Fall 1999
Rip-N-Tear Vs. The Panthers
Kicking off the CCFFL's Fall season was returning Spring champs Rip-N-Tear Vs. Newcomers The Panthers. True to their form, Rip-N-tear showed the same strength and determination as last season, going home with a 22-12 victory.
Rip-N-Tear started the game with #27 Paul Harting at Quarterback. No surprise to last season's spectators, Harting rushed 41 yards for a touchdown. Harting also completed 50% of his passes going 3 of 6 for 102 yards including an 80 yard touchdown pass to receiver Rudy Estrada. Estrada took over at QB after the half. In his quarterback debut he showed impressive numbers completing 5 of 6 passes for 98 yards. Harting who then moved to receiver caught a 52 yard pass. Wide receiver Jason Plout, new to the Rip-N-Tear roster, caught 3 passes for 98 yards and scored the other Rip-N-Tear passing touchdown.
Panthers' cornerback Andy Robertson showed the returning champions that their title meant little to him as he collected 7 tackles on the day. Other Panther defensive stand outs included Nate Nielson who grabbed 3 flags, and Sergio Casteneda who intercepted Estrada. The Panthers proved that even though they are a new team they shouldn't be taken lightly as their offense marched down the field, headed up by former Trojan quarterback Lee Robertson who completed 10 of 23 passes for 182 yards. With an effective offensive line, Robertson was able to show his true abilities as he hit Sergio Casteneda 4 times for 63 yards and both Panther TD's. Ron Birdsal and Andy Robertson both caught two passes.
Despite the Panthers' Offensive efforts, Rip-N-Tear held strong with last season's Championship game MVP Adam Hurley getting 5 tackles and 2 deflections. Jeremy Branham boasted 2 sacks along with one by Adam Atkins. Another newcomer to the team, Gary Noah had a big day with 3 tackles and 2 deflections.
Rip-N-Tear will face another newly formed team, Mean Streak on September 11. The 0-1 Panthers will meet the 0-2 Spiders, each of them hoping for their first win.
Invaders Vs. Mean Streak
Game number two in the first week of play saw the Invaders and their stingy defense hold the Mean Streak to just 33 yards of total offense in the 19-0 shut-out. The Invader secondary led the charge as they combined for 5 tackles, 3 deflections, and 1 interception. Donny Karr and Rick DiNoso collected 2 tackles and 1 deflection each, while Mike McDowell grabbed the team's only interception along with a tackle and a deflection. Although Invaders team captain Jeremy Harrison was unusually quiet defensively, the team's line kept the pressure on Mean Streak quarterbacks all afternoon. Bobby Leitko recorded a sack and found his way into the opposition's backfield with regularity.
The Invaders performed well on the offensive side as well. Jake Wysong was responsible for 192 of his teams 210 all-purpose yards, and kept the team moving with every possession. Wysong spread the ball with efficiency to his receivers and finished the day 9 for 15 for 117 yards and 3 touchdown passes. Mike McDowell led all receivers with 45 yards on 3 receptions and a pair of touchdowns, while Bobby Leitko chipped in 41 yards on 2 receptions. Nigel Cockayne added the Invaders other score on the day, and finished with 23 yards on 2 receptions. If Wysong wasn't moving the team through the air, he was leading the charge on the ground. He finished the afternoon with 75 total rushing yards on 8 attempts. Adam Presley had a decent performance in the backfield as he rushed 3 times for 18 yards and added 8 more yards on 1 reception.
Matt Attanasio was the lone offensive bright spot for the Mean Streak as he rushed 4 times for 27 yards. The Mean Streak would gain just 6 more yards on offense, courtesy of 2 receptions by Rainbo Tims.
The Mean Streak had several standout players on the defensive side. Sage Tims led the team with 6 tackles and a deflection, while team mates Ryan Jackson and Deon Overturf added 4 tackles each. Jose Iza recorded the teams only sack on the day.
The Invaders will be in action again on September 11 at 1:00 PM to face the Carson Confederates. Both teams will enter the matchup at 1-0 . The Mean Streak is set to do battle at 11:30 AM on the same date against the defending CCFFL champion Rip-N-Tear squad.
Spiders Vs. Bucs
The Spiders and The Bucs two of the CCFFL's newly formed teams met on opening day. The Spiders who were playing game one of their double header showed up at the field early and hoped to go home with a 2-0 record, but the Bucs were hungry for a win as well and sent the Spiders home with a 20-12 loss.
The game remained close throughout, but it was the Bucs who held the advantage as they converted both their 1 point conversion attempts after their first two scores. The Spiders were not able to make their conversion efforts, thus giving the Bucs a two point advantage. But it was a touchdown by the Bucs that went unanswered completely by The Spiders that sealed the win for the Bucs.
Bucs' quarterback Brian Cassette, completed 7 of 18 passes for 153 yards and 2 TD's, Cassette also ran for 53 yards and a TD. Will Franklin who ironically left the Spiders just last week and had not been able to practice as a Buc, came to the team and showed that the lack of practice would not stop him from performing, he caught the Bucs' only 2 passing touchdowns and collected 131 reception yards. Franklin would also prove to be a defensive asset with 2 tackles and 2 deflections on the day. Emil Lovec posted 4 tackles for the Bucs and Leslie Reddick got 3. Most impressive was Tim Ellis who collected 5 tackles, 1 deflection and an Interception, Ellis earned the Defensive Player of the Week honor for his performance.
