June 2, 2018 ·
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News
Game date: June 2, 2018 @ Simley High School, Inver Grove Heights, MN
Kickoff: 6 p.m.
It’s always tough to beat a team more than once in the same season, but the Minnesota Vixen (6-0, 2-0 Division 2) will try to do just that when they host the Wisconsin Dragons (4-2, 0-1 Division 2) in a late-season Women’s Football Alliance conference matchup.
As the only two members of the Midwest Region, the teams are guaranteed to meet each other in the playoffs. In their previous meeting in Wisconsin in April, the Vixen won 40-6 in a nasty sleet storm. And rain is in the forecast for this Saturday.
Regardless of the weather, the Vixen are preparing for another tough matchup. “This game sets the tone for our playoff meeting with (the Dragons),” says wide receivers coach Jake Potter. “I expect a different team to be across the field from us than last time. We’re a different team as well.”
Offensive line coach John Taylor knows remaining undefeated is no small task. “Having a target on our backs at 6-0 and playing a team who goes to the whistle will be a good challenge for the Vixen,” Taylor said.
With just two games left in the regular season, the Vixen hope to stay unbeaten and lock up home field advantage for the playoffs. Minnesota is ranked in the top five in the division for rushing, passing and total offense. Quarterback Kiersten Hansen is third in the division, wide receiver Sam Barber is ranked second, and running backs Grace Cooper and Jeanette “Tank” Nelson are second and eighth.
To continue their offensive success, the Vixen will have to stop a Wisconsin defense that thrives on heavy pressure in the box and frequent blitzing. “Their defense knows how to disrupt the offensive backfield and make our job a bit tougher,” says offensive coordinator Danny Ekstrand.
Wisconsin’s offense, however, will have to put up some scores against the division’s top-ranked defense, which has held opponents to an average of 7.4 points per game.
The Vixen will post live updates on Twitter during their away games, and for the fourth year in a row, Town Square Television will broadcast home games live on local cable access channels and streaming online.
Website: www.mnvixen.com
Facebook: Minnesota Vixen Women’s Football
Twitter: @MinnVixen
Live stream and replay of home games: Town Square Television
May 4, 2018 ·
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News
Game date: May 5, 2018 @ Simley High School, Inver Grove Heights, MN
Kickoff: 6 p.m.
Halfway through the season, the Minnesota Vixen are undefeated (4-0, 2-0 Division 2) and looking to maintain home field advantage in the Women’s Football Alliance playoffs.
They start a three-game homestand on Saturday against the Columbus Vanguards (1-3, 1-2 Division 3), and even though their next three opponents each only have one win, the Vixen won’t be taking anything for granted.
“Columbus has turned some heads this season,” said Vixen wide receiver coach Jake Potter. “They would make a huge statement by beating us.”
Special teams coach Adam Griffith hopes his unit has a breakout game.
“We’ve struggled a bit so far this year with assignments and blocking,” Griffith said. “However, we got back to basics this week in practice and should see that translate to better performance in the game.”
One thing the Vixen have been doing well is playing defense, holding opponents to under 10 points a game on average. Last week against a tenacious Detroit Dark Angels squad, the defense recovered a fumble and had a clutch fourth-quarter interception to seal the victory.
Offensively, Minnesota continues to grind. Expect to see Grace Cooper keep chewing up the turf with her hard-charging running style, and Sam Barber lead the Vixen air attack.
The Vixen will post updates on Twitter during their away games, and for the fourth year in a row, Town Square Television will broadcast home games live on local cable access channels and streaming online.
Website: www.mnvixen.com
Facebook: Minnesota Vixen Women’s Football
Twitter: @MinnVixen
Live stream and replay of home games: Town Square Television
April 26, 2018 ·
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News
Game date: April 28, 2018, at Southfield Lathrup High School, Lathrup Village, MI
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Eastern
Saturday’s game against the Detroit Dark Angels should be another tough test for a Minnesota Vixen squad looking to cement its status as a powerhouse team in the Women’s Football Alliance.
“Their record shows that they will be a contender this year,” said Vixen offensive coordinator Danny Ekstrand. “But we’ve had a good week of practice and are confident in our game plan.”
Detroit (2-0, 1-0 Division 2) is coming off a bye week, while Minnesota (3-0, 1-0 Division 2) gutted out a 33-25 victory over the Kansas City Titans in their home opener. The Vixen trailed the Titans until the fourth quarter, when they scored twice to get the lead and seal the win. They hope that momentum carries through on their longest road trip of the regular season.
