Two weeks into the 2022 Women’s Football Alliance season, the Minnesota Vixen have used their trademark stifling defense and steamroller offense to outscore their opponents 96-6 and set themselves up well going into a bye week. The St. Louis Slam were Minnesota’s most recent victims last Saturday night at Edina’s Kuhlman Stadium despite a fast start for the Slam that featured a Keyonna Smith interception on Minnesota’s opening drive, followed three plays later by an 81-yard pitch and catch down the left sideline from Jamie Gaal to Danielle Price. But after that initial St. Louis spark, Minnesota played lights out the rest of the night, blocking the ensuing PAT kick and holding the Slam scoreless the rest of the way to a 41-6 victory in front of a good crowd on a cold April night. It was the first time Minnesota had beaten St. Louis in franchise history. Grace Cooper roared back into action after missing most of week 1, churning out 26 carries for 220 yards and four, yes four, touchdowns. Rookie receiver Jackie Radford hauled in six catches for 49 yards and got her griddy on with her first career touchdown, a 4-yard strike from Erin Kelley. Kelley would finish 8 of 18 for 58 yards. St. Louis did threaten to score again near the end of the game with a 12-play drive that got all the way to the Minnesota 6, but the Vixen secondary dug deep to repeatedly deny the Slam’s red zone passes. Along with the near shutout, the Vixen defense held the Slam to 124 total yards and continued their streak of QB poaching with JoDee Williams’ 34-yard interception return of rookie Jaimi Salone’s tipped ball. Speaking of rookies, the entire Vixen class of 2022 is all over the stat sheet so far for this year’s WFA campaign. On defense, cornerbacks Allie Dockendorf, Courtney Cullen and AJ Cooper have helped shut down multiple pass attempts, and safety Megan Dixon is displaying extreme ball hawk tendencies including a 56-yard pick six against the Iowa Phoenix in week one. Finland’s Jonna Touvinen, although not new to women’s tackle football, is looking right at home in her Vixen gear running the alley and returning punts. Jaimi Salone, a former thrower for Stanford University, has been terrorizing opponents with 7 combined tackles, three for a loss, and a pass deflection. Quarterback Erin Kelley and Jackie Radford connected Saturday night for what looks to be the first of many touchdowns, and Radford, Olivia Keske, Sam Winter, and Grace McClure-Johnson have been putting on a clinic in downfield run blocking. And the trenches would not be complete without Brooklynn Byrd, Nicole Hankton, Jess Pett and Kat Conway, who all are also making solid plays on special teams. The Vixen are off this week, but will not rest easy as they head to Reno on April 30 for a new challenge in the Nevada Storm, whose hard charging running game put up more than 300 yards in a season-opening 28-7 victory over the Mile High Blaze. The Storm are playing their first year in WFA Pro after winning back to back championships in D2 and D3 as well as doubling their roster size from 2021. For more Vixen highlights and news, visit our Facebook page and our broadcast partner Town Square Television.