Despite great defense by the Bucs, The Spiders stayed poised, George Garton caught the only Spider's touchdown reception and was 3 for 58 yards total. Spider QB Jonathan Villarreal was 8 of 21 passes for 84 yards and 1 TD he also rushed 6 yards for another TD. The Spider defense was equally active with Villarreal collecting a sack a deflection and an interception. James Meyers and Brad Mitchell each had 3 tackles and Robert Ryan had 2.
Bucs' Captain's Mike Mooney and Tim Ellis who are both former Confederates will take their team to meet the Confederates on September 11. The Spiders will meet the Panthers.
Spiders Vs. Confederates
Opening day would not only prove to be grueling for the Spiders who were scheduled to open with a double header, but disappointing as well as the Confederates showed them why they went to the Championship game last season. The Feds who came out fresh and were looking stronger then ever, were too much for the tired Spiders to handle and they sent them home with a 31-12 loss.
Confederate quarterback Shawn Hudson led the league's passers at the end of the day posting exceptional numbers. Hudson completed 10 of 15 passes for for 348 yards. Of his 10 completions 50% of them ended up in 6 giving him 5 Tds. His numbers would earn him Offensive Player of the Week. Confederate receiver and last season's league MVP, Chuck Heironimus would be on the receiving end of 209 yards, of his 5 catches he would score 3 of the Fed's scores including one for 90 yards. Also true to form was receiver Paul Heffern who would catch the remaining two Fed TDs and collect 123 yards. The Confederate 3H club in Hudson, Heironimus, and Heffern would also stand out on defense, Hudson ended the game with 5 tackles and an interception and Heironimus 2 tackles one deflection and an Interception. Heffern who ended the game with 2 tackles showed a knack for his newly assigned defensive end position, collecting 4 sacks. Virgil Berry, Chuck Tonzi and Brian Furgeson would also each get a sack, crediting the team with 7 total sacks on the day. Confederate newcomer Ron Bell added two tackles to his resume and impressed his new teammates with an interception that he ran back for 24 yards.
Although the Confederate Defense stayed tough, the Spider offense never let up. Quarterback Jonathan Villarreal was 12 of 23 for 232 yards and 2 TDs, mixing it up generously amongst his receivers. In addition to Villarreal's passing efforts, he rushed for 83 yards. Receiver's Jason Schricker, Ernie Garcia, George Garton and Shawn Mc Donough all caught 2 passes. Schricker led the Spider receivers with 56 yards. McDonough would capture 48 yards and one of the team's TDs, the other TD went to Garton. The double header seemed to take it's toll on the Spiders defense as they were pretty quiet. Ernie Garcia led the team's defense with 2 tackles and 1 sack. Spider's captain Robert Ryan would say after the game: "Not to take anything away from the Feds, but my guys were tired." Tired or not, and despite their double loss, the Spiders showed they will be a competitive addition to the CCFFL.
The 1-0 Confederates will meet the 1-0 Bucs on September 11, The Feds will also meet the 1-0 Invaders on that day. Just as one of those teams will have to go home with their first loss, The 0-2 Spiders will meet the 0-1 Panthers, someone will be going home with their first win.num
Panthers Vs. Spiders
Week 2 of the Fall season began as the Panthers and Spiders both took the field looking to grab a first win. #33 Nate Nielson of the Panthers set the stage for his team as we watched him return the opening kickoff for a touchdown, Panther's quarterback Lee Robertson then took the field and successfully completed a 1 point conversion to WR Andy Robertson. But the Spiders were determined not to let the Panther's quick start bring down their own game plan. Answering Nielson's score was Spider's QB Jonathan Villarreal who on the team's first drive maneuvered his offense quickly down the field and into the zone for 6 of their own.
The Panthers would continue the pace Nielson started throughout the game. With Nielson going on to catch 2 passes for 64 yards. Despite strong efforts by Spider's cornerback Robert Ryan who pulled 5 flags, had 2 deflections and caught an interception, Lee Robertson was all over the field making things happen. In addition to his 87 passing yards and TD to #54 Ron Birdsal, he also rushed for 82 yards and a TD. Robertson would also stop a crucial Spider drive with an interception. Birdsal and Nielson would not only stand out offensively but defensively as well. Birdsal was credited with 2 tackles, 2 sacks and 2 deflections. Nielson would grab 6 tackles along with Andy Robertson who also got 6. Adding 6 more points to the Panther scoreboard was #55 Neal Braunel who would return an intercepted pass for 25 yards.
Things seemed to slow down for the Spiders after their opening drive. Villarreal completed 9 of 22 passes for 89 yards and a TD pass to wide receiver James Meyers. Meyers lead the Spider's receivers, catching 4 passes for 62 yards. Running back George Garton was able to rack up 67 yards on the ground, but the Panthers would stop crucial drives when it counted. The Meyer's touchdown would be the only other score the Spiders would get, giving way to a 27-12 victory for the Panthers.
Rip-N-Tear Vs. Mean Streak
Rip-N-Tear faced the newly formed Mean Streak in game 2 of week 2's action. The Carson City Flag Football League's defending champions' Rip-N-Tear would come out the victor with a 34-13 final score, but the newly formed Mean Streak showed that they should not be taken lightly.
Starting at QB for the champs was #00 Rudy Estrada. Estrada would quarterback the first half and complete 3 of 8 passes. Of the three completions, 2 of them would be for touchdowns, both going to #21 Jason Plout. Plout who had an exceptional day offensively and defensively would end the day with 88 yards, 2 tds and 4 tackles. Estrada also added 26 yards rushing to his stats.
