Woman’s tackle football team Oregon Ravens squares off with Seattle

MILWAUKIE Ore. (KPTV) – One week after selling out the season opener at Milwaukie High School, the Oregon Ravens were out to do it again on Saturday night against Seattle.

The Oregon Ravens are one of 16 teams in the Women’s National Football Conference, the WNFC.

Ashlie McDonald said, “Good people bring good people and it’s been that way for us since day one.”

Career work and passion during the week, weekend warriors in helmets and pads.

“It’s awfully cathartic to legally be able to smash the heck out of somebody and not go to jail or even get a flag!” Sarah Cabot said. “There definitely are always some cops, that tends to be, and military or ex-military but there are also a lot of teachers. We probably have four or five teachers, we’ve got a couple of doctors, a doctoral candidate and an actual doctor. It’s really the whole gamut and we range in age from 18 to 48.”

The Ravens set a league attendance record of more than 1,000 ticketed patrons a week ago, who wished to watch it live and in the flesh.

“The significance is felt nationwide,” McDonald said. “I think all of the teams realize that rising tides raise all ships.”

This tackle football rivalry night against Seattle arrived with greater meaning.

Kola Shippentower said, “Being an indigenous person, I’m a natural born athlete, which means I’m a natural born warrior, so I like to fight, I like to compete. Put me on a stage, I’ll show up and show out.”

Week five honored missing and murdered indigenous people.

“Special night, very special. I hold it close to my heart,” Shippentower said. “My brother was killed back in 2017 so everything I do is to show up for him and continue our sober journeys that we started together and show people that we’re still out here.”

The Ravens plan to build the nest as the seasons go on that upward trajectory of opportunity and community.

“We are playing a game to show each other that we care about each other,” McDonald said. “We’re playing a game to show each other that we are here, and we belong here.”

The Ravens have one more regular season home game left and it’s next Saturday for their Mother’s Day celebration. Bring mom to the show out on the turf of Milwaukie High.

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