Torkham Flag Football League
Predators 10, Hit Squad 4 Friday night's game was the second game played on the new field. Again, it did not help the Hit Squad any better as they lost their fifth game, moving them one step closer to not winning a game all season. However, the Hit Squad is in the right league not to win a game. In any other league their season would be a huge disapointment, but in the TFL, with only four teams, every team makes the play-offs. So each team has an equal chance at the championship. The Torkham bowl, expected to be played on Christmas Day, could be anybody's for the taking. The Hit Squad still has not found their quarterback as five interceptions were thrown. Hull took four of them, while Martin snatched the fifth. The ten points the Predators scored were spread around the team, Willard and Banicki each scored a touchdown a piece, and Patton still having the most with four. Martin and Hull also scored a few touchdowns. The first trade in the TFL was between these two teams, but neither team played their traded player. McIntosh did not show up to play, while Patton (Predators, TC) sat Verner against his former team and Swenny was injured. In the trade rules it states that if a player plays in a game with in the 24 hours that (s)he is traded, that game is under review if the trade does not go through. The trade was final Friday night at 8:00. With only one more game for each of these two teams to play, both teams gear up for the play-offs. The Hit Squad and Predators are the first two teams to reach five games while the other two teams sit on three games a piece. Demons 10, Hit Squad 2 The second game in a row a team was held to only two points. A new playing surface and in an overcast, rainy day the Demons continued to play well. "I liked the new field," Jennings (Team Captain, Hit Squad) said about the trial run near the b-huts, "It wasn't anything with the field, we just had a lot of broken coverage and balls that should have been caught." There was nothing said, however, about the seven interceptions that were thrown. Inconsistent quarterbacks has shown to be a major problem for the Hit Squad, having a total of 15 INTs in the past three games. Their quarterback completion rate for Thursday nights game was 21/38. This of course is not completely on the quarterback as there were a lot of balls that should have been caught, but were not. The Demons looked the same as they did the two games they played on Thanksgiving. Their defense stepped it up with seven interceptions and held the team to only two touchdowns. The early free agent, Cordova, with an interception also scored two touchdowns and confirmed a good pick up for the Demons. West remained at quarterback the whole game and again tossed for 10 touchdowns. With the dirt field the game was a little more fast paced and must have gained some confidence for some of the receivers as they found themselves on the ground and a little more aggressive for the ball. "[The new field] makes the game a lot faster and more entertaining," Marcoux (Demons) said after the game. In addition to the already solid team, Miller (who declared free agency after resigning from his refereeing position) made his debut Thursday night. He had a couple of big tackles and a touchdown to begin his career in the TFL. In the end it looks like the end story is: the Hit Squad needs to work on their team chemistry and the Demons seem to be doing well on their own. "Minor tweaks and changes need to be made still, but I believe we're making big strides," Jennings said after congratulating Peterka on his win. Predators 10, Hit Squad 7 With one game left before half of the season (six game season) is complete, places are being set. The Predators took control of third place last night as they beat the Hit Squad in a battle for third place. Somebody had to be 0-3 at the end of the day and everyone on both sides of the field were trying their best to make sure it wasn't them. The game started out with the Predators quickly up 2-0. It took quick score on the first drive and an interception by Hull (5) to start a drive that ended in a touchdown, to put them up by two. Brisky left the game for a few minutes of the game to tend to some business and the Hit Squad took advantage scoring twice during the couple of minutes Brisky was missing in action. During that time, Verner returned an interception for a touchdown. Durkin took his turn of intercepting the ball in their own end zone, the very next drive, returning it for touchdown. With the Hit Squad only down by one, 7-6, Brisky came back in. He pitched back to Patton who tucked the ball to run, pulled back and ended up throwing a 55 yard pass to Hull in the end zone to take back the momentum. Chirs lead the Hit Squad on a drive, going for his fifth touchdown, to the Predators end zone. On fourth down the first penalty of the game as thrown and it was a big. Defensive pass interference was called on Strickler for pushing Verner near the end zone. That gave the Hit Squad five chances to make the score. With only three yards to go, the Predators defense bore down and fought, holding them to the fifth down. The Hit Squad