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Week 4 Games - February 23, 2008
PHOENIX: Halfway through the season, the league proves to be fairly evenly matched. The Friends Fury lead the league with a 3-0 record, followed by the Kobalt Titans (2-1), the Plazma Playaz (1-2), and the Apollos Hitmen (0-3). The Fury were victors in the two closest games of the season, including a 4 point win and 2 point win. The Titans proved to be an offensive juggernaut as the only team to score more than 40 points – something they did twice! The Playaz battled in the closest game of the season and prove to be a strong defensive team. The Hitmen have had flashes of brilliance each week but have suffered from players missing games.
Following the mid-season bye week, week four features a re-match of the week one games. The early game will feature the Hitmen looking for their first win against Playaz. The late game will pit the first place Fury against the second place Titans. On to the games!
Plazma Playaz - 6, Apollos Hitmen - 39
Staring 0-4 in the face, which would guarantee them entering the playoffs as the 4th seed, the Hitmen showed up to play football against the Playaz and avenge their loss in week one. The Playaz, playing without captain and leader Jared Garduno, faced a determined Hitmen team hungry for their first win.
The Hitmen received the ball and quarterback Joey Jacinto came out firing hitting one of his favorite targets, big receiver Mike Allen for a long gain. A couple plays later Steve Griswold hauled in a touchdown reception from Jacinto. The Hitmen took a 7-0 lead after Jacinto connected again with Allen. The Playaz offense looking to match the score came out a little flat. After a few bobbled passes that were dropped, the Playaz punted pushing the Hitmen deep in their own territory. The Hitmen looking to capitalize on their defensive stop saw Jacinto connecting with receivers Allen and Aaron Fullerton moving them quickly down the field. Entering the redzone, Jacinto showed off his agility skills by weaving around several Playaz defenders into the endzone for a score. The Hitmen increased their lead to 14-0 following another scamper by Jacinto on the extra point.
Playaz captain and quarterback Jared Luna came out determined to move the ball down the field. After a couple of successful completions to Patrick LeFevre and Benjamin Gonzales, Luna saw his next ball deflect off his receivers hands into the arms of Jacinto who made a nice move on the run to record a pick-6. A failed point-after attempt left the score at 20-0. Luna again came out knowing that his team needed a score. Getting good protection from blocking back Micah Porter, Luna tried to test the Playaz defense deep. The Playaz sent speedy Sothy Chau deep across the middle. Luna launched a nice ball that just barely grazed off the tips of Chau’s hands, once again knocking the ball into the waiting arms of a Hitmen defender – Aaron Fullerton.
Back on defense, the Playaz knew they needed a stop. Switching things up a bit, Luna defended Allen, Jacinto’s favorite target, and moved the speedy Chau to rusher. The change paid off as Chau recorded a sack and the Hitmen seemed like they might be stopped for the first time. The Hitmen adjusted well as Jacinto got more receivers involved including Terri Foster, Kathy Moreno, and Gary Nielson. One of the nicest plays of the day came on a short reception by Nielson who showed off his “swivel hips” as he cruised down the field for a nice gain. The first half came to a close as Jacinto scrambled in for his second rushing touchdown of the game. The Hitmen took a 27-0 lead into the half after Jacinto and Allen connected for the extra point.
The Playaz started the second half with the ball and used several receivers to move the ball down the field. However, their offensive struggles as another tipped ball found it’s way into Jacinto’s arms again for his second interception of the day. The Hitmen’s attempt to score again were thwarted by Luna as he made a nice snag, intercepting Jacinto. With the ball deep in Hitmen territory Luna threw for the endzone, connecting with Porter for their first score, cutting the Hitmen lead to 27-6.
The Hitmen, back on offense saw Jacinto playing it safe and hitting short routes. The drive proved very effective and successful as Kathy Moreno made three consecutive catches short and picked up big yardage after the catch. The drive ended with Moreno hauling in the touchdown score to make the lead 33-6. Switching things up on offense, the Playaz moved Porter to quarterback and put Luna out as receiver. The change still couldn’t stop the Playaz turnover woes as Jacinto intercepted Porter. It was just one of those days for the Playaz.
With the game nearing an end, Jacinto looked to get everybody involved. Moving Terri “Baby Girl” Foster to wide-out, Jacinto lobbed the ball down the field just a tad too far for a streaking Baby Girl. Following the incomplete pass the Hitmen called Baby Girl’s number one more time. Running down the sideline again, Baby Girl hauled in the deep lob this time for a touchdown and 39-6 lead. On the final drive the Playaz looked to get their players involved too as Luna connected with Duke Kimbol for a nice gain. The drive pulled up short as time expired before the Playaz could get in the endzone, leaving the final score at 39-6.
Other notables of the game include an interception by Chau.
Final Stats:
Touchdowns:
Passing (Jacinto 3, Luna 1)
Running (Jacinto 2)
Receiving (Griswold 1, Moreno 1, Foster 1, Porter 1)
Interception (Jacinto 1)
Passing Interceptions (Jacinto 2, Luna 3, Porter 1)
Interception (Jacinto 3, Fullerton 1, Chau 1, Luna 1)
Sacks (Chau 1)
Kobalt Titans - 34, Friends Fury - 47
The second game of the day was a clash of the first and second place teams. The Kobalt Titans were looking to hand the Friends Fury their first loss and pull even with them in the standings. The two high-powered offenses combined for 81 points, a new league record!
