Passion Advance to World Championship Game

PSaMP, your official unofficial Passion blogger, has already told you the score. Now its time for the details.

The 49-15 win over the Cleveland Fusion came on Torina Henley's 36th birthday. What a way to celebrate!

One-Two scored twice, and was helped on the rushing attack by Lyndsi Hughes (above) and backup Jenine Suprano.

Lisa Horton, the Sportscenter Top Plays extraordinaire, finished with 9 of 12 passing for 176 yards and three touchdowns. She threw two second-quarter bombs, connecting with Wilma Walton on a 48 yarder and with Lori Johnson on a 53 yarder. And these were after shaking off an early deficit.

Cleveland received the opening kickoff, and used only 9 plays to take an early 7-0 lead. Pittsburgh's defense, which has been nothing short of stellar all season, needed to regroup after dropping the team into a first quarter hole.

"We were a little nervous to start, but we regained our composure. This defense might bend, but it doesn't break," said Melissa Yeck, who lead the team with 12 tackles against the Fusion.

Henley countered with an 11 yard scamper, which tied the score at 7. Hughes put the team up for good with a 5 yard run later in the quarter.

The Passion took a 29-7 lead into halftime and never looked back.

Now its time to look forward.

The season concludes on July 21st in Nashville, Tennessee. There, the Passion will take on the Columbus Comets, who finished the regular season 6-2, in the 2007 World Championship Game. Despite the inferior record, the Comets have only allowed 15 points throughout the playoffs. And they knocked off the Chattanooga Locomotion, who went undefeated before only putting up 8 points against Columbus. The Comets defeated the Oklahoma City Lightning, 9-7 to advance to Nashville.

These playoffs provided a lot of firsts for the Passion. The team had never before beaten the Fusion, which has now happened thrice in the 2007 season. This was the first year in which the team made the playoffs. Ultimately, each playoff win was a first as well. First playoff win, first playoff win streak, first Conference Championship game, first Conference Championship win, first World Championship game...

Now its time for First World Championship win!

PSaMP has been proud to bring you Passion updates throughout the season, and hopes to bring better news come July 21st. I won't go so far as to say the Passion are the team to beat, because I will give tons of credit to the Comets. Looking at the records and win margins, however, and I will say that the Comets are going to have their hands full. The Passion showed early nerves against Cleveland, and that will no doubt be the case in Nashville as well.

Once the game starts, though, the Passion will be there to win.

Passion Defeat Mayhem, Land in Semis

PSaMP, your official unofficial Pittsburgh Passion blogger, is proud to report that the team has won their second consecutive playoff game, with a convincing 34-6 win over the Western Michigan Mayhem.

Lisa Horton stole the show, completing 10 of 18 passes for 195 yards and a touchdown. When she wasn't using her arm, Horton turned to the ground, scoring two rushing touchdowns.

The two other members of the 3-H rushing group of Lyndsi Hughes and Torina Henley, combined for 180 yards on the ground and two scores. Hughes had 13 rushes for 91 yards, while Henley rushed 18 times for 89 yards. Hughes scored both touchdowns.

This end of the bracket's top team, the Mass Mutiny, who went undefeated in the regular season, dropped their playoff game to the Cleveland Fusion, 12-7. This leaves the Passion, the 2 seed, as the highest-seeded team left. By way of the Mutiny's loss, next week's semifinal game against the Fusion will be played at Cupples Stadium. Home field advantage, baby!

Although the team swept the season series versus the Fusion, PSaMP expects a tough game out of Cleveland. They held the top team to only 7 points, so the 3-H group will really have to turn it on.

The best thing about the Passion? The fans. This poster (above) just barely demonstrates the level of enthusiasm present at Cupples. Last week, I saw what could be my favorite fan sign of all time. It read, Torina Henley is my Aunt! How many Duce Staley is my Uncle signs have you seen at Heinz Field over the past few years? Nada. Family, friends and fans of all sorts come to the games, and that fan base will only continue to grow along with the team's success!

