With a brown ponytail hanging out of her football helmet, Stephanie Campbell was the first to run on the field. She was followed, in no particular order, by Tequella Morris, a 5-foot-2, 105-pound running back and mother and Linda Pankey, a 5-9, 345-pound lineman who works in health care.

Each of the Kansas City Krunch players tapped teammate and mechanic Sara Combs' bald head on the way out to the Krunch's first-ever playoff game Saturday at Harmon High. The stands were a little more than half-full, mostly with friends, family and significant others.

“I think I'm more excited than the players,” said owner Cheryl Fields. “All week I'm telling them, ‘Stay focused, stay focused.' But I can't stay focused.”

That excitement culminated when the Krunch scored the go-ahead two-point conversion with 20 seconds left in a 20-19 win over the Nashville Dream. The Krunch will play a second-round playoff game in Oklahoma City in two weeks.

The atmosphere was roughly equivalent to that of a typical high school game — save the student sections and cheerleaders. Many of the fans knew each other, and some even wore Krunch jerseys and T-shirts. The concession stand sold popcorn and nachos, and there was even a furry mascot, Krunchy, making its way through the crowd.

Those who have been around since the Krunch's inception last year said the crowds were slowly but surely increasing as word spread around town about the women's tackle football team.

Nobody is paid. Jesse Mack was a stay-at-home dad before joining the Krunch as an offensive coordinator last year. When people find out about his gig (Mack took over as head coach this season), it's almost always the same reaction.

“The first thing is they have this shock of, ‘Oh, my gosh, really?' ” Mack said. “Then they ask, ‘Do they tackle?' But when they come out, and they usually do come out, they get excited about it. It's not powder puff. It's not little league.”

Mack compares his team's level of play to that of a small-college men's team — though physically it's closer to a small high school squad.

There is good: Micki Jones made two nice, over-the-shoulder interceptions and quarterback A.J. Thomas found Dorothy Haughton on a 57-yard touchdown pass.

And there is bad: Passes by both teams were usually off target, many of the open-field moves slow, and the snap on the Krunch's first extra point landed three feet shy of the holder.

Put it this way: If you come with preconceived notions about women playing football, you'll see enough to keep from coming back. If you come with the right mind-set, you'll find enough to cheer about.

Either way, those running the Krunch have done well with limited resources. The team's new, all-red uniforms are complete with the logo on front and player's name on back. The helmets are the new-age Riddell Revolutions used by many major college and NFL teams. On road trips — the longest was 11 hours to Denton, Texas — the team charters one of those big buses with televisions.

That attention to detail, the players said, ensures that the Krunch will only grow in the coming years.

“Our coaches and our owner take care of everything for us,” said Combs, a fullback. “Even personal problems, like if there's a death in your family, they're always there for you. It's just a great environment.”