After dominating the competition during the regular season, the San Diego Rebellion of the Women’s National Football Conference will be heavy favorites entering Friday’s Western Conference semifinal game against the Los Angeles Legends.
The teams last met April 19, with the Rebellion rolling to a 20-0 victory at Escondido High School. Friday’s game will take place at 8 p.m. in Portland, Ore.
The Rebellion are 6-0 entering the postseason. They’re outscoring their opponents, 201-9.
Still, linebacker Katie Claxton says the Rebellion will take no chances in their rematch against the Legends (3-3).
“We have to be 100% focused on this game,” Claxton said. “We’ve been really intentional about being locked in and understanding what’s on the line. Everything we accomplished during the regular season means nothing if we don’t win this one and advance. That’s the goal: Anything less than a championship would feel like a failure.”
The winner of Friday’s matchup will advance to Saturday’s 7 p.m. conference final against either the Texas Elite Spartans or the Seattle Majestics. On the other side of the playoff bracket, the Washington Prodigy play the Kansas City Glory and the Mississippi Panthers face the Chicago Winds.
The sixth WNFC championship game will be held June 21 in Frisco, Texas.
The Rebellion cruised to the playoffs thanks to a combination of a powerful rushing game and a bruising defense.
Led by running back Kesz Wesley, who rushed for a team-high 482 yards and eight touchdowns on 58 carries, the Rebellion employed a ball control style that chewed up game clock before racking up points. Six different Rebellion ball-carriers scored touchdowns.
The Rebellion’s defense finished with 10 sacks and four forced fumbles. San Diego intercepted seven es, returning two for touchdowns.
Claxton, who attended San Diego State, has a team-high 45 tackles and 10 tackles-for-loss.
The opportunity to play tackle football has been a dream come true for Claxton, who made her debut with the Rebellion in 2021.
“Growing up, we didn’t have access to the sport other than some flag football or just playing with the guys, so it’s been great to be part of a league and a team like this,” Claxton said. “We just love the game and are fortunate to have the chance to play. Now, it’s about going out and winning a championship. That would mean everything for us.”
Legion still alive
Losers of three straight, the San Diego Legion can still make the Major League Rugby playoffs with a win in Saturday’s regular-season finale against Old Glory D.C. and a little help.
The smoothest path for the Legion (7-8) involves winning Saturday night at Torero Stadium and hoping for a Miami win over the Seattle SeaWolves the next day. That combination would leapfrog the Legion over Seattle (7-1-7) in the Western Conference standings and thus snag the fourth and final playoff slot.
The Legion defeated Old Glory D.C. 26-10 when the teams met in Week 3.
