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Week 3 Games - February 9, 2008
PHOENIX: It wasn't the Colts versus the Patriots, the Cowboys versus the Redskins, or the Raiders versus the Broncos, but the Week 3 match-up of the Playaz versus the Fury generated almost as much hype as those rivalries. More important, the Playaz and Fury delivered a hard fought game that lived up to the hype and set the grounds for a great rivalry to be born – and nothing fuels a rivalry better than having a bet between the owners! Somebody must have been talking, because Week 3 of the Phoenix Hellraisers Flag Football league saw a great increase in the number of spectators and fans that came out to watch the Playaz battle the Fury and the Hitmen challenge the Titans.
The fans were greeted as they were witness to one of the oddest plays in flag football and the closest game of the season as the Fury (3-0) remained unbeaten as they defeated the Playaz (1-2) 9-7 in the early game. The second game of the afternoon featured the high powered Kobalt Titans (2-1) outlasting the Apollos Hitmen (0-3) to take away a 41-34 victory. And now, on to the games!
Plazma Playaz - 7, Friends Fury - 9
In the NFL, great rivalry games usually feature battles with the two teams slugging it out until the very end. Rivalry games are seemingly won or lost on a key play – a turning event that gives one team just enough advantage to pull out a victory. Well in this game, a defensive battle between the Plazma Playaz and the Friends Fury, the turning point ended up coming on the very first play of the game.
Kick-offs in flag football are generally undervalued. They occur only twice in a game: at the start of each half. However, it is the only time a team has the opportunity to pin their opponents inside their own 20 without a turnover or a penalty. Well, this particular kick-off benefited the Friends Fury immensely. The Fury kicked the ball away and watched as the receiver muffed the kick-off with the ball bouncing on the ground in the Playaz endzone. Danny Avena of the Fury raced down the field and narrowly swiped away the kick returner's flags as he was trying to run out of the endzone. Safety, two points! With both teams featuring many offensive weapons, neither team figured that those two points would be the deciding factor in the game.
The first half featured both teams putting together offensive drives that would sputter before reaching the endzone. The sputtering drives were caused by the defense on both teams applying pressure on the opposing quarterback. Manny Salazar of the Fury recorded his first sack of season, while Josh Nolen and Jared Garduno of the Playaz harassed Fury quarterback Jim Cook all day long. The pressure on both quarterbacks led to many interceptions by both teams. Avena and Shawn Rea both recorded interceptions for the Fury while Justin Hale and Jared Luna intercepted Cook. The stingy defense led to neither team scoring a touchdown in the first half, leaving the Fury up 2-0 at the break.
Both teams made offensive adjustments at the half and it lead to slightly better results. Each team began moving the ball down the field better, but still, neither team could reach the endzone. The Playaz, playing without blocker Micah Porter, were forced to keep go-to guy Jared Garduno in the backfield to block. In the second half they moved Garduno up to the line and allowed him to start going out to catch passes. His presence down the field allowed Lune to find several Playaz receivers, including Hale and Benjamin Gonzalez. Finally, Luna was able to drive his team deep into Fury territory and found an open Gonzalez in the endzone to put the Playaz on the scoreboard at 6-2. Luna connected with Gonzalez again for the extra point to make the score 7-2 late in the game.
With their undefeated status on the line, the Fury offense came out determined to counter the Playaz score with a touchdown of their own. Fury blockers Salazar and DJ Lescavage kept the pressure off Cook for a drive in which Cook connected with Mike Graham, Avena, and Rea. Facing a 3rd and long just across midfield, Cook hit Rea on a fade down the sideline for a touchdown. In a reversal of roles, the Fury’s Avena connected with Cook for a successful point-after attempt to put the Fury back on top 9-7 with almost no time left on the clock.
The Playaz offense knew that their next drive would be the difference in the game. A touchdown would all but secure a victory, anything less would be defeat. Luna again connected with several Playaz receivers including Patrick LeFevre and Garduno. Gonzalez continued his strong performance in the last drive as the Playaz marched down the field. With their backs against their endzone, the Fury defense made a final adjustment to try to keep the Playaz out of the endzone. The Fury switched to a man-to-man defense and finally made a crucial 4th down stop. The Fury kneeled the ball to close the game out. The victory moving them to 3-0, but more importantly securing their bar owner as winner of the bet!