Wide receivers coach Jake Potter is ready for the trip. “At the midpoint of the season, it all comes down to conditioning and depth of bench. Detroit is a strong team that is looking to take us down a peg,” Potter said. “But if we control the line and play our game, we have a strong shot at winning.”
Running back Grace Cooper and wide receiver Sam Barber continue to be a one-two punch for the Vixen offense. Cooper scored against Kansas City from 22 and 51 yards out, and Barber had multiple clutch catches, including a tiptoe grab just behind the front pylon to tie the game.
Minnesota’s defense, despite allowing 25 points, forced and recovered two fumbles. Amy Mugaas’ 90-yard interception return for a touchdown in the first quarter provided an early spark, and the unit piled up eight sacks and 15 tackles for loss on the night.
The Vixen will post live updates on Twitter during their away games, and for the fourth year in a row Town Square Television will broadcast home games live on local cable access channels and streaming online.
Website: www.mnvixen.com
Facebook: Minnesota Vixen Women’s Football
Twitter: @MinnVixen (live updates during all games)
Live stream and replays of home games: Town Square Television
April 19, 2018 ·
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News
Game date: April 21, 2018 @ Simley High School, Inver Grove Heights, MN
Kickoff: 6 p.m.
This weekend’s Women’s Football Alliance match-up between the Minnesota Vixen and the Kansas City Titans will be a knock-down, drag-out battle between two surging, well-coached squads.
Both teams boast a 2-0 record, each having beaten the Madison Blaze and the Wisconsin Dragons so far in 2018. Last year, Minnesota bested Kansas City three times, including a 40-6 victory in the first round of the playoffs.
So far this year, the Vixen have played in extreme weather, with a frigid, wet game in Madison and another even colder game in Milwaukee that has affectionately been dubbed “Sleet Bowl 2018.” But the forecast for Saturday in the Twin Cities is mid-50s with partly cloudy skies. “Let’s just pray that it is favorable conditions so the fans, players and coaches all have a good time,” says Minnesota offensive line coach John Taylor.
“Kansas City was a great opponent for us last year,” said Vixen offensive coordinator Danny Ekstrand. “They have gotten better this year … we are preparing for them the best we can and are ready for a dogfight until the very end.”
The Titans have several returning players on offense, including WFA All-American wide receiver Liz Sowers. They have outscored their 2018 opponents 94-6 and have their sights set on making things difficult for Nick Leach’s defense, which has also held opponents to six points over two games.
Last year, the Vixen defense intercepted the Titans seven times in their two regular season games, returning four of those for touchdowns. “This is going to be a tough test for our defense, but I like how we are playing right now,” says Leach. “Hopefully we continue to improve every week and keep giving ourselves chances to be successful.”
The Vixen will post live updates on Twitter during their away games, and for the fourth year in a row, Town Square Television will broadcast home games live on local cable access channels and streaming online.
Website: www.mnvixen.com
Facebook: Minnesota Vixen Women’s Football
April 12, 2018 ·
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News
Game date: April 14, 2018 @ Hart Park, Wauwatosa, WI
Kickoff: 7 p.m.
Coming off a 46-0 victory in which they gained more than 300 rushing yards, the Minnesota Vixen (1-0 overall, 0-0 Division 2) hope to see similar results this week against the Wisconsin Dragons (0-1, 0-0).
It’s both teams’ first division matchup of the season. The Dragons will look to improve on a 47-6 loss in Kansas City, and get ahead of the Vixen in the American Conference’s Midwest Region.
“We played a good team last week in the (Madison) Blaze and came out on the right side of it because our players executed the game plan,” said Vixen offensive coordinator Danny Ekstrand. “The Dragons are a new team this year, but we are not going to take them lightly and are preparing for them just like we would any other team.”
Head coach Laura Brown concurred. “It’s important to keep competition levels high, and it’s great to see football return to southeastern Wisconsin.”
On defense against the Blaze, Minnesota performed well, forcing a turnover on Madison’s first play from scrimmage. The Vixen only allowed three first downs while collecting a blocked punt and another fumble recovery on their way to the shutout.
Six different players scored for the Vixen against the Blaze: Grace Cooper, Ellie Becker, Sam Barber, Jenessa White, Tank Nelson, and Beth Westie. Kiersten Hansen threw for 154 yards on the day, including four touchdowns, and five running backs ate up 337 yards on the ground.
Wide receivers coach Jake Potter acknowledged the success, but he also knows there’s still work to do. “It’s only one week of a long season. We enjoyed the win, and now we look to the next game.”
Hopefully, that next game won’t be played in a foot of snow.
