Cleveland Fusion Explained

The Cleveland Fusion is a women's professional American football team based in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. They play in the Women's Football Alliance. The Fusion played in the National Women's Football Association from their inception in 2002 until 2008. Home games are played at Mustang Stadium at Maple Heights High School.

History

The Cleveland Fusion were founded in 2002.[1] [2] They joined the Women's Football Alliance in 2009 after seven seasons in the National Women's Football Association.[3]

The team used to play at Bedford High School's Bearcat Stadium, as well as at Byers Field in Parma, Ohio.[4] A number of players have been drawn from Cleveland-area colleges, including Case Western Reserve University.

T.J. Monachino took over the team before the 2017 season.[5]

Multiple organizations have praised the Fusion for promoting gay pride and breaking down gender roles.[6] [7]

Season-by-season results

|-| colspan="6" align="center" | Cleveland Fusion (NWFA)|-|2002 || 6 || 3 || 0 || 2nd Great Lakes || Lost League Quarterfinal (Massachusetts) |-|2003 || 7 || 3 || 0 || 2nd Northern Great Lakes || Won Northern Conference Quarterfinal (Baltimore)
Lost Northern Conference Semifinal (Detroit)|-|2004 || 3 || 5 || 0 || 4th Northern Great Lakes || --|-|2005 || 5 || 3 || 0 || 10th Northern || --|-|2006 || 8 || 2 || 0 || 1st Northern North Central || Won League Wild Card (Philadelphia)
Lost League Quarterfinal (Oklahoma City) |-|2007 || 8 || 3 || 0 || 3rd Northern Central || Won Northern Conference Quarterfinal (Connecticut)
Won Northern Conference Semifinal (Massachusetts)
Lost Northern Conference Championship (Pittsburgh)|-|2008 || 5 || 3 || 0 || 2nd Northern Central || --|-| colspan="6" align="center" | Cleveland Fusion (WFA)|-|2009 || 4 || 4 || 0 || 3rd National Mid-Atlantic || --|-|2010 || 6 || 3 || 0 || 2nd National North Central || Lost National Conference Quarterfinal (St. Louis)|-|2011 || 5 || 3 || 0 || 2nd National Mid-Atlantic || --|-|2012 || 2 || 6 || 0 || 2nd National Mideast || --|-|2013 || 9 || 1 || 0 || 1st National North Central || Won National Conference Wild Card (West Michigan)
Lost National Conference Quarterfinal (Chicago)|-|2014 || 7 || 3 || 0 || 2nd National Northeast || Won National Conference Wild Card (Indy)
Lost National Conference Quarterfinal (Boston)|-|2015 || 6 || 3 || 0 || 2nd National Mid-Atlantic || Lost National Conference Quarterfinal (Chicago)|-|2016 || 4 || 5 || 0 || 6th National || Lost National Conference Quarterfinal (Boston)|-!Totals || 85 || 50 || 0|colspan="2"| (including playoffs)

[8] [9]

2009

Season Schedules

DateOpponentHome/AwayResult
April 18Kentucky KarmaHomeWon 38-14
April 25Pittsburgh ForceHomeLost 28-34
May 9Columbus CometsAwayLost 12-30
May 16Kentucky KarmaAwayLost 12-20
May 30Pittsburgh ForceAwayWon 34-16
June 6Columbus CometsHomeLost 7-20
June 13Cincinnati SizzleHomeWon 36-18
June 27Cincinnati SizzleAwayWon 48-14

2010

Season Schedules

DateOpponentHome/AwayResult
April 10Toledo ReignAwayWon 18-7
April 17Kentucky KarmaAwayWon 54-6
April 24Pittsburgh ForceHomeWon 60-3
May 1Detroit Dark AngelsHomeWon 39-12
May 8West Michigan MayhemAwayLost 0-55
May 15Toledo ReignHomeWon 62-0
June 5Detroit Dark AngelsAwayWon 34-14
June 19West Michigan MayhemHomeLost 14-66
June 26St. Louis Slam (National Conference Quarterfinal)HomeLost 23-50

2011

Season Schedules

DateOpponentHome/AwayResult
April 2Columbus CometsAwayLost 13-16
April 16Pittsburgh PassionHomeLost 8-26
April 30Erie IllusionHomeWon 50-0
May 7Pittsburgh ForceAwayWon 54-0
May 14Columbus CometsHomeWon 16-6
May 21Erie IllusionAwayWon 50-0
June 4Pittsburgh ForceHomeWon 76-0
June 11Pittsburgh PassionAwayLost 0-42

