Post by Banana Cat on Jul 7, 2011 23:40:23 GMT -5
www.lfl360.com/articles/los-angeles-mix-fueling-three-peat-push/
L.A. TEMPTATION: MIX OF OLD AND NEW FUELING THREE-PEAT PUSH
The Los Angeles Temptation won the first two Lingerie Football League titles and have no intention of resting on their laurels.
The franchise is bringing back the heart of its roster, with quarterback Ashley Salerno and running back and receiver Amber Reed highlighting the offensive formation, and linebacker Monique Gaxiola the focal point of the Temptation’s stingy defense.
Other stars include Melissa Marguiles, Gegi Van De Walker, Amirah Leonard and third-year center Natalie Jahnke, among others on this deep and talented roster.
According to first-year head coach Chris Salerno, Ashley’s father, “Our returning players are going to be critical to our game, and Monique Gaxiola is returning from a severe knee injury that hampered her all last year. She’s back and she’s a dominant player, mainly on defense. Amber Reed is a returning player, but she actually played for San Diego last year and she’s a threat on both sides of the ball. She was outstanding on defense. I’m not sure I’m going to put her in the same position, but she’s going to be a go-to player on the offense as a running back and possibly as a receiver. She runs the ball real aggressively, and she’s very fast.”
Coach Salerno says that newcomers will dramatically strengthen the Temptation.
“We have a couple of new players,” Salerno says. “Amirah Leonard came late last season and really didn’t get any playing time, but during training camp she was outstanding – she’s very strong, very fast and very physical.”
Ashley Salerno, the Lingerie Bowl MVP last season in her first year, is as bullish on
the team’s chances as her father.“We’re going for a three-peat,” Ashley says. “Obviously, I want to repeat what we did last year. For me, it’s keeping the interceptions to a minimum, to zero. Just move the chains and throw a lot of touchdowns.”
Ashley’s also excited about her new teammates.
“We have a lot of new athletes that definitely raise the bar. Last season was great; it was a real good experience. Sometimes when I look back on it now, it’s kind of funny because I wouldn’t want to do it all over again because I wouldn’t want to take anything away from it, but we definitely had the football gods looking down on us and giving us some love. We played really hard and everything, but I couldn’t believe that we pulled that out.”
Amber Reed, who joined the Temptation late last season, says that playing Lingerie Football is the most fun she’s ever had.
“It was awesome, and I’m so excited for this year,”Reed says. “I’ve wanted to play
football my whole life, and I played with my brothers. My dad said I’d be so good because I just think ahead, and I know how to see things, and, anticipate, and stuff like that – I’m really aggressive and fast. I play receiver, safety, running back. I look forward to just killing everybody. I look forward to scoring on every play. I look forward to holding the other team to 10 points or less. I want to try to do a repeat… a three-peat.”
The players say that their opponents this season will have to go through Los Angeles to get to the championship game.
Most league observers will likely agree.
The Los Angeles Temptation won the first two Lingerie Football League titles and have no intention of resting on their laurels.
The franchise is bringing back the heart of its roster, with quarterback Ashley Salerno and running back and receiver Amber Reed highlighting the offensive formation, and linebacker Monique Gaxiola the focal point of the Temptation’s stingy defense.
Other stars include Melissa Marguiles, Gegi Van De Walker, Amirah Leonard and third-year center Natalie Jahnke, among others on this deep and talented roster.
According to first-year head coach Chris Salerno, Ashley’s father, “Our returning players are going to be critical to our game, and Monique Gaxiola is returning from a severe knee injury that hampered her all last year. She’s back and she’s a dominant player, mainly on defense. Amber Reed is a returning player, but she actually played for San Diego last year and she’s a threat on both sides of the ball. She was outstanding on defense. I’m not sure I’m going to put her in the same position, but she’s going to be a go-to player on the offense as a running back and possibly as a receiver. She runs the ball real aggressively, and she’s very fast.”
Coach Salerno says that newcomers will dramatically strengthen the Temptation.
“We have a couple of new players,” Salerno says. “Amirah Leonard came late last season and really didn’t get any playing time, but during training camp she was outstanding – she’s very strong, very fast and very physical.”
Ashley Salerno, the Lingerie Bowl MVP last season in her first year, is as bullish on
the team’s chances as her father.“We’re going for a three-peat,” Ashley says. “Obviously, I want to repeat what we did last year. For me, it’s keeping the interceptions to a minimum, to zero. Just move the chains and throw a lot of touchdowns.”
Ashley’s also excited about her new teammates.
“We have a lot of new athletes that definitely raise the bar. Last season was great; it was a real good experience. Sometimes when I look back on it now, it’s kind of funny because I wouldn’t want to do it all over again because I wouldn’t want to take anything away from it, but we definitely had the football gods looking down on us and giving us some love. We played really hard and everything, but I couldn’t believe that we pulled that out.”
Amber Reed, who joined the Temptation late last season, says that playing Lingerie Football is the most fun she’s ever had.
“It was awesome, and I’m so excited for this year,”Reed says. “I’ve wanted to play
football my whole life, and I played with my brothers. My dad said I’d be so good because I just think ahead, and I know how to see things, and, anticipate, and stuff like that – I’m really aggressive and fast. I play receiver, safety, running back. I look forward to just killing everybody. I look forward to scoring on every play. I look forward to holding the other team to 10 points or less. I want to try to do a repeat… a three-peat.”
The players say that their opponents this season will have to go through Los Angeles to get to the championship game.
Most league observers will likely agree.