The D.C. Divas are headed to the Independent Women's Football League Super Bowl courtesy of Tara Stephenson.

The Divas' wide receiver caught two touchdown passes, and in the final minute she returned a kickoff 72 yards for a touchdown to lift D.C. to a 27-21 victory against the Boston Militia in the Eastern Conference title game on Saturday night in Somerville, Mass.

The Divas (10-0) rallied from a 14-0 deficit and advanced to the Super Bowl, scheduled for July 25 in Austin, Texas. D.C. will face the Kansas City Tribe, which beat the Chicago Force for the IWFL Western Conference championship on Saturday.

It'll be the second championship game appearance in four seasons for the Divas, who play their home games at the Prince George's Sports & Learning Complex in Landover. In 2006, they won the league title in the National Women's Football Association. The following season, the team switched leagues, joining the IWFL.

Saturday night, the Divas fell behind 14-0, but responded with three unanswered touchdowns. Running back Okiima Pickett got the Divas on the board with a 7-yard scoring run. Quarterback Allyson Hamlin connected with Stephenson on 16- and 19-yard touchdown passes to give D.C. a 19-14 lead midway through the fourth quarter.

Boston nearly secured the victory when quarterback Allison Cahill's 30-yard touchdown run with about a minute remaining gave the Militia a 21-19 lead. But Stephenson returned the ensuing kickoff 72 yards for a touchdown and then ran in the two-point conversion.

As Boston drove on its final possession, Divas' linebacker Trigger McNair sacked Cahill, and Kathryn Hemlock sealed the victory when she intercepted a Cahill pass near midfield.

"I thought we played well, but Boston was moving the chains and staying alive," said Divas coach Keith Howard. "Boston deserves a lot of credit. They fought hard. Tara and I have a great relationship. I always tell them to play every play like it's your last play. She runs down on kicks, punts, we run her at wing on the two-point conversion. She played every single play like she won't ever play again. I'll take clips of this game and show it to people. She had an injury going into the game and she tweaked it in the pregame. It was a total team effort."

Howard said the team watched film this week and will practice tonight before beginning preparations for the trip to Austin for the championship game.

Howard credited his coaching staff, many of which came over with him from his days as the head coach at Crossland High School.

"We've got to win one more football game," Howard said. "That's how coaches are measured, by winning championships. I'm not going to celebrate this win. We still have another big game ahead. I wish we could play the game at home because I wish the fans could see the effort and dedication that these women have. It's been a wonderful ride."

E-mail Ted Black at tblack@gazette.net