The Vixen will post live updates on Twitter during their away games, and for the fourth year in a row Town Square Television will broadcast home games live on local cable access channels and streaming online.
Website: www.mnvixen.com
Facebook: Minnesota Vixen Women’s Football
Twitter: @MinnVixen (live updates during all games)
Live stream and replay of home games: Town Square Television
April 4, 2018 ·
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News
Game date: April 7, 2018 @ Otto Breitenbach Stadium, Middleton, WI
The official opening weekend of the Women’s Football Alliance sees the Minnesota Vixen on the road to start their 20th anniversary season, continuing a longtime rivalry with the Madison Blaze.
Both teams are experiencing change, with a new ownership structure for the Blaze and a new head coach for the Vixen in team owner and former player Laura Brown.
“(It’s) always a tough border battle with the Madison Blaze,” says Brown. “The first game of the season is our chance to see all of the hard work in the preseason finally pay off.”
The Vixen’s tryouts last fall were well-attended, with more than 100 women vying for a spot on the 2018 roster. Several promising rookies have been added to a solid veteran core that includes six 2017 WFA All-Americans.
Danny Ekstrand, who coached wide receivers last year, has big plans in his new role as offensive coordinator, with an up-tempo style that focuses on getting started fast. Minnesota’s offense averaged 325 yards per game last year, good for third in the league.
Players to watch include Kiersten Hansen at quarterback, Grace Cooper at running back and wide receiver Sam Barber, who led the WFA with 889 yards and 11 touchdowns on 45 receptions in 2017. On defense, Cynthia “Red” Bryant anchors the line for a hungry bunch of ball hawks who forced 12 fumbles and racked up 20 interceptions in 2017.
Also on the Vixen sideline will be Jeff Gehring as running backs coach, Adam Griffith as special teams/defensive backs coach, Nick Leach as defensive coordinator, Jake Potter as wide receivers coach, John Taylor for the offensive line, and assistant coaches Andrew Carbone and Jason Cornelison. Brown is also handling defensive line duties.
The Vixen will post live updates on Twitter during their away games this year, and for the third year in a row Town Square Television will broadcast home games live on local cable access channels and streaming online.
Website: www.mnvixen.com
Facebook: Minnesota Vixen Women’s Football
Twitter: @MinnVixen (live updates during games)
Live stream and replay of home games: Town Square Television
2017 Season
June 7, 2017 ·
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News
Minnesota Vixen at Chicago Force
0-53
The Minnesota Vixen knew they had to have a top-notch performance in all facets of the game to beat the Chicago Force and remain undefeated, but couldn’t find their groove and suffered a 53-0 loss on May 6 at Evanston Township High School.
Chicago got off to a fast start with Cassey Brick’s 79-yard opening kickoff return for a touchdown. Minnesota’s offense began strong, marching from its own 26-yard line to the Force 38 in 9 plays before having to punt, but then had just one drive that lasted more than four downs before halftime. Meanwhile, Chicago scored four more touchdowns, one on a punt return, and added a field goal to lead 39-0 at halftime.
The second half saw the Vixen defense come up with a fumble recovery and interception yet not able to keep Chicago from scoring twice more. On offense, Minnesota punted three times, lost a fumble and turned it over on downs.
Quarterback Kiersten Hansen was the night’s leading rusher, garnering 12 yards on 6 carries. Grace Cooper added 11 yards on 10 tough carries, along with 17 yards on 4 catches. In addition, the offensive line put up a great fight, only allowing one sack against a swarming Chicago defense. Hansen was 12 of 24 for 77 yards. Sam Barber caught 6 passes for 61 yards. Minnesota had just 94 yards of total offense but also its least-penalized game of the season.
On defense, Madison Schmatz and Erin Tilford each had 7.5 tackles, with at least one tackle by 8 other Vixen. Crystal Ninas and Red Bryant recovered fumbles and Anne Thiessen had an interception.
Minnesota falls to 4-1, and 1-1 in Division 1 play. They are off for a week, then hit the road for a rematch with the Kansas City Titans (2-2, 0-1 D1) on May 20.
June 7, 2017 ·
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News
Kansas City Titans at Minnesota Vixen
0-41
The last time the Minnesota Vixen played a team from the Sunflower State, they were both in another league, the southerly team was named the Tribe, and Minnesota had fewer than 30 players on the roster. That day, the Tribe was the victor.
But time passes, fortunes change, and a Vixen squad of 50-plus players collected four pick sixes by three different players, three sacks and three fumble recoveries on their way to a 41-0 victory over the Kansas City Titans on April 29 at Simley High School.