Entering half time Mean Streak was feeling confident, giving up only 2 TDs to Rip-N-Tear and stopping the conversion attempts on both, as well as scoring 1 touchdown of their own.
Mean Streak's QB Sage Tims completed 9 of 23 passes for 139 yards and 2 TDs. Tims met up with his brother receiver Rainbo Tims for 86 yards and the first of their 2 TDs. Receiver Kir Lewis would catch the other Mean Streak score and take in 35 yards.
Though Mean Streak played tough, Rip-N-Tear came out of the half with more determination. Paul Harting took the reins at QB and with the help of his guards, Jeremy Branham and Offensive Player of the Week Jeremy Litka, easily made his way down the field, scoring two more touchdowns in the air and 1 on the ground. Impressively, Harting completed 6 of 9 passes for 133 yards in the 30 minutes he played.
Mean Streak who has yet to win a game will face the 0-3 Spiders' next week. Rip-N-Tear will face their Spring rivals and Spring championship game opponents The Confederates. Rip-N-Tear remains unbeaten.
Confederates Vs. Invaders
With both teams entrenched in a defensive struggle on Saturday afternoon, it would be a single play that determined the outcome of the inaugural meeting between the Invaders and the Confederates.
Deadlocked in a scoreless tie midway through the first half, Invaders QB Jake Wysong connected with wide receiver Rick DiNoso down the left sideline on a 47-yard touchdown pass. The Invader defense would would make the 6-0 score hold for the remainder of the contest, as they collected their second consecutive shut-out to start the season.
The Invaders defensive front was the story of the game as they sacked Confederates QB Shawn Hudson 8 times, and kept the pressure on the line of scrimmage all afternoon. Hudson, who lit up the opposing defense for 348 yards and 5 touchdown passes in week 1, was held to 86 yards in the air while reigning league MVP Chuck Heironimus was kept in check with just 38 yards receiving on 4 receptions. Nigel Cockayne had a key interception in the final 10 minutes of the second half, killing a crucial drive for the Feds. Bobby Leitko constantly found his way into the Feds backfield, and accounted for 3 sacks on the day. He would be named "Defensive Player of the Week" following the contest. Cornerback Donny Karr led the team in tackles with 4.
With both offenses struggling throughout the game, ball control became the key element in the second half. Jake Wysong kept the team moving and the clock running as he rushed for 64 yards on 7 attempts. Invaders running back Adam Presley had another successful game as he rushed 3 times for 27 yards. With the game inside of 2:00, the Invaders pushed their way to the Confederate 3-yard line, but came up short offensively. John Ambrose, who led the Feds with 5 tackles on the day, ended the drive with a sack giving his team one last chance to put the ball in the end zone. However, true to the theme all afternoon, the Invaders defense swarmed around Hudson and ended the game with a sack of their own.
The Invaders, now 2-0, are set to play a pair of games next Sunday afternoon. They will open with the Panthers (1-1) at 11:30 AM and finish with the Bucs (2-0) at 1:00 PM.
Confederates Vs. Bucs
The Confederates and The Bucs met for the first time this season in game 2 of the Confederates double header. The Feds who didn't fair to well in game one were hoping to regain their confidence by beating the Bucs. But the Bucs had a win in mind as well and stayed focused and determined long enough to make the feds double header a double defeat.
Fed's quarterback Shawn Hudson literally repeated his fate from the earlier game completing only 4 of 7 passes for 113 yards. Hudson hooked up with Paul Heffern for a 75 yard TD pass bringing the feds into halftime with a 7-0 lead. But the Bucs defense lodged a direct assault on Hudson sacking him 5 times and forcing him to run far more then the normally air happy Hudson likes. Hudson would finish the game with 106 rushing yards. Buc's defensive end Robert Ellis would lead the defense with 3 sacks and a tackle. Ellis's brother and last week's defensive player of the week Tim Ellis would also shine defensively getting 5 tackles.
With the 7-0 half time lead, the feds were confident their defense could hold the Bucs scoreless. Bucs' tailback Will Franklin would be the offensive threat they would have to stop. Franklin continued to rack up rushing yards throughout the game, finishing with 197 yards. With Confederate defenders focused on keeping Franklin out of the zone, the Bucs handed off to #44 Mike Miles late in the game. Miles ran 44 yards for a TD and with a 1 point conversion run added by Leslie Reddick the Bucs had now tied the game.
When the time expired in the game the two teams remained tied. Both teams would now have the opportunity to score from the twenty yard line. The Feds would get the ball first and after a disappointing set of downs they would have to give the ball up to the Bucs. The Bucs would be unsuccessful on their first set of downs as well, pushing the game further into overtime and giving the Feds another shot at the zone. Once again the Feds would fail to score and have to give the ball back to the Bucs. Despite the efforts of Confederate CB Ron Bell who collected 5 flags and 3 deflections in the game, Will Franklin would not be kept out of the end zone this time, he made his way twenty yards through heavy Confederate terrain and scored the game winning touchdown. The Bucs would walk a way with a 13-7 overtime victory against the Confederates.
The Bucs who are now 2-0 will face the also undefeated Invaders next Sunday. The Feds will have to regroup and get ready as they go on to play the Spring league's defending champs' Rip-N-Tear. The Feds are 1 and 3 against Rip-N-Tear.
Sorry, no news for Fall season - Week 3
Rip-N-Tear Vs. Invaders
Saturday's opening matchup featured the defending CCFFL champion, and still unbeaten Rip-N-Tear squad in action against the Invaders. The Invaders who started the season with 2 consecutive shut-out wins, were handed their third loss in a row and have surrendered 80 points during the streak.
