It took only four plays for the Show Stoppaz to show that they are definitely the team to beat in the women’s intramural flag football league.

After an incomplete pass on the first play, quarterback Kendall Gifford ran 66 yards for a touchdown.

Gifford then returned two interceptions for touchdowns on back-to-back plays, giving the Show Stoppaz a quick 20-0 lead over the Pink Ladies on Sunday afternoon at the Hawkeye Recreation Fields.

With both teams missing several players, the game was played five-on-five, but having a short-handed team didn’t slow down the Show Stoppaz — last years women’s league flag football champion.

Showing no mercy against the freshman Pink Ladies, the Show Stoppaz eventually won, 84-0 by mercy rule, which didn’t come into effect until the two-minute warning during the fourth quarter.

“We didn’t play great, but at least we looked good out there,” Pink Ladies receiver Nicole Kruse joked.

The Show Stoppaz defense brought the blitz on nearly every play, limiting the Pink Ladies to only five first downs. Junior Kelsey Jenn unleashed her inner Michael Strahan, recording one sack and forcing the rotation of Pink Ladies quarterbacks to get rid of the ball quickly.

The constant pressure led to seven interceptions, three apiece by Gifford and junior Caitlyn Josten and one by fellow junior Katelyn McCunniff.

“This was a good team effort all around,” said Gifford, who also threw for six touchdowns.

Despite the considerable defeat, there were some bright spots for the Pink Ladies in their first game.

Kruse lead the Pink Ladies’ receiving corps with four catches and an interception on defense, and Deepa Sheth had two first-down runs, one that gave the Pink Ladies a red-zone scoring opportunity.

“We’ve never played before,” said freshman Diane Latino, who was part of the Pink Ladies’ QB rotation. “We’re here to have some fun, and I think we improved as the game went on.”

Josten lead the Show Stoppaz receivers with four touchdown receptions, and McCunniff added two touchdown catches and two extra-point receptions.

For the Pink Ladies, there was nothing else to do except laugh this game off, move on, and prepare for week two of the four-week season.

“We’ll be better when our matching T-shirts get here,” Pink ladies player Natalie Davis joked.

With only four teams in the women’s league, the Pink Ladies will get another shot at the Show Stoppaz in the final week of the season on Oct. 4.

While the Show Stoppaz appear to be the early season favorite, they aren’t going to take any team for granted.

“There were a lot of good teams in the league last year,” Gifford said. “We don’t know anything about the other two teams. We’re not going to overlook anyone.”

In other women’s league action on Sunday, Blackout defeated Schax, 18-6.

Week two of the women’s league will begin on Sept. 20 with the Show Stoppaz taking on Schax, and the Pink Ladies facing off against Blackout.