managed to pull out their seventh point, a new team record, but held it to only seven. The ball went back and forth several times before the Predators scored their ninth point. With the game 9-7, the new time rule was now a variable. Because of the two and a half hour game between the Predators and Slayers on Thanksgiving, the commissioning committee decided on a two hour time limit to finish the games. The Hit Squad's drive for their eight point was stopped and the Predators tried to move the ball down the field with under ten minutes of play. But time proved to not be a concern because on the fifth down Brisky passed to Patton in the front left corner of the end zone, where Patton managed to squeeze the ball, for his personal and team record setting, sixth touchdown to win the game. Team Captain Comments: Patton on the win: "Its good to get our first win! I think it should have come a little sooner because we let the first two teams of the hook late in those games. A couple of our players are really improving and its fun to watch the progress they are making. Now that we finally put it all together for one win, more will follow!" Jennings on 0-3: "I drafted pretty solid players. Once we learn to work together, we're going to be a pretty solid team." Demons 10, Hit Squad 5 - Thursday, 22-Nov After a two and a half hour game before the Demons and Hit Squad, the Demons made sure the game ended before dark. Compared the 1:00 game (2hrs. 40m), this game (1hr 12m) took place in the blink of an eye. The Hit Squad looked hot coming onto the field with their first two plays. In each of the Hit Squad's first two possessions, they went deep. Once to Verner, once to Durkin, each for a touchdown keeping the score at twos. The game remained tied at four to four for a little while, but after 6 interceptions for Chris (four picked from Peterka alone), the Demons were quickly leading 9-4. Cordova scored his second touchdown of the season after being picked up late on waivers. Marcox also turned out for four touchdowns on the day (between two games). Verner took the offence into fast mode and moved the ball down the field in just a couple minutes having four completed passes out of five, one for the fifth and final point for the Hit Squad. The Demons came back and moved the ball to the three yard line and West ran the ball in, as they did in their first game, on a blitz. Torres first game turned out to be a good one as he scored a touchdown and revealed that his speed is a dangerous weapon in the Hit Squad's arsenal. Notes: Peterka takes the lead on interceptions, 6, passing Hull who has 4. Comments about the game Peterka (TC) on his team: "They're doing great. They're subbing in and out, everyone is getting their touches. I couldn't ask for anything more. Peterka (TC) on whether he thought he'd be 2-0: "Eh, I wasn't sure, but yeah." Verner (first round draft pick) on his team: Simply put: "We need more heart." Slayers 10, Hit Squad 6 - Wednesday, 21-Nov The first game kicked off with few complications and with an exciting atmosphere. With only a couple referees and drastically different rules from the NFL and college, the game had a couple bumps to smooth out. Holding a conference tonight, with all of the teams, seemed to smooth the waters as we move into tomorrow's three games, a Thanksgiving Opening Day. In the first half of tonights game the Slayers took off with the game scoring seven points to the Hit Squad's one. Walson, with two interceptions and two touchdowns, went down with a stained hamstring at about seven points. With one of the Slayers most valuable players out of the picture, the second half was the Hit Squads turn to shine. The score became 5-8 after Swenny returned a 60 yard interception in the end zone, for a touchdown (keep in mind the field's dimensions are only 60x30). Durkin too, connected with a 50 yard pass landing him in the end zone. Though the Hit Squad stayed in the game and fought to the end, their 6 touchdowns couldn't keep up with Nales throwing of 10 touchdowns. Verner completed 4 touchdowns, including one to McFatridge, and also ran one in on a complicated blitz situation. Chris also threw for a touchdown. The females all proved themselves today as well. The medic, Sampson, proved herself after 220 pound Walson landed on her while she pulled off his flag. Wicks also landed on the rough terrain and after she realized her flags weren't pulled proceeded to get up and try for the touchdown, though the rules state once a player is on the ground, the ball is dead. The Slayers used their team wisely as just about everyone had their chance to shine. Webb moved the team down the field with all his receiving catches while Hester caught a handful of touchdowns. Even Copeland participated in the excitement with a touchdown. Over all, the teams both played extremely well for their first time out. Jennings handled his team professionally and did not let his players quit when times were tough, which will pay off if he keeps that style of coaching up. Walson proved himself with a win and will look for another as he takes on the Predators tomorrow. |
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