With the Invaders trailing 6-0 midway through the first half, Invaders kick returner Donny Karr fumbled the kickoff into the end zone where he then downed the ball for an apparent touchback. The referees however, ruled the play a safety making the score 8-0 and forcing the Invaders to kickoff from the 20. The Rip-N-Tear were given outstanding field position as a result of the controversial call and punched in a TD making the score 15-0. Rip-N-Tear QB, and Offensive Player of the Week Paul Harting, avoided the Invaders defensive pressure all afternoon as he rushed for 91 yards and a touchdown on 7 carries, and passed for 171 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the air. Adam Hurley led the receiving corps with 94 yards on 4 receptions and a touchdown, and Jason Plout added a score on the ground and in the air for a total of 78 all-purpose yards.
Invaders tight end and outside linebacker Nigel Cockayne had a successful afternoon as he accrued 86 yards on 6 receptions, and recorded 5 tackles and an interception on defense. Mike McDowell chipped in 15 yards on 2 receptions and scored the Invaders only score on the day.
The Rip-N-Tear are now set for a first place showdown with the unbeaten Bucs at 11:30 on Saturday. The Invaders will try to get back to the 500 mark as they face the Spiders at 10:00.
Rip-N-Tear Vs. Spiders
After three weeks of watching the team scheduled to play two games all lose both games, it looked as if double header day was destined to lead to double header doom. Week four it was Rip-N-Tears turn to face the leagues new curse. But after breaking the spell in game one against the Invaders they went on to work their magic against the Spiders.
Rip-N-Tear's Adam Atkins would lead the defense with 3 tackles, 2 sacks and a deflection, but it was Paul Harting who would give the team their first 6 points when he returned the first of two INTs for a TD. The offense would not have to work hard to get points on the board with players like Harting doing it defensively. Harting's second INT would also result in a touchdown. Perrie Perry caught another INT and Perrie Perry Justin Harris would also stop a promising drive for the Spiders with an INT in the endzone. With Rip-N-Tear's defense combining for 4 INT's and 6 sacks, not to mention 17 tackles, they held the Spiders scoreless.
After Harting gave the defense 12 points, Rudy Estrada would step in at QB and try to put some points on the board offensively. The Spiders defense was determined to stop Rip's powerful offense. Spiders captain Robert Ryan tried relentlessly to stop the team from scoring. Ryan pulled 3 flags and kept the pressure on Rip's receivers. Ryan was aided by Jonathan Villarreal who picked off both Rip-N-Tear quarterbacks once. The Spiders managed to hold Rip QB's Paul Harting and Rudy Estrada to a combined 2 of 10 passes for 28 yards. But Estrada would keep the ball on the ground for 91 yards and another TD.
Offensively Spiders receiver Robert Ryan was not willing to give up. Ryan was 4 for 89 yards along with Jason Schricker who was 3 for 49 yards. QB Jonathan Villarreal was 8 of 24 for 145 yards, but Villarreal's 4 INT's would be the Spider's demise. The final score was 21-0 Rip-N-Tear.
The undefeated Rip-N-Tear faces the undefeated Bucs next Saturday. The Spiders will still be looking for their first win against The Invaders.
Bucs Vs. Mean Streak
Game three of Saturday's action had the Bucs battling to hang onto their undefeated status facing Mean Streak looking to get their second win after beating The Spiders last week. Many players and spectators were their to see if The Bucs would fall or Mean Streak would move up.
The Bucs, who seemed determined to hang on to their current status were able to score early and set the momentum for the day. Bucs' quarterback Brian Cassette was 5 of 14 for 81 yards and two TDs. One of Cassette's touchdowns would find Emil Lovec for 20 yards and the other went to league leading running back Will Franklin. Franklin would also rush 7 times and add 82 yards to his already impressive rushing stats. But the Bucs would not stop there. Lovec and Franklin would dazzle the field defensively as well. With Lovec grabbing 6 tackles and Franklin getting another 6 points for his team when he returned a 77 yard interception. Bucs' defensive end Robert Ellis who is quickly moving up the sack leaders board, was able to sack last week's offensive player of the week Sage Tims twice.
The Bucs would force Mean Streak into halftime down 14 - 0. But Mean Streak's quarterback Sage Tims was able to hook up with Rainbo Tims for a 17 yard TD bringing the two teams a little closer. But that was all The Streak would get on the board, thus, giving the Bucs a 20-6 victory.
The 4-0 Bucs will face the defending champions and 5-0 Rip-N-Tear Saturday in a much anticipated match up at 11:30 A.M., followed by a game against the Panthers. Mean Streak will face The Confederates at 2:30.
Panthers Vs. Confederates
The final game of week 4 would bring together The Panthers and The Confederates. The Confederates who were coming to the game following 3 consecutive losses, would have to play hard against the third place Panthers who were coming in with 2 consecutive wins. Those in attendance would note the similarities between the two teams style of play, and the tempo was set early for a close match that could go either way.
The Panthers would score first after a Confederate drive was stopped by Panthers' cornerback Andy Robertson. Robertson would intercept Fed's quarterback Shawn Hudson and return the ball 33 yards. Setting up The Panthers drive that would result in a touchdown by Nate Nielson on a 15 yard pass from Lee Robertson. The Confederates would then answer the Panthers score with one of their own when Hudson met tight end Virgil Berry in the zone.