Cool temperatures and a steady breeze could not keep an enthusiastic and boisterous crowd of over 500 from witnessing the Vixen defense buckle down and shut down Kansas City’s running and passing games, including standout wide receiver Liz Sowers, whose sister Katie is a former quarterback for the Titans and now works in the Atlanta Falcons organization. In 2016, Sowers caught 26 passes for 442 yards and 4 touchdowns, good for ninth in the league.
The task of covering Sowers fell to second-year linebacker Crystal Ninas. “I was super nervous, but I just took it one play at a time,” said Ninas, who sent the Vixen to the 2016 championship game in their former league with a 100-yard pick six in double overtime against the New York Sharks. Ninas would return one interception 48 yards for a touchdown in this game.
The Vixen started the game with the ball but had to punt. On third and 4 for Kansas City, defensive end Drue Barber penetrated the pocket and forced Kansas City quarterback Brooke Liebsch to fumble. Cynthia “Red” Bryant recovered for the Vixen, setting Minnesota up on the Kansas City 23.
Minnesota couldn’t capitalize, however, and a bad handoff exchange resulted in a fumble and the Titans taking over on the Vixen’s 7 yard line. But two plays later, Sheena Reed popped the ball out and Liz Bain recovered it on the Titans 15. A pass interference penalty on Kansas City gave Minnesota first and goal on the 2, and Kiersten Hansen squirted through the line on second down for a 1-yard score. Katie Muller’s extra point was good and the Vixen led 7-0. Erin Tilford’s 60-yard interception return for a touchdown put the Vixen up 14-0 at the end of the first quarter. Neither team scored in the second quarter, despite Minnesota having first and goal on the 1 after a diving 31-yard reception by Amanda Dvorak on third and 3. Angela Griffin lost two yards on first down followed by two incomplete passes, then Muller’s field goal attempt was low and short.
The second half saw more defensive dominance by the Vixen, with rookie Connor Jo Lewis snaring two pick sixes for 46 and 72 yards. On the kickoff after Lewis’ second interception and score, Anne Thiessen caused a fumble that was recovered by Jodi “Moose” Rehlander to put the offense back on the field. In addition, Lewis clawed the ball out of the arms of a Kansas City runner to give Minnesota the ball back one play after the Titans recovered a muffed punt in Vixen territory early in the fourth quarter.
Overall, defensive end Madison Schmatz tipped three passes incomplete. Liebsch was sacked twice by the Vixen and knocked out of the game in the third quarter on a blitz by Bain. Reed and Griffin had Minnesota’s other two sacks. The Titans were held to 8 rushing yards on 30 carries, 62 total yards passing on 32 attempts, and three first downs.
Emily Evans finished the game at quarterback for Minnesota, going 3-for-3 and connecting with Sam Barber twice on the final scoring drive for 80 yards and a touchdown.
Hansen was 9 of 24 passing attempts for 98 yards and a touchdown. Barber had 6 catches for 131 yards and a touchdown. After Grace Cooper left the game in the first quarter due to injury, the Vixen used a committee of Mikaila Soule, Angela Griffin and Andri Vogt at running back. The trio combined for 44 yards on 19 carries. Minnesota had 216 total offensive yards and 10 first downs.
Kansas City falls to 2-2 (0-1 Division 1) and Minnesota improves to 4-0 (1-0 D1). The Vixen’s next game is against the 2013 WFA champion Chicago Force (4-0, 1-0 D1) on Saturday, May 6, in Evanston, Il.
April 24, 2017 ·
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News
Minnesota Vixen @ Minnesota Machine
62-2
It was a story nearly 10 years in the making, but the first chapter of crosstown contests between the two North Star State franchises in the Women’s Football Alliance finished with an exclamation point when the Minnesota Vixen handed the Minnesota Machine a 62-2 loss at Osseo High School.
Although the Machine began play in 2009, the two teams had never met on the field prior to this season due to the Vixen being in a different league. When the Vixen switched to the WFA in 2017, a collision was all but guaranteed. While both organizations were eager to start the rivalry with a victory, the Vixen’s larger roster and deeper talent were too much for the Machine in the end.
Both teams started out a bit tentative, trading punts on their first possessions. The Vixen got going on their next drive, however, starting on the Machine’s 38-yard line and scoring after an 8-yard run by workhorse running back Grace Cooper and a 30-yard catch and run by tight end Sam Barber. The ensuing PAT was blocked, and the Machine’s Sami Linberg picked up the loose ball and scampered the length of the field for a safety. That would end up being the only Machine score of the night.
