Thought I'd try my hand at a newspaper-style game write-up for my team's win today. Enjoy!
Palm Bay 17, Gun Circus 14
http://goallineblitz.com/game/game.pl?game_id=2401342
PALM BAY, FL -- Bottled up for most of the game by the Gun Circus defense, Palm Bay quarterback Diego Hand only needed one big run to turn the course of the game. That run came with 6:21 left in the game as Hand scampered 83 yards up the left sideline for a touchdown, securing a 17-14 win for the Paladins to improve to a 4-0 record.
The run capped an otherwise-pedestrian performance for the Paladin quarterbacks -- only 18 yards and a fumble on 6 previous carries for Hand, only 1 yard on 6 carries for fellow quarterback Robert Griffin III. The Gun Circus defense frustrated the Paladins rushing quarterbacks all game long with a system that swarmed multiple defenders to the flats in an effort to out-number the Paladins blockers.
But the gambit opened up the inside running lanes for the Paladins, and the running backs took advantage. Powerback Dana Snow gained 55 yards on 14 carries to anchor the inside attack, allowing Palm Bay to extend possessions and win the field position battle.
The Palm Bay defensive line played a significant role as well, notching 8 sacks on Gun Circus quarterback Johnny McDougal, 6 sacks alone from defensive end Axl Rose. McDougal played efficiently when he was able to escape the Paladins pressure, completing 20 of 31 pass attempts for 214 yards and 2 touchdowns. But the frequent sacks -- one for every 5 Circus pass plays called -- disrupted the Circus offense repeatedly throughout the game.
The opening quarter set the template for the game. A pair of back-to-back sacks by Rose forced Circus to punt from their own 13 yard line on the opening possession, and a 20-yard return by Palm Bay returner Cordarrelle Patterson set up the Paladins at the Circus 40 yard line. Three plays later, running back Chuck Webb took a pitch up the left side, spinning out of a tackle and scrambling 38 yards for the game's first touchdown.
On the next Circus possession, a sack by Palm Bay defensive end Rogue Wave forced Circus into another punt from deep in their territory, once again giving the Paladins the ball inside the 50. A key third-down conversion on a 13-yard run by Hand moved the Paladins into field-goal territory, setting up a 34-yard field goal by Paladins kicker George Bullock and opening up a 10-0 lead for Palm Bay midway through the first quarter.
Circus responded with a lengthy 8-minute 76-yard drive, converting 5 third-downs along the way, and capped the drive with a screen pass to fullback Jon Ritchie for a 3-yard touchdown to cut the lead to 3. From there, the two defenses settled in, forcing both offenses to trade punts until the end of the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Circus saw their opportunity and took it, as fullback Freddie Pringles found a seam in the Paladins defense, taking a McDougal pass 80 yards upfield for a touchdown and a 14-10 Circus lead with 14:01 remaining in the game. The two offenses then traded punts, with Circus's punt pinning Palm Bay back at their own 14 yard line with 6:46 left on the clock.
Then the Paladins struck back. After a short gain on 1st down, quarterback Diego Hand took the snap and swept to the left on a keeper, with trips-blockers leading the way. Hand was nearly dropped for a loss in the backfield as Circus linebacker Ellis Malloy came free, but a timely chip-block from running back De'Anthony Thomas forced Malloy to change his angle of attack, springing Hand free to the outside for the game-winning touchdown.
From there, the Paladins defense sealed the game, holding Circus to just 16 yards gained on their final two possessions. On a 4th & 13 play with 1:17 remaining, a swing-pass to fullback Pringles was stopped 9 yards short of the first-down marker, and the Paladins knelt out the clock on offense.
The victory extends Palm Bay's league-play win-streak to 24 games and keeps them in a 5-way tie for first place in the West. Gun Circus drops to 2-2 in a tie for ninth place. Palm Bay faces Mean Machine (0-4) on the road next week, while Gun Circus returns home to face the Raging Yorkies (4-0).