Half time would have the two teams tied 6-6. As they emerged from the half not much would change. Possession would shift back and fourth with both defenses stopping the offenses from scoring. Though the Fed's offense would move the ball down the field, the Panthers' defense stayed tough and kept them out of scoring position. Panther's cornerback and defensive player of the week Nate Nielson would not only torture Hudson with a sack and an interception but he stopped Fed's receivers from going too far with 8 tackles. Two more sacks on Hudson by Rick MacQuarrie aided in the Panthers' attack. With the defense doing their job efficiently it was up to Quarterback Lee Robertson to get the Panthers some necessary points. Robertson would go 5 of 20 for 64 yards in the air and rush for 51 yards. But with four sacks on Robertson , one each by Fed's Butch Roberts, Anthony Morse, Chuck Tonzi and Virgil Berry and interceptions by Thor Pari and Chuck Heironimus the Fed's defense was able to stop critical Panther drives. Hudson would be 13 of 19 for 167 yards passing and 9 of 131 yards rushing. Virgil Berry would be the deciding factor as he caught his second touchdown pass and scored the winning touchdown late in the game. Giving the Fed's a 12-6 victory.
iSpiders Vs. Invaders
Zero wins and five losses is a lonely place to be, so when The Spiders met The Invaders Saturday they hoped to obtain new status by getting their first win. The Invaders however had plans of their own. Their goal, to defeat The Spiders and bring their record to .500. In the end it would be The Invaders that would prevail, giving The Spiders not only another loss but their second consecutive shut out.
The Invaders' powerful defense led by Nigel Cockayne and his new league record 9 tackles, kept the pressure on Spider Quarterback Jonathan Villarreal all day. Villarreal who has been suffering all season with a sprained knee, completed only 5 of 10 passes for 49 yards. Bobby Stypa replaced Villarreal at QB hoping to make something happen and was shut down as well, ironically completing 5 of 10 passes but for only 36 yards. Cliff Cuarisma tortured the Spider QB's by sacking Villarreal 3 times and Stypa once. With the two quarterbacks having only 85 yards between them in the air, it was obvious that something would have to happen on the ground. The Invaders defense held tough with numerous tackles by Jeremy Harrison, Adam Presley and Mike McDowell, thus stopping the rushing game too. Only 18 yards combined between Villarreal and #80 Mikel Williams were accumulated.
Spider captains, Robert Ryan and James Meyers tried desperately to stop the Invaders offense. But despite Ryan's 4 tackles and 2 deflections and Meyers 6 tackles, The Invaders were able to score nearly every time they took possession. Jake Wysong completed 7 of 14 passes for 147 yards and 3 touchdowns. Rick DiNoso would catch Wysong's first TD pass in the game on a 42 yard bomb. Followed by Donny Karr's 28 yard TD reception following an INT. Mike McDowell received the final Wysong TD pass. Running Back Adam Presley also gave The Invaders six points on a 2 yard run. As if the Invaders offensive attack was not enough, Rick DiNoso disappointed The Spiders final drive of the game with a touchdown return from an interception.
The Spiders would be forced back to the web milking a 34-0 loss. Their quest for victory continues next Saturday at 1:00 against the undefeated Bucs. The Invaders will meet The Confederates for the second time this season at 2:30. Both teams are holding identical records of 3-3.
Bucs Vs. Rip-N-Tear
In what was penned as being the most anticipated game this season, the two undefeated teams The Bucs and Rip-N-Tear took the field. The game started off just as expected with both team's determination to stop each other from scoring evident. The Bucs began their opening drive only to be stopped short of the goal and forced to turn the ball over to Rip-N-Tear. With a championship title under their belt it appeared Rip-N-Tear may have a slight advantage over the less experienced Bucs, but The Bucs were not intimidated by the former champs at all and were able to end Rip's drive.
The first half was an offensive struggle for both teams. Rip-N-Tear's quarterback Rudy Estrada was allowed only two completions after 10 attempts for a mere 14 yards. But what proved to be most detrimental to the quarterback was the 3 INTs he through. Bucs' Safety Emil Lovec intercepted Estrada twice during the half along with one by Will Franklin. The Bucs' quarterback was having his own problems. Rip-N-Tear defensive ends Jeremy Litka and Jeremy Branham kept the pressure on Brian Cassette all day. Branham would be credited with 1 sack and 2 tackles and Litka would snag 6 tackles. Cassette was able to complete 3 of 13 passes for 66 yards in the game. With neither quarterback getting the job done, Bucs' tailback Joe Buckner would break the 0-0 tie and enter the endzone after an 18 yard run.
After the half The Bucs returned to the field knowing a 6 point lead over Rip-N-Tear gave them no room to celebrate yet. Paul Harting took over the reins at quarterback for Estrada hoping to recharge the offense, only to suffer Estrada's same fate. On Harting's first attempt down field he was picked off by Lovec. When the Bucs took possession it was Rip-N-Tears turn to return Lovec's favor, their first drive back was stopped short by a Gary Noah interception. With the ball back in Harting's hands and good field position Rip-N-Tear began their decent down the field , just when a score was looking promising for the team, enter controversy. Harting took the snap and avoiding a full Bucs' blitz headed forward. Still behind the line of scrimmage and looking for an opening he was held and bumped and the ball was forced out of his hands and into the Bucs. The penalty was assessed incorrectly as holding was called against the Bucs but Rip-N-Tear was forced to turn the ball over to them anyway. With seventeen minutes left to play in the game, Rip-N-Tear captains were livid at the bad call and clearly the momentum that had been established was crushed. The Bucs would capitalize on the Rip-N-Tear emotion and Will Franklin would would connect with Brian Cassette for an eleven yard touchdown.
