In September, I highlighted the Southern California Scorpions in one of my columns. The Scorpions are members of the Women’s Professional Football League (WPFL), and, as such, the only remaining professional sporting franchise for women in San Diego.

This past weekend, the newly crowned American Conference Champion Scorpions hosted the Houston Energy, winners of the National Conference, in the WPFL Championships at La Jolla High School.

After the usual pomp and circumstance that precedes a marquee game, the Energy won the coin toss and elected to receive.

A decent return brought the Energy offense to its own 40-yard line, and the team drove methodically down the field. Unable to get any advance by passing to the left, the Energy’s air game on its first drive came exclusively against a weak Scorpion right side. By running off both tackles, the offense moved the ball down field, but seemed stymied at the 8-yard line after three pass plays proved unsuccessful. But a roughing-the-passer penalty on third down gave both a new life, and a new set of downs to the Energy’s opening drive. On the next play, a sweep run to the left scored the Energy a touchdown and put the Scorpions in a position to play catch up.

On their first possession, the Scorpions also enjoyed excellent field position, thanks to a great return off a line-drive kick-off. The Scorpion offense used veteran running back Desiree Weimann, who found some running lanes up the middle and off the left tackle. The first few plays of the possession were methodical and effective, putting the Scorpions inside the Energy’s 30. But, an interception of veteran SoCal quarterback Melissa Gallegos ended the possession and gave the Energy offense a new opportunity.

The first touchdown for the Energy, however, would be its last. It stalled on the next drive and was forced to punt. Following another good special teams return, Gallegos and the team marched downfield again, and instead of a red-zone turnover, she dropped back, pump-faked, and handed the ball off to a wide receiver on the first leg of a double-reverse that led to the Scorpions’ first score of the game.

Tied at 7-all, the game became a war of attrition, with each offense struggling to advance following timely defensive adjustments. Finally, however, the Scorpions scored another touchdown, and topped the Energy 14-7.

The win makes the six-year-old Scorpions San Diego’s first professional football champions.

But they were by no means a lock headed into the contest.

The Scorpions entered the game road-tested underdogs, and Houston finished with a better regular-season record.

The Scorpions had to fight just to make it to the playoffs, and then endured a grueling road schedule that took them to Los Angeles just days after the San Diego wildfires, and to New York, to play a team that had routed them earlier in the regular season.

At the end of a successful season, the Scorpions thank their fans and sponsors, of course, but are dually impressed with the team’s accomplishment.

Jody Taylor, the team’s general manager, said in an earlier interview that the team had come close before, losing in the conference championships the last two years to the Dallas Stars. This year’s coaching change was specifically aimed at getting one game deeper into the playoffs, for a shot at the title. They got one game deeper, and they won it. Mission accomplished.

Arguably, it’s not often you get the chance to do something really good for someone, especially someone very deserving.

This is one of those times.

Shirley Linke, a longtime member of America’s Finest City Softball League (AFCSL), lost everything in October’s wildfires. Some of her friends are organizing a fund-raiser this weekend to benefit Shirley.

On Saturday, Nov. 11, visit Urban Mo’s from 7-11 p.m. The fund-raiser faire will include a beer bust and raffles. The organizers are asking that any donations be in the form of gift cards to Mervyns, JCPenney, Costco, Target and Wal-Mart. Shirley is also a huge music fan and lost her entire collection of LPs. Anyone wanting to help replenish those is more than welcome to bring any LPs they can part with to the bar.

I’ve only met Shirley a few times, and it was only briefly. I doubt she’d even remember me, but I know the work she does for the league, and I can only imagine how devastating this kind of loss must be.

Please help her out. Visit Urban Mo’s on Saturday night and do something really good for someone who really deserves it.