The Vixen defense had the Machine pinned down on third and 14 on their own 27 when Erin “Tilly” Tilford ran back an interception for a touchdown. The Vixen looked to break the game wide open on their next drive, but after two consecutive first down runs by Cooper, a bad snap was recovered by the Machine. The Machine however, failed to capitalize and had to punt the ball away.
The next Vixen drive was all Cooper, who gained almost a third of her 142 total rushing yards on 5 carries over the next six plays. Barber caught a 9-yard touchdown and the Vixen took the lead 14-2 when Angela Griffin ran it in for a 2-point conversion.
The Vixen would score three more times on their way to a 42-2 lead at the half. The second half was played with running time. Another pick six by Erin “Tilly” Tilford in the third quarter, plus one more score each from Barber and Mikaila Soule, accounted for the final score of 62-2.
On defense, the Vixen held the Machine to negative yardage (1 yard on 18 passes and -60 rushing yards on 19 carries) and only 2 first downs. Outside linebackers Crystal Ninas and Connor Jo Lewis each had 4½ tackles. Anne Thiessen added another interception and the team finished with 14 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and 1 fumble recovery to go with Tilford’s two picks.
The Vixen had 358 yards of total offense, 203 rushing and 155 passing, including 17 first downs. Griffin rushed for a trio of 2-point conversions, and Katie Muller was good on 2 of 3 PATs. Kiersten Hansen was 6-of-13 for 122 yards passing with 4 touchdowns and no interceptions. Backup quarterback Kenzie Anderson completed 2 of 4 pass attempts for 33 yards and a touchdown. Cooper had 14 carries with a touchdown, and added 2 catches for 42 yards and a touchdown. Barber led all receivers with 4 catches for 85 yards and 4 touchdowns.
The Vixen now look forward to their home opener, a Division 1 matchup against the Kansas City Titans on April 29 at Simley High School. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. Central.
April 24, 2017 ·
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News
Minnesota Vixen @ Madison Blaze
44-0
On a beautiful early spring evening in the Midwest, the Minnesota Vixen opened their 2017 season in grand fashion, using an arsenal of weapons to churn out just over 500 yards of combined offense in a 44-0 shutout of their longtime rivals, the Madison Blaze.
It was both teams’ inaugural matchup under the Women’s Football Alliance umbrella. The Vixen, who lost to the Utah Falconz in the 2016 Independent Women’s Football League championship, were eager to build on a season in which they posted six shutouts and set attendance records at nearly every game. The Blaze, meanwhile, were looking to re-establish dominance in a new league after a 5-4 finish in 2016.
Madison started the game with the ball near midfield, but two tackles for loss and an incomplete pass had them punting to the Vixen, who took over on their own 16 yard line. Minnesota looked stalled at third and 11 on their own 26 when a mad scramble and heave by second-year QB Kiersten Hansen ended in a 66-yard reception by rookie tight end Samantha Barber for first and goal. A few plays later, Hansen stuck it in from 1 yard out for the game’s first score. A good PAT by Katie Muller had the Vixen up 7-0.
Two possessions later, Hansen and Barber hooked up again for a 37-yard score. Minnesota’s defense continued to harass Madison for the rest of the first half, sacking QB Paisley Bennett five times, allowing only one first down and standing tall to prevent a score when the Blaze had first and goal on the 4 yard line early in the second quarter. Madison’s defense also showed some mettle, sacking Hansen on second and goal from the 11 and intercepting Hansen on the next play.
Undaunted, the Vixen defense answered with a safety and Minnesota owned a 16-0 lead at the half.
The second half was all Minnesota, with Madison only taking 16 snaps on offense. Linebacker Crystal Ninas led the way with 5½ tackles, followed by defensive end Sheriba Dunn with four tackles and three sacks. Madison Schmatz added 2½ tackles and two sacks. The Vixen had 2 safeties, 18 tackles for loss and 10 sacks total, plus a fumble recovery (forced by Sheena Reed and recovered by Cynthia “Red” Bryant) and two interceptions (one a 66-yard score by Connor Jo Lewis).
On offense, Barber added another touchdown reception in the second half, and Grace Cooper caught three passes for 40 yards and pounded her way to 110 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries in her women’s football debut. Speedy rookie Mikaila Soule had 7 carries for 50 yards and the Vixen’s final touchdown. Muller was good on four of five PATs. Hansen was 12-of-24 passing and rushed 9 times for 37 yards. Overall, the offense generated 505 yards of total offense, 241 on the ground and 264 in the air.
The team’s next contest is Saturday, April 8, against the Minnesota Machine at Osseo Senior High School. Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. Central.