With the Bucs leading 12-0 and time running out, another interception by Will Franklin on Harting sealed Rip's fate and the game ended amidst controversy.
Bucs Vs. Panthers
Game 2 for The Bucs during their double header day ended with the same result for the undefeated team, another victory, but this time without controversy. The team never let it show that they had just played, instead the players looked fresh and played tough throughout holding their opponents The Panthers to only one score and taking home a 19-6 victory.
The Bucs got off to a quick start when QB Brian Cassette met with Emil Lovec on the team's opening drive for a 78 yard touchdown. That would be the only reception for Lovec in the game but Cassette would go on to take offensive player of the week and complete a total of 5 passes for 218 yards and 3 TDs. Panther cornerback's Nate Nelson and Andy Robertson would get 8 tackles between them. Nelson also intercepted Cassette once. But despite their efforts big plays for the Bucs would ultimately be the Panthers demise. Cassette would complete his second pass of the game to Joe Buckner for a 76 yard TD. Trailing 13-0 Panther's quarterback Lee Robertson found his brother Andy Robertson for a 29 yard TD, bringing the game back within 7 and taking his team to half time.
After the half The Panthers would not be able to score again. The Robertson brothers would hook up 4 times for 116 yards. Lee was 7 completions for 158 yards on the day. The Bucs would find their way back onto the scoreboard one more time as Cassette's third TD reception went 39 yards to Mike Myles.
The Panthers will meet Mean Streak at 11:30 A.M. Saturday, followed by The Bucs trying to hold onto their undefeated status when they face the Spiders.
Mean Streak Vs. Confederates
Finishing off week 5's games was The Confederates and Mean Streak. Both teams knew that the playoffs were drawing near and The Confederates prior to last week's win over The Panthers were still trying to overcome three consecutive losses while Mean Streak was looking for their second win.
The Feds took the opening kickoff and Paul Heffern received it. Heffern would jump start his team when he returned the ball 76 yards for a touchdown. Virgil Berry would score the extra point and the Fed's would enjoy an early 7-0 lead. Heffern would then kick the ball to the Streak and let them try to answer. But it was slow going for Mean Streak and they would not be able to score, rather they would turn the ball back over to the Feds early when safety Shawn Hudson intercepted the ball.
Fed's quarterback Hudson would mix it up generously amongst his receivers. Rookie Confederate Ron Bell would catch the teams second TD in the game on a 48 yard bomb from Hudson. With the score 13-0 Mean Streak would need to score quickly before the half. Streak's quarterback Sage Tims found his brother Rainbo Tims and completed a 14 yard Td pass that brought the team within 6.
With Tims score Mean Streak was more charged when returning from the half. The two teams defenses locked in battle. Mean Streaks Jose Iza was determined not to let Hudson have any time to think as he sacked the QB 4 times. Brian Spiker would sack Hudson twice and Phil Greenwood would stop a promising Fed's drive with an INT. But the Feds defense was just as determined with Hudson, Bell and Chuck Heironimus all intercepting Tims once. The feds late in the game would have to take possession of the ball at Mean Streak's 2 yard line, Hudson would pitch the ball to Paul Heffern who would try to make his way out of the zone but instead found himself sacked for a safety by Sage Tims. Mean Streak would then get the ball but after an unsuccessful drive they would have to give the ball back to the Feds. Leading way to redemption for Heffern who would run for the Feds final TD.
The final score of the game was Feds 19, Mean Streak 8. Saturday The Confederates will face The Invaders. With playoffs inching closer the match could be a decisive factor for both teams. Mean Streak will take on the defending champions' Rip-N-Tear.nterc
eMean Streak Vs. Rip-N-Tear
Returning from last week's loss to the undefeated Bucs was Rip-N-Tear ready to kick off week 6 against Mean Streak. Mean Streak who came to the game with a 1 and 4 record hoped to up their standings and defeat the powerful defending Spring champions. It would be Rip-N-Tear that would prevail in the end, but only after a grueling defensive struggle and impressive offensive attack put fourth by the Streak.
Mean Streak took first possession in the game and quarterback Sage Tims drove the ball down field with little pressure from the normally grueling Rip-N-Tear defensive backs. Tims completed passes to Rainbo Tims, Kir Lewis and Jeff Remington in the opening drive. But Rip-N-Tear quarterback Paul Harting had seen enough and at the Streak's 3 yard line intercepted a Tims ball headed into the end zone and ran it back 97 yards into his own. Now down 6-0 Tims would try again but Rip-N-Tear's defense this time would not let them drive the ball. James Striplin would earn 6 tackles along with Jason Plout earning 5 for Rip-N-Tear. When Rip's offense took possession they too would not capitalize and Harting's drive would end from an interception by Sage Tims. With halftime drawing near Mean Streak would have another shot but another drive would be stopped by a Justin Harris interception.
