and found the middle of the Sirens' defense.  Sanderson, McCarron, and Gore pounded for long drive after long drive.  They followed the offensive line's blocking with patience, running through the massive holes created for them.  The O-line owned the line of scrimmage.  When the Sirens did make stops, the Majestics just made the next play better and better.  Seattle had over 320 yards on the ground.

The Seattle defense found a common will and shut down Sacramento's big running game.  Jenni Ann Quan, Amy Williams, Ashlee Sharp, and QB Chantelle Powers had nowhere to go or hide.  If the defense was not making the offense run sideline to sideline, they were pushing the running backs into the QB making tackles behind the line of scrimmage.  Kasey Rivas, Gail Pitman, Heather Gallemore, Andreana Campolo, Shannon Fitch, Faatuises Sesepasara, Lisa Tavarez, and Gretchen Pietras all had standout games.

In the second quarter Volk found a passing game with a TD pass to Camille Head and the Majestics were up 13-8 at the half.

Both teams made halftime adjustments, but the Majestics soon figured the Sirens out and further exercised the team speed and strength.  With long drives which ended in 2 TD runs by McCarron (one kick good, one kick failed) the Majestics were up 26-8.  The last score came with a long run by Sanderson behind solid blocking and put the Majestics up 33-8.

The Sirens were forced to play most of the game in their own territory, punting to the Majestics' special team returner Camille Head who time and time again was able to get to the sideline and around the corner for long returns (22 and 27 yards).  Heather Gallemore and Gretchen Pietras were constantly distrupting the Siren punter's rhythm.  Even at the end of the game when the outcome was all but sealed the defense never gave the Sirens and inch.  The offense kept goin with running back Christine Lam and the O-line running out the clock.

The game ball goes the the whole team for their collective effort and to the coaches for their great game plan and constant adjustments to keep the Majestics one step ahead.