by Brent New

Writer for and on behalf of the City of Glendale

Following a season where they gave up way too many second chances to their opponents — almost on a weekly basis — the Glendale Raptors got the best of its kind en route to their first Women’s Premier League national championship.

The Raptors beat the Twin Cities Amazons 16-15 in the women’s finals, two days after their loss in the semifinals was negated by a disqualification.

Hannah Stolba was named the MVP with 11 points in the finale; none bigger than her penalty boot that gave the Raptors their first lead of the match in the second half. And her team was able to hold off a furious attack from the WPL reigning champions down the stretch to preserve the win in Marietta, Ga.

None of it, however, would have been possible if the Atlanta Harlequins weren’t forced to forfeit after they knowingly used an ineligible player during their 13-7 win over the Raptors in the WPL semifinals.

“There were conflicting emotions within our team,” captain Laura Miller said. “There were people who were excited. There were people who felt we didn’t deserve it because we had lost.”

The Raptors would use it as motivation toward a goal that was now all the bigger and more important.

And as a sign of support and respect (and a sign of complete disregard for hygiene), they chose to wear the socks of Harlequins players in the championship game against the Amazons.

“It was tough for me personally because I was told before Friday’s kickoff that the Harlequins had forfeited, but they would appeal. It messed with my head,” said Michael Fealey, the first-year coach of the Raptors. “In any case, they outplayed us. They played their hearts out. And they deserved to be represented in the final, at least in that small way.”

Atlanta’s center Patty Jervey defended her team’s choice to play an ineligible player on her personal Facebook page.

“We were told going into today’s match that if we played the player, we would forfeit,” Jervey wrote. “I understand the rules, and for the most part, choose to abide. But I also understand that rules are usually created in response to something unfair or unjust or unbecoming.

“…Moreover, we believe that in CIPP’ing the player two days after the arbitrary deadline did not give us an unfair advantage over any team in the league.”

Compelling thought. Didn’t matter.

Stolba stepped over two defenders late in the championship game and dove in for the try to give the Raptors a 16-10 lead, before Kaelene Lundstrum scored on a try with two minutes remaining in regulation time to cut the deficit to 16-15.

The Raptors, who lost in the first round last season, and came up short in the finals the year before, stuffed the Amazons for the rest of regulation and held firm in more than six minutes of extra time to hoist the cup.

It ended a season of mostly good and some bad. A season where they started fast, stumbled late, and finished on top.

It ended a season where fortune favored the resilient.

“It feels like a massive weight off our shoulders, like we finally healed and came together after a turbulent season at times,” Fealey said.” I’m a very happy man right now to say the least.”

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