Final Stats:
Touchdowns:
Passing (Luna 1, Cook 1)
Receiving (Gonzales 1, Rea 1)
Interceptions (Hale 1, Luna 1, Avena 1, Rea 1)
Sacks (Salazar 1)
Safety (Avena 1)
Apollos Hitmen - 34, Kobalt Titans - 41
If the first game was a defensive battle, the second game was a good old-fashioned shoot-out! The Kobalt Titans broke the 40-point barrier for the second week in a row. The Apollos Hitmen, trying to keep pace with the high-powered Titans, had their best offensive showing of the season by putting up 34.
Both teams opened things up right out of the gate. The Hitmen started the game with the ball and quarterback Joey Jacinto tested the Titans secondary right away by throwing to Mike Allen on a deep crossing route which Allen promptly ran in for the first touchdown of the game. Matt Vaughn, the Titans quarterback, picked up right where he left off a week before. Vaughn hit Titan receivers Matt Strand and Brian Miller to move the ball down the field. Deep in Hitmen territory, Vaughn sent his receivers into the endzone then forced from the pocket by Hitmen rusher Steve Griswold, Vaughn used his speed to scramble into the endzone to tie the game at 6-6. Vaughn connected with Gary Nielson for the extra point to take a 7-6 lead.
Jacinto, back with the ball in his hands, found receivers Aaron Fullerton, Kathy Moreno, and Griswold. After driving down the field, Jacinto hooked up with Mike Allen for their second touchdown of the game to retake a 12-7 lead. The Titans offense came out and used their precision passing game to again move the ball down the field. Nearing the endzone, Vaughn once again smelled a touchdown and scurried his way in for his second rushing score of the game. The Titans took a 14-7 lead after Vaughn ran in the point-after attempt.
The Hitmen offense took the field looking to counter the Titans offense attack. The Titans used rushers Emmanuel Soignard and Efrain Rascon to apply pressure on Jacinto. On the drive, Jacinto picked up a nice 30 yard scramble after being flushed from the pocket. Inside the redzone, Jacinto connected with Fullerton who hauled in the pass for a touchdown. With an 18-14 lead, the Hitmen elected to go for 2 on the point-after attempt and Jacinto lofted a pretty ball to Allen who made a nice catch in the corner, putting the Hitmen up 20-14. With not much time left in the half, Vaughn connected with speedy Steven Melton on a deep route, and connected with Rascon on the extra point to make the score 21-20. With only a few plays remaining, Jacinto came out to try to get one more score for the Hitmen before the half ended. However, Vaughn made a great defensive play stepping in front of the receiver right as the ball was arriving to pick it off and return it for a touchdown. Vaughn connected with Miller on the extra point to make the score 28-20 at the half.
With a one possession lead and the ball to start the second half, the Titans came out on a mission to score to take control of the game. Vaughn again was effective as he moved the ball down the field. Vaughn got blocking back Joe Sepulveda involved in the game by connecting with him several times on the drive. The drive ended with Miller hauling in a touchdown pass from Vaughn. Vaughn hit Strand as the Titans maintained 100% conversion on their point after attempts, going 5 for 5 and increasing their lead to 35-20. Jacinto and the Hitmen needed a score to cut the Titans lead to a single possession. Jacinto again found several receivers, including Moreno and Jared Darling, finally connecting with Allen for their 3rd touchdown of the game. Jacinto found Allen again on the two-point conversion to cut the lead to 35-28.
The Titans came out on their next drive and used a very efficient short passing game that consumed a lot of time off the clock. The methodical drive resulted in Strand hauling in a touchdown score from Vaughn. After their first failed point-after attempt, the Titans led 41-28. With not much time left in the game, Jacinto led the Hitmen back down the field. Jacinto went to his favorite target of the day and hit Allen for their 4th scoring connection of the game. The Titans were able to run the rest of the clock out and walk away with a 41-34 victory.
Other notables of the game include a sack by Rascon and an interception by Miller.
Final Stats:
Touchdowns:
Passing (Jacinto 5, Vaughn 3)
Rushing (Vaughn 2)
Receiving (Allen 4, Fullerton 1, Melton 1, Miller 1, Strand 1)
Passing Interception (Jacinto 1)
Interceptions (Vaughn 1, Miller 1)
Sacks (Rascon 1)
