Hellraisers
League
Football
Contact
Week 2 Games - February 2, 2008
PHOENIX: It was Super Bowl week here in Phoenix and all the hype and excitement from hosting Super Bowl XLII reverberated throughout the city. All the excitement carried into week two of the Phoenix Hellraisers flag football league as the Kobalt Titans played host to the Plazma Playaz in the early game and the Apollos Hitmen visited the Friends Fury for the afternoon game. Both games featured Super Bowl like intensity as competitive streaks flared as each team seemed to always produce at key times. And just like most Super Bowls, the close games led to great conversations at Apollos where everybody went following the final whistle. The conversations even carried over to the following day at Friends where the league hosted a very successful fundraiser. Now, on to the games!
Plazma Playaz - 30, Kobalt Titans - 46
The Kobalt Titans came out trying to do their best impression of the New England Patriots, putting up 46 points in the contest. The Titans offense, under the direction of new quarterback Matt Vaughn, started things off quickly as Vaughn hit Steve Melton on a deep post to jump out to a 7-0 lead after Vaughn ran in the extra point attempt. Not to be outdone, the Playaz quarterback Jared Luna marched his team right down the field effectively using his full field of receivers. Once the Playaz reached within striking distance, Luna showed off his mobility by scrambling for a touchdown to make the score 7-6.
With the Titans back in control of the ball, Vaughn found receivers Brian Miller and Tim Vaughn to move his team down the field. Once Vaughn had his team in Playaz territory, he showed off his quick, elusive, speed by running in for a touchdown to put his team back up by seven, now leading 13-6. Luna once again commanded his offense using his arm to find Playaz receivers Micah Porter, Jared Garduno, and Benjamin Gonzales. However, it was Luna's feet and agility that made many Titan defenders miss his flags on another long scramble for his second running touchdown of the day to cut the Titans lead to 13-12.
On the next drive the Titans tried using very effective clock management as the first half was winding down. The Playaz defense had their hands full as Vaughn kept finding open receivers and is always a threat with his scrambling ability. After running out the clock, Vaughn found his brother Tim for another touchdown score to take their lead to 20-12. With only five plays remaining in the half, the Playaz switched things up at quarterback, moving Luna to receiver and putting Garduno behind center. The switch paid off big as Garduno found Luna over the middle for a long score to take the score to 20-18 at the half.
With the Playaz looking to take their first lead of the game with the ball to start the second half, the Titans defense stepped up. The Playaz drive fizzled and it was the first time all day that either offense was stopped. The Titans used the momentum to break the game open with Matt Vaughn finding his brother Tim on their next two drives to take the score to 32 to 18. Needing to answer quickly, the Playaz Luna found a streaking Justin Hale down the left sideline to make it a one possession game again at 32-24.
However, fatigue began to set in as the Playaz, playing with only 8 players to the Titans 11, began to tire in the second half. As he had done all day, Vaughn once again effectively maneuvered his team down the field, this time finding Matt Strand in the endzone to make the score 39-24. The Playaz, not out of gas yet, moved the ball down the field as Luna hit Gonzales for a score, cutting the Titans lead to 39-30. With the second half coming to a close, Vaughn once again kept it in the family as he found his brother for their third scoring connection of the day making the final score 46-30.
Other notables of the game include two sacks by Matt Vaughn and one sack for Jared Garduno.
Final Stats:
Touchdowns:
Passing (M. Vaughn 6, Luna 2, Garduno 1)
Running (M. Vaughn 1, Luna 2)
Receiving (T. Vaughn 4, Melton 1, Strand 1, Luna 1, Hale 1, Gonzales 1)
Sacks (M. Vaughn 2, Garduno 1)
Apollos Hitmen - 21, Friends Fury - 25
The second game of the day had the Friends Fury playing host to the Apollos Hitmen. Despite the Hitmen having to forfeit the game - as they were missing several players; the game proved to be the closest game of the young season. The Hitmen picked up a few players from the Titans and Playaz to field a very competitive team against the Fury.
Friends quarterback Jim Cook looked early and often to receiver Danny Avena as the two connected on the first drive resulting in a touchdown for Avena as the Fury took the early lead 6-0. The Hitmen came out with a few kinks from not having the chance of playing with each other and dropped a few balls that would have resulted in a first down. The Fury back in control of the ball changed up quarterbacks allowing Mike Graham to show off his arm. Graham quickly followed the tutelage of Cook and found Avena at the front of the endzone. Avena, who quarterbacked the point-after attempt got involved with the scoring again as he found Chris Wilson to make the score 13-0.
Joey Jacinto, the Hitmen quarterback, came out determined to move the ball down the field on the Fury to keep his team in the game. After effectively using his feet to pick up a first down, Jacinto found Aaron Fullerton in the endzone, to cut the lead to 13-7, once again using his feet to score the extra point. Cook, back at quarterback for the Fury, got several different receivers involved on his drive down the field, eventually finding Graham to increase the lead to 19-7. With time winding down in the first half, the Hitmen's final drive came up short of a score.
Playing together for a half clearly helped the Hitmen as they came out on the opening drive of the second half with Jacinto hitting Luna (from the Playaz) and Strand (from the Titans). The drive ended with Jacinto connecting with Strand for a touchdown and again with Fullerton for the extra point to make the score 19-14. The Fury let Avena try his hand at quarterback once again on the next drive. The Hitmen took advantage of the young quarterback as Jacinto made a great toe-tapping interception on the sideline.
Changing things up on their own side of the ball, the Hitmen let Luna take over the quarterbacking duties. Luna made good use of the turnover and found Strand in the endzone for the touchdown and followed that up by finding Jacinto for the point-after as the Hitmen took their first lead of the game at 21-19.
The Fury, back on offense, put Cook back in control and let him show his effectiveness once again. Cook found several different receivers including Manny Salazar and Shawn Rea, ending the drive with a touchdown connection to Rea, putting the Fury back on top 25-21. Battling the clock and the Fury defense, the Hitmen offense were on a do-or-die mission to score. Luna once again took command at quarterback, connecting with Strand, Jacinto, and Steve Griswold to move the ball to the Fury 30 yard line. Playing a bend-but-don't-break defense, the Fury held the Hitmen to a long 4th down; a first down would give the Hitmen four plays to score. The Fury defense held tough as they rushed two and got pressure on Luna who barely managed to launch the ball downfield. Luckily for the Fury the ball fell incomplete and they were able to kneel the clock out to win the game 25-21.
Other notables of the game include a sack by Steve Griswold.
Final Stats:
Touchdowns:
Passing (Jacinto 2, Luna 1, Cook 3, Graham 1)
Receiving (Fullerton 1, Strand 1, Jacinto 1, Avena 2, Graham 1, Rea 1)
Passing Interception (Avena 1)
Interceptions (Jacinto 1)
Sacks (Griswold 1)
