Cincinatti, OH- Music City traveled 250 miles North looking to open the 2018 season on a high note. The beat was right, but the rhythm didn’t rhyme, as the ladies lost to the Cincinnati Sizzle 16-6. The Sizzle win was marked by auspicious officiating decisions regarding key Mizfit personnel.
Cincinnati opened the scoring in the first quarter with a fullback dive after a nice option pitch to Tamar Fennel, who made several Music City players miss on her way to the 1 yard line. The Mizfit defense tightened up after that, limiting Cincinnati on both the ground and in the air. “Bend but don’t break” would best describe the method used by the Mizfits defense.
On offense, Music City moved the ball well in the first half, gaining big chunks of yardage up the middle and on the edges. Unfortunately, several opportunities were missed in the passing game, with open receivers being overthrown as well as difficulties running routes. At the half, the Sizzle held an 8-0 lead.
Controversy came with the beginning of the third quarter. During the first half, running back Jamie Lock had been injured and treated by the home team’s medical staff. The trainer informed head coach Don Ragsdale that she advised that Lock should not return to the game. Ragsdale in turn told the trainer that if Lock wanted to play, he wasn’t going to hold her out. The trainer then told the referee crew that they could be held liable, for some unknown reason and charge, if they allowed her to play. They also informed the crew that they had called the league office, and the league director had told them Lock could not play. When informed of the decision at the start of the 2nd half, Ragsdale went ballistic.
Apparently, Cincinnati had sent an email during the week reminding the Mizfits of the concussion protocol. They had even offered to disallow trainer assistance with the presence of a waiver. Since Lock had suffered an injury to her abdomen, Ragsdale felt as if the trainer had no right to hold her out of the game, even offering to sign the waiver. After some discussion, Lock was not allowed to play for the remainder of the game, which was unfortunate, because up to that point she had been Music City’s leading rusher and tackler for the game. This was also not the only instance of the trainer trying to use her influence on the game, telling Mizfits cornerback Tessa Marsh, “I can tell the ref that you’re injured, and make it where you can’t go back out there” after seeing Marsh during an injury timeout.
The third quarter saw no scoring from either team, a real defensive chess match. The fourth quarter began with the momentum in Cincinnati’s favor, and all hope seemed lost after the Sizzle punched in another touchdown on, yet again, another really nice option pitch which saw Fennel elude a handful of Mizfits for a 52 yarder. However, the Mizfits showed no quit, moving the ball deep into Sizzle territory and capitalizing on a 22 yard TD pass from Donita Hines to Brennan Crabtree. A failed onside kick and a knee down later, and the game was over.
These two teams play again on May 5 in Nashville. Game is scheduled for 7pm at Lighthouse Christian School, 5100 Blue Hole Rd, Antioch, TN 37013. Titckets are $5 at the gate, kids 12 and under get in free!