During any football season, a team will find itself dealing with early season struggles. Whether it’s committing turnovers, getting stops on defense, or even on special teams, getting into a rhythm takes time. As the Northern Virginia Rampage are finding out, those challenges can take time to figure out.

Yesterday, the Rampage braved the elements as they took on the Franklin County Tigers in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania. Dealing with the snow and blustery conditions made it difficult for both offenses to gain traction, and despite a standout performance from the defense, the offense couldn’t muster enough points as they lost 12-6, falling to 0-2 on the season. The lone touchdown was scored by Jarrod Denham.

The defense, led by Ski Hall’s 12 tackles, forced five turnovers and forced continuous pressure on the Tigers throughout the game, giving their offense an opportunity to get the lead and win . However, as has been the case, the offense led by QB Kevin Stringer turned the ball over six times, including during the end of the game when he was intercepted outside of the end zone on their final possession.

Head Coach Jason Rock talked about how the team is focused on the goals ahead. “We are a first-year team in the toughest league, maybe anywhere, definitely in the region and we are taking first year lumps,” he said on the team’s Facebook page. “I believe in these guys. We just have to continue to fight together.”

The road trip continues as the Rampage travel to Virginia Beach to take on the Virginia Beach Cyclones on April 2.