Coming out of the half only down by 6, Mean Streak would put their receivers to work. Rainbo Tims would go 6 for 123 yards along with Jeff Remington who would receive 4 for 61 yards. But it was Kir Lewis who was 5 for 70 yards that would put 6 points on the board for Mean Streak on a 29 yard TD pass from Tims. Tims would then run in a 2 point conversion and give the Streak a 2 point lead in the game. But the lead would not last long as Rip-N-Tear's Harting would answer the score with a 17 yard touchdown pass to Adam Hurley. With the score now 12-8 Rip-N-Tear picked up the game's pace. Tims who would finish the game 16 of 29 for 263 yards was stopped by the now pumped up Rip-N-Tear defensive backs. Jeremy Litka would sack Tims 4 times along with a sack by both Jeremy Branham and Justin Harris. Mean Streak would score no more and the Rip-N-Tear combo of Harting and Hurley would meet again with a 52 yard touchdown pass. Harting finished the game completing 60% of his passes and going 6 of 10 for 106 yards and two TDs. Rip-N-Tear would get their sixth win posting an 18-8 final score.
Mean Streak Vs. The Panthers
Following Mean Streak's battle with Rip-N-Tear, The Streak would have to face the Panthers. The Panthers looking to nab one of the few remaining playoff spots would need this game to keep themselves in the race. But Mean Streak would have something to say first.
The Panthers would take first possession, quarterback Lee Robertson would start a little bit off but shortly find his mark. Fourth down of the opening drive would end in disappointment as Robertson hit a bullseye to Andy Robertson, with nothing but open field ahead of him, Andy would drop the perfect pass and possession would turn over to Mean Streak.
Mean Streak would put the game's first points on the board. Sage Tims would complete a touchdown pass to Jeff Remington and give them a 6 point lead. Robertson would then answer Tims score with one to tight end Terry Metcalf for 36 yards. The two teams would go into half time with a 6-6 tie.
After the half the game continued similar to the first half. The ball would shift back and fourth. The two teams defenses would play hard. Panther Nate Nelson would collect 6 tackles and Rick MacQuarrie would get 5. Scott Valentine would get two tackles and an interception. Robertson would capitalize on Valentine's INT with a 14 yard touchdown pass perfectly thrown to Andy Robertson. With the score now 12-6 for the Panthers, and the end drawing near, Mean Streak would need to score. With that in mind Tims completed another touchdown pass to Kir Lewis to tie the score. Going for the win with a 1 point conversion attempt, The Panthers would stop them and the time would expire with the two teams tied.
Overtime would be no different then the
game. Mean Streak would get first possession and easily score. The
Panthers would now have to score or the game would
be over. The Panthers also scored with little struggle and Mean Streak would
get to try again. Again The Streak would score and The Panthers would also
answer. But, on the third and final attempt
Mean Streak would fail to score and give way to The Panthers for the opportunity
to win the game. The Panthers would be
stopped short and the game ended in a 12-12 tie.
Bucs Vs. Spiders
In game three of this week's action, The Bucs easily showed the Spiders why they are undefeated. The Spiders coming to the game with an 0-7 record direct opposites of their opponents 7-0 record, knew if ever they would gain respectability it would be now. But the Bucs would prove to be more powerful then the team and send them home with a 43-12 loss.
The Bucs were determined to show the Spiders why they were crazy to let Will Franklin go, Franklin would have a record breaking day rushing for 319 yards and 4 TDs. He started off early with a 70 yard touchdown run putting the Bucs on the board early. Spiders despite their record would play the first half tough though and try a new game plan hoping to throw the Bucs off. Taking the snap at quarterback was new QB George Garton. Garton would find receivers Robert Ryan, James Meyers and Jonathan Villarreal for a combined total of 52 yards. But a pitch to Villarreal would be the teams brightest moment as Villarreal now more comfortable in his normal role would find Robert Ryan for a 64 yard touchdown pass. But the score would not be enough to stop The Bucs who scored on just about every possession in the game. Bucs quarterback Brian Cassette was 5 of 12 for 86 yards and 2 tds. Wide receiver Emil Lovec was 3 for 46 yards and a TD and Mike Miles caught the other Td pass. But it was Franklin who lit up the Bucs' field and was literally unstoppable. Franklin would also undoubtedly earn offensive player of the week.
The Spiders would eventually score again on a George Garton run. But three interceptions one by Emil Lovec, Leslie Reddick and again Franklin would end drive after drive for them making it impossible to even attempt a comeback effort.
The Bucs who remain undefeated will face Mean Streak Saturday at 1:00 while the Spiders will look again for their first win against The Panthers at 10:00.
Confederates Vs. Invaders
Capping off the day's action was The Confederates and The Invaders in a game that would help decide playoff positioning.
Receiving the ball first would be The Confederates, but after four downs they would have to turn the ball over to the Invaders with nothing to show for their efforts. The Invaders would have the same luck as the Feds and show no score despite their attempt. Both defenses would stay focused early on, Feds cornerback John Ambrose earned defensive player of the week for his 8 tackles and 1 deflection. The Invaders just as they had in their previous meeting showed Fed's quarterback Shawn Hudson little mercy. Jeremy Harrison, Adam Presley and Josh Smith all sacked Hudson twice and Cliff Cuarisma sacked the QB once.
The Invaders would score the first two touchdowns in the game with quarterback Jake Wysong completing a touchdown pass to Rick DiNoso and then another to Adam Presley. With the Invaders up 13-0 The Feds saw their playoff chances quickly dwindling. Hudson would step up and find receiver Ron Bell for a 50 yard touchdown pass, the rookie Bell would finish the game with 126 yards. Bell would also catch the one point conversion point and bring The Feds within 6. Shortly after ,The Feds would capitalize again when Hudson ran for a 29 yard touchdown and ran in the extra point. Now with less then 2 minutes in the game The Invaders would have to score. The Fed's defense gathered together and held the Invaders to no gain right down to fourth down and thirty seconds left on the clock. But Wysong would find Rick DiNoso again and this time the Confederates would chase DiNoso 80 yards and watch him score the game winning touchdown. The final score in the game was Invaders 19 Feds 14.
