SIRENS BEAT THE BANSHEES IN SEASONS'S BEST GAME by The Sacramento Sirens October 22, 2002 In their first match up since the 2002 pre-season, Oakland's passing game presented a challenge to the Sirens defense but the Sirens prevailed by a score of 53 to the Banshees 32. The Sirens and Banshees ran up the highest score of the season in a tough game. Off to a quick start, RB #21 Hilary McLaughlin caught an 11-yard pass from Sirens QB #11 Leilani Limary for the first score of the game. McLaughlin then booted in her own point after and put the Sirens ahead 7-0 early in the 1st quarter. Oakland broke out their passing game as they also scored in the first on a 15-yard pass from #13 QB Barbara Butler to WR #11 Tara Harrington. A 2-point conversion attempt failed leaving the score at the end of the 1st Sirens 7 - Banshees 6. The Sirens offense poured it on in the 2nd with a score by #83 WR Courtney Brazil on a 16-yard pass from Limary followed by 2-point conversion carry by Sirens All-Star Fullback #36 Dana "D-Train" McIntyre. On their next possession, a 40-yard running TD by Sirens leading RB, #22 Julie "Wicked" Wicher and another PAT kick by McLaughlin pushed the Sirens to a 22-6 lead. Oakland drove back for another passing score of 33-yards from Butler to #83 Tracy Adams and made a 2-point conversion to bring the score to 22-14. The Sirens scored again on a short run by McIntyre but a failed kick left the score 28-14. Not finished yet, the Sirens defense drove Oakland back to the end zone where Defensive Tackle #71 Gina McCann tackled the ball carrier in the end zone for 2 additional points on the Safety. The score at the half was Sirens 30 - Banshees 14. After half-time, the Sirens defense pushed Oakland back again and scored another 2-point safety when Linebacker Tina "Taco" Rogers dropped another Banshee in the end zone. On the following possession, Wicher caught a Limary pass of 14 yards to score a second time in this game. McLaughlin's kick was good bumping the score up to Sirens 39-Banshees 14. Oakland's Butler passed to #15 Mary Scotty for another Banshee score in the 3rd. The 2-point attempt was unsuccessful. Replacing Butler with QB #1 Ronalda "Ren" Smitherman, the Banshees scored on a short pass to Harrington to end the 3rd with a score of Sirens 39 - Banshees 26. Coming back hard in the 4th, Sirens Fullback #34 Lisa Giblin took the ball in on a short run followed by another McIntyre 2-point conversion. Sacramento followed up with a 7-yard run in by RB #23 Michelle Kahler but McLaughlin's PAT attempt failed. In the last minutes of the game, Oakland scored one last time on a 30-yard pass from Smitherman to Adams, ending one of the best games of the 2002 WAFC season. FINAL SCORE: SACRAMENTO SIRENS 53 - OAKLAND BANSHEES 32 THE SIRENS (5-0) WILL BE HOME AGAIN ON NOVEMBER 6 AGAINST THE HAWAI'I LEGENDS (5-1). The SIRENS have not faced the Legends since the 2001 pre-season when they played their very first professional game in Hawaii. THIS GAME WILL INFLUENCE HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES!     Back