Palm Bay 17, Gun Circus 14
http://goallineblitz.com/game/game.pl?game_id=2401342
PALM BAY, FL -- Bottled up for most of the game by the Gun Circus defense, Palm Bay quarterback Diego Hand only needed one big run to turn the course of the game. That run came with 6:21 left in the game as Hand scampered 83 yards up the left sideline for a touchdown, securing a 17-14 win for the Paladins to improve to a 4-0 record.
The run capped an otherwise-pedestrian performance for the Paladin quarterbacks -- only 18 yards and a fumble on 6 previous carries for Hand, only 1 yard on 6 carries for fellow quarterback Robert Griffin III. The Gun Circus defense frustrated the Paladins rushing quarterbacks all game long with a system that swarmed multiple defenders to the flats in an effort to out-number the Paladins blockers.
But the gambit opened up the inside running lanes for the Paladins, and the running backs took advantage. Powerback Dana Snow gained 55 yards on 14 carries to anchor the inside attack, allowing Palm Bay to extend possessions and win the field position battle.
The Palm Bay defensive line played a significant role as well, notching 8 sacks on Gun Circus quarterback Johnny McDougal, 6 sacks alone from defensive end Axl Rose. McDougal played efficiently when he was able to escape the Paladins pressure, completing 20 of 31 pass attempts for 214 yards and 2 touchdowns. But the frequent sacks -- one for every 5 Circus pass plays called -- disrupted the Circus offense repeatedly throughout the game.
The opening quarter set the template for the game. A pair of back-to-back sacks by Rose forced Circus to punt from their own 13 yard line on the opening possession, and a 20-yard return by Palm Bay returner Cordarrelle Patterson set up the Paladins at the Circus 40 yard line. Three plays later, running back Chuck Webb took a pitch up the left side, spinning out of a tackle and scrambling 38 yards for the game's first touchdown.
On the next Circus possession, a sack by Palm Bay defensive end Rogue Wave forced Circus into another punt from deep in their territory, once again giving the Paladins the ball inside the 50. A key third-down conversion on a 13-yard run by Hand moved the Paladins into field-goal territory, setting up a 34-yard field goal by Paladins kicker George Bullock and opening up a 10-0 lead for Palm Bay midway through the first quarter.
Circus responded with a lengthy 8-minute 76-yard drive, converting 5 third-downs along the way, and capped the drive with a screen pass to fullback Jon Ritchie for a 3-yard touchdown to cut the lead to 3. From there, the two defenses settled in, forcing both offenses to trade punts until the end of the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Circus saw their opportunity and took it, as fullback Freddie Pringles found a seam in the Paladins defense, taking a McDougal pass 80 yards upfield for a touchdown and a 14-10 Circus lead with 14:01 remaining in the game. The two offenses then traded punts, with Circus's punt pinning Palm Bay back at their own 14 yard line with 6:46 left on the clock.
Then the Paladins struck back. After a short gain on 1st down, quarterback Diego Hand took the snap and swept to the left on a keeper, with trips-blockers leading the way. Hand was nearly dropped for a loss in the backfield as Circus linebacker Ellis Malloy came free, but a timely chip-block from running back De'Anthony Thomas forced Malloy to change his angle of attack, springing Hand free to the outside for the game-winning touchdown.
From there, the Paladins defense sealed the game, holding Circus to just 16 yards gained on their final two possessions. On a 4th & 13 play with 1:17 remaining, a swing-pass to fullback Pringles was stopped 9 yards short of the first-down marker, and the Paladins knelt out the clock on offense.
The victory extends Palm Bay's league-play win-streak to 24 games and keeps them in a 5-way tie for first place in the West. Gun Circus drops to 2-2 in a tie for ninth place. Palm Bay faces Mean Machine (0-4) on the road next week, while Gun Circus returns home to face the Raging Yorkies (4-0).
very good write up Novus. I wish more people would do these type write ups in the league forums. in the past there used to be some very good writers in the forums.
I thought my team forums got moved to the top...I was about to disable greasemonkey, lol.