Next week The Invaders will face the Panthers in another key match up for playoff positioning. In another important game, The Confederates will play Rip-N-Tear at 2:30. The Fed's are 1 and 4 against Rip-N-Tear but must try to change their normal grim fate against the team or watch their playoff chances slip further away.
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Saturday, October 16 Game Summaries
Saturday's action kicked off with The Panthers Vs. The Spiders. The Panthers who went into the game with a 2-3-1 record would decide the fate of not only their own team but control the playoff hopes of The Confederates based on the outcome of their double header day. With a win in both games, the Panthers would force The Feds into a situation where a win over Rip-N-Tear would be necessary to keep their playoff hopes alive. Not only would the Panthers have their way with The Spiders posting a 49-15 win but they would follow up with a closer match against The Invaders and ultimately come out the victors with a 13-7 score. Lee Robertson of The Panthers posted excellent numbers in the game against The Spiders earning himself offensive player of the week with 8 of 18 completions for 230 yards and 4 touchdowns passing and 118 yards and 2 touchdowns rushing. Robertson would also push his brother Andy into the #1 receiver spot on the league leaders board. Andy would gain 114 yards receiving against The Spiders and 105 against The Invaders giving him 515 yards on the season. Other Panther highlights included 7 tackles from Nate Nelson delivered to The Spiders and 4 to the Invaders as well as an INT from Nelson. Rick MacQuarrie would collect 5 sacks combined in the two games and Terry Metcalf would grab 3 flags in each game as well as an interception against The Spiders. Despite their losses both The Spiders and The Invaders would have some of their own highlights. Spiders' captain Robert Ryan was 8 catches for 78 yards and a TD and Mike Williams scored the other Spider touchdown and accumulated 115 yards on 5 receptions. Invaders' tight end Nigel Cockayne would get 57 yards from 4 receptions and Bobby Leitko would score the only Invader touchdown.
In game three the undefeated Bucs would face the under rated Mean Streak. The Streak whose record does not speak for the team's talent came into the game 1-5-1 but would go home with one more win and kill the Bucs chance of becoming the first team to go undefeated in The CCFFL. The game started off close and it was evident early that Mean Streak meant business. Streak's quarterback Sage Tims found his receivers often completing over half of his passes for 176 yards. Tims would connect with receiver's Rainbo Tims and Dan Cypher for touchdowns and also with running back Jeff Remington. Mean Streak's defense was determined as well. Rainbo Tims and Joe Lucicero would become the first players to ever share the defensive player of the week title, both men would have identical stats that helped contain The Bucs. Tims and Lucicero would both get 7 tackles, 1 deflection and 1 interception. Buc's quarterback Brian Cassette would hook up with Mike Miles on a 92 yard touchdown pass and with Emil Lovec twice for 78 yards and a touchdown. But the two scores would not be enough to maintain their winning streak due to the three that the Mean Streak was able to put up. The final score was Mean Streak 18 and The Bucs 13.
With the Panthers winning both their games, the final game of the day would be an important one for The Confederates. The Feds would have to beat Rip-N-Tear or go home knowing their playoff hopes were dead. Fed's quarterback Shawn Hudson completed 13 of 22 passes for 217 yards and rushed for 98 yards. Receiver's Paul Heffern and Ron Bell both caught for 79 yards and Chuck Heironimus caught a 14 yard touchdown pass for the Feds. But Rip-N-Tear's receiver Adam Hurley caught 3 passes in the game for 86 yards. Hurley's 3 catches all resulted in touchdown. Rip-N-Tear quarterback Paul Harting did not stop their. Harting who completed 7 passes for 143 yards and the 3 TD's to Hurley also rushed for 50 yards and a TD. Jason Plout would score another Rip-N-Tear rushing touchdown and accumulate 43 yards. Defensively Rip-N-Tear would be too much for The Feds. Hurley would get 4 tackles and Jeremy Branham would get 3 tackles and 3 sacks. Both Rudy Estrada and Justin Harris intercepted Hudson once. Rip-N-Tear knocked The Feds out of the playoffs with a 36-17 final score.
Saturday, October 23 Key Match-ups
With the playoff teams already decided last week, the final week of the regular season comes down to playing for honor, pride, all-star hopes and play-off positioning.
Game 1
Rip-N-Tear Vs. The Spiders
For The Spiders a win over last season's champions could give them a little bit of pleasure in what was not a very eventful season for the team that has so far failed to win a game. For Rip-N-Tear, a win would let them finish regular season with only one loss. Thus, with a Bucs loss in the afternoon, the team would once again take first place in regular season. However, despite a win or loss if the Bucs win their game against The Confederates, Rip-N-Tear would finish regular season in second place.
Game 2
Mean Streak Vs. The Invaders
Pride and positioning should be the name of this match up. Mean Streak whose record now sits at 2-5-1 could make their record respectable and possibly end up 5th place in regular season depending on the outcome of The Feds Vs. Panthers game. The Invaders can take third place in regular season if they win and The Panthers lose to the Feds.
Game 3
Panthers Vs. The Confederates
This game will be the deciding factor in the final positioning of 4 teams. With a Panthers win they will take third place in regular season and knock The Invaders into fourth. The Feds however, if they win, will clinch their 5th place spot and keep Mean Streak at sixth.
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