2012

Season schedule

DateOpponentHome/AwayResult
April 14West Michigan MayhemHomeLost 7-23
April 21Pittsburgh ForceHomeWon 33-6
April 28Detroit Dark AngelsAwayLost 6-14
May 5Pittsburgh PassionAwayLost 0-49
May 12Pittsburgh ForceAwayWon 14-6
May 19Chicago ForceHomeLost 0-48
June 2Columbus CometsAwayLost 0-22
June 9Detroit Dark AngelsHome Lost 14-17

2013

Season schedule

DateOpponentHome/AwayResult
April 13Derby City DynamiteHomeWon 44-0
April 20Toledo ReignAwayWon 36-6
April 27Derby City DynamiteAwayWon 40-0
May 4Central MarylandHomeWon 42-0
May 11Cincinnati SizzleAwayWon 47-6
May 18Toledo ReignHomeWon 50-0
June 1Cincinnati SizzleHomeWon 55-6
June 8Central MarylandAwayWon 48-0

2014

Season schedule

DateOpponentHome/AwayResult
April 5Columbus CometsHomeWon 27-7
April 19Boston MilitiaAwayLost 7-47
April 26Indy CrashHomeWon 7-0
May 3Boston MilitiaHomeLost 7-48
May 10Cincinnati SizzleAwayWon 71-0
May 17Toledo ReignAwayWon 46-0
May 31Columbus CometsAwayWon 23-12
June 7West Michigan MayhemHomeWon 33-8

2015

Season schedule

DateOpponentHome/AwayResult
April 11Central Maryland SeahawksAwayWon 35-0
April 18Columbus CometsHomeWon 49-0
April 25Indy CrashHomeWon 35-0
May 9Columbus CometsAwayWon 47-6
May 16Boston RenegadesHomeLost 20-24
May 30Detroit Dark AngelsAwayWon 35-0
June 6DC DivasAwayLost 7-27
June 13West Michigan MayhemHomeWon 42-12

References

Notes and References

  1. News: CWRU Alumni hit gridiron for Cleveland Fusion. 2012-04-06. The Observer. https://web.archive.org/web/20180531181304/http://observer.case.edu/cwru-alumni-hit-gridiron-for-cleveland-fusion/. 2018-05-31. en-US.
  2. News: North Royalton women at forefront of Cleveland Fusion fever: Royalton Revue. Kedzi. Mike. 2010-04-22. cleveland.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20180531181518/https://www.cleveland.com/sunstarcourier/index.ssf/2010/04/north_royalton_women_at_forefr.html. 2018-05-31. en-US.
  3. News: Cleveland's New Football Revolution. Watson. Lex. 2018-04-14. PressureLife. 2018-05-31. en-US.
  4. News: Gridiron Girl. Bowen. Chuck. 2007-10-22. Cleveland Magazine. https://web.archive.org/web/20180531181108/https://clevelandmagazine.com/in-the-cle/sports/articles/gridiron-girl. 2018-05-31. en.
  5. News: Fusion will put best foot forward in 2017. Kleps. Kevin. 2017-01-08. Crain's Cleveland Business. https://web.archive.org/web/20180531181753/http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20170108/NEWS/170109859/fusion-will-put-best-foot-forward-in-2017. 2018-05-31.
  6. News: The Perfect Fusion of Football and Pride. 2017-05-22. Cleveland Pride. https://web.archive.org/web/20180531182003/http://www.clevelandpride.org/home/fusion-football-pride/. 2018-05-31. en-US.
  7. News: Best Gender-Bending Sports Team: Cleveland Fusion. 2006. Cleveland Scene. https://web.archive.org/web/20180531182139/https://www.clevescene.com/cleveland/best-gender-bending-sports-team/BestOf?oid=1536484. 2018-05-31. en.
  8. Book: Rozendaal. Neal. The Women's Football Encyclopedia. 20 January 2016. 978-0-9970637-0-7. 164.
  9. Web site: Rozendaal. Neal. The Women's Football Encyclopedia - 2016 Addendum. nealrozendaal.com. 22 January 2017.