The Fury were the first to get things started as they received the opening kick-off. Quarterback Jim Cook led the team down the field finding receivers Mike Graham and Shawn Rea. After crossing mid-field the Fury mixed things up by moving Danny Avena to quarterback who found a streaking Mike Graham to open up a 7-0 lead after Avena ran in the extra point. Matt Vaughn and the Titans took the ball on their first possession and promptly moved the ball down the field by using receivers Tim Vaughn and Matt Strand. Once inside the redzone Vaughn hit Brian Miller for a touchdown score. The Titans tied the score at 7-7 when Vaughn connected with Efrain Rascon for the extra point.
On the Fury's second drive of the game, Cook led an effective passing game using short crossing routes, often finding Jason Brown who returned for the first time after suffering a leg injury in week one. Again, after crossing mid-field the Fury chose to take a shot deep. Rea ran a deep corner route and hauled in a touchdown score. The Fury took a 14-7 lead after Avena hooked up with Graham for the extra point. The Titans offense took the field looking to answer the Fury’s score. Titan quarterback Matt Vaughn led a solid drive by attacking the Fury’s weak side. The Titan drive featured Vaughn connecting with his brother Tim on a several short and deep out routes. The final connection resulted in a touchdown as Tim Vaughn eluded Fury defenders to rumble into the endzone and tied the game at 14-14 after Matt Vaughn ran in the extra point.
The Fury came out again using their short crossing routes to counter the Titan’s man-to-man coverage on defense. The short crossing routes worked as both Graham and Rea were able to pick up long gains after catching the ball short. Center Manny Salazar and blocking specialist DJ Lescavage did a tremendous job of keeping the Titan rushers off the quarterback all day long, allowing Cook to find his receivers. The good protection came in handy as Cook connected with Graham on a nice over-the-shoulder catch to put the Fury up 20-14. With the half nearing a close the Fury defense wanted stop the Titans from scoring on what would likely be the last drive of the half. Switching things up, the Fury set a few different blitz packages that held the Titans to a turnover on downs.
With only five plays left, the Fury offense were looking to score again to take a two possession lead into the second half. The Titans tightened up their own defense and knocked down two balls in the endzone that would have resulted in another Fury touchdown. On the last play of the half, the Fury sent four receivers into the endzone, Cook lobbed the ball into the middle and everybody watched as Avena went up, and made an amazing catch as he tipped the ball a few times before hauling it in as he fell to the ground. The Fury failed to convert the point after attempt and took a 26-14 lead at the break.
The Titans started things off quickly in the second half as Vaughn received the kick-off and returned it 35 yards to cross into the Fury territory. After Vaughn connected with blocking back Joe Sepulveda in the middle to pick up a first down, Vaughn showed off his quick feet by running in for a touchdown, cutting the Fury lead to 26-20. The Fury offense came out looking to score again to retake a two possession lead. The Fury responded quickly when Cook hit Avena who made his defender miss and then took it to the house for a 60-yard score. Cook connected with Rea on the extra point to make the score 33-20.
The Titans again put together a very effective drive, moving the ball down the field with Vaughn hitting Rascon on some quick slants and Strand on quick outs. The Titans showed off all their weapons as Emmanuel Soignard hauled in a couple of catches to pick up key first downs. The drive ended with Vaughn finding Brian Wilson in the endzone for his first touchdown of the season, cutting the Fury lead to 33-26. The Titans defense came out determined to keep the Fury from scoring so they could look to tie the score on their next drive. The Titans appeared to have the Fury in check when Cook connected with Rea for another long score. Graham hauled in the extra point from Cook to make the score 40-26.
The Titans knew that the clock was now against them as they needed two scores and a defensive stop to win the game. The Titans wasted no time as Vaughn found his favorite targets, Miller and Tim Vaughn, frequently to drive the down the field. Miller made several nice grabs over the middle on the drive. Nearing the endzone, Vaughn again used his elusive speed to run in the score and the 2-point conversion to cut the Fury lead to a single touchdown at 40-34. The Titans knew they needed a quick defensive stop or a turnover to get the ball back. The Titan defenders stepped up their coverage and forced the Fury into a 4th down situation. Wanting to keep the ball, the Fury made a risky decision and moved Avena to quarterback for the 4th down attempt instead of punting the ball. Avena used his speed to pick up the first down and several more yards. With a new set of downs the Fury offense ran off most of the clock before Cook connected with Graham for his third receiving touchdown of the game. Newcomer Don Hoffman hauled in the extra point from Cook for the final score of 47-34. The game ended when Rea intercepted a pass on the next drive and the Fury kneeled the ball out.
Final Stats:
Touchdowns:
Passing (M. Vaughn 3, Cook 6, Avena 1)
Rushing (Vaughn 2)
Receiving (Miller 1, T. Vaughn 1, Wilson 1, Graham 3, Rea 2, Avena 2)
Passing Interception (Vaughn 1)
Interceptions (Rea 1)
