When the Columbus Vanguards visit the Orlando Anarchy in the Women’s Football Alliance Division III Eastern Conference final Saturday night, the Vanguards will be decided underdogs.
The Anarchy are the defending Division III national champions and are ranked No. 1 in the Massey Rankings. The Vanguards are ranked No. 9.
“Right now, we’re the underdogs, but I don’t think these ladies would have it any other way,” Vanguards coach Kenny Haworth said. “They like being listed as the underdogs. I think they realized that during our Toledo game during the regular season that being an underdog is not a bad thing. We had a 12 percent chance, according to the Massey Rankings, to win that game, and we came out on top 47-7.”
The Vanguards, who advanced with a 14-0 regional win against the Maine Mayhem June 15 at Columbus North, have the No. 3-ranked defense in Division III. The Anarchy have the No. 1-ranked offense and No. 2-ranked defense.
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“They like to throw the ball,” Haworth said. “That is one thing that they do very well. They have a couple great athletes. I’ve been watching film ever since the end of our last game, making sure we take care of their playmakers and working with (offensive coordinator) Drew (Parsley) to make sure we have a good game plan.”
The Vanguards will be missing one of their key players. Running back-strong safety Tyra McGrady, a former Columbus East track standout and national team rugby player, has some fractures in her hand after getting it caught in a facemask in the win against Maine.
“She said she had some issues prior, and that game was just the icing on the cake,” Haworth said. “It broke her heart. She sent us all a message. I’m hoping she can heal, and if we move to the next level, I hope she can join us.”
Haworth said LaEssence Houston Buckner, the other starting running back, will fill in for McGrady at strong safety. Houston Bucker, who scored both touchdowns for the Vanguards against Maine, took a facemask to the forehead after her helmet came off while carrying the ball, but she was able to finish that game.
“She feels like she can pretty much with a couple breaks go the whole way,” Haworth said.
The regional game against Maine was marred by a pair of lightning delays totaling 4 1/2 hours. Parsley, who lives in Shelbyville, delayed a vacation to Myrtle Beach so he could coach in that game, but had to leave during the second lightning delay.
Parsley had negotiated with his girlfriend to push the vacation back a day, and since he was planning to propose to her at the beach, he didn’t want to make her wait any longer to leave. He ended up proposing last week, and she said “Yes.”
Saturday’s game will be at 7 p.m. at Winter Haven High School. The coaches and most of the players are leaving this morning and plan to stop for the night in Valdosta, Georgia. A couple of them, including Haworth’s daughter, free safety Brittney Langley-Haworth, have to work through tonight and will fly to Orlando on Saturday.
The Vanguards, who are in their second year, played their home games at Knightstown High School until securing North for their regional game. Following that game, as the clock approached 1 a.m., North athletics director Jeff Hester congratulated Haworth and told him to consider that their home field going forward.
“I’m so happy about that,” Haworth said. “He said as long as the field is available, we should consider that our home. I would love to see Columbus watch these ladies play.”