Passion End Season, Look to Playoffs

The Passion defeated the Central PA Vipers on Saturday. I've already told you that. However, you finally have a chance to check out the stats for the 77-0 beat-down.

Torina Henley, the best running back in the history of the world, gained the 166 yards necessary to eclipse the 1,000 yard rushing mark for the season. Her line against the Vipes: 11 rushes for 176 yards. She also scored 5 touchdowns on the ground, according to the stats website. Henley finished the season with a 10.4 yards per carry mark. She scored 20 rushing touchdowns for the team.

Lori Burkholder added a rushing touchdown and Lyndsi Hughes scored 2 of her own. Hughes scored 11 rushing TDs this season, while Burkholder added 2 of her own.

Deep threat Wilma Walton grabbed 2 passes for 76 yards. Both catches went for touchdowns. She led the team across the board in receiving stats this season. On only 15 catches, Walton racked up 448 yards and 6 TDs. Her yards per catch average stands at an incredible 29.9 yards per. Her longest catch of the year went for 53 yards.

Lisa Horton went 3 for 7 with 93 yards and a score. Her QB rating for the game was 129.5. Burkholder also completed her only pass attempt for a touchdown. For the season, Horton passed for 13 touchdowns, and her season-long QB average was 122.7. Ridiculous.

The defensive stats are not currently available online, so PSaMP guesses that Olivia Griswold had 7,000 tackles against the Vipers. Ava Nickens probably added 4,500 of her own with 17 or 18 sacks. Seems likely.

The team is seeded #2 in the Northern Conference. Their first round playoff game will be against the 7-1 Erie Illusion at Cupples Stadium. A win would bring another home game for the Passion.

One more thing. June 23rd is officially Pittsburgh Passion Day in the city of Pittsburgh. Honestly! That rules.

Congratulations on a successful season, Pittsburgh! Keep up the determination/dedication and there is nowhere to go but up!

Lyndsi Hughes and the Passion (5-0) Beat Cleveland

Your Pittsburgh Passion kept up their undefeated ways this weekend, beating the Cleveland Fusion for the second time this season. I am always a fan a Pittsburgh team sweeping a season series from a Cleveland team. The Fusion got within 14-12, but were unable to put anymore pressure on the outstanding Passion, who rolled to a 40-18 victory in Cleveland.

The 3H trio, Torina Henley, Lisa Horton and Lyndsi Hughes (above), combined for 252 yards on the ground. Henley carried the ball 21 times for 88 yards, ending her streak of 4 straight games in which her yards per carry mark exceeded the previous game's total. However she did score on a 2 yard run as well as a 6 yard run. Hughes racked up the most rushing yards, gaining 123 yards on only 16 carries.

Pittsburgh started the game by pulling out the bag of tricks. QB Lisa Horton lined up as a wide receiver. She took a toss from backup QB Kara Prentice, before unloading a 59 yard touchdown to Lori Johnson. Somewhere, Mike Mularkey smiles.

Horton finished 10 for 19, with 180 yards, 3 touchdowns and no interceptions. Peyton Manning and his fivehead have nothing on Lisa Horton. She also provided a stellar 4th and 8 conversion with a well-timed scramble.

Olivia Griswold had 12 tackles, which is a standard number for such a great defensive player. Tia Montgomery added 8 tackles. Kim Zubovic had 6 and a fumble recovery. Ava Nickens brought a sack to go with her 6 tackles.

June 2nd, the Passion return to Cupples Stadium to put their undefeated record on the line against the Cincinnati Sizzle. PSaMP is hoping for another win over the Sizzle, which would bring a 2nd consecutive season series sweep. The Passion are really bringing the heat to the 2 Ohio franchises. The Fusion should think about trading up to the 22nd pick to take Brady Quinn. She should help them out a bit.