03-16-2021, 04:10 PM
(This post was last modified: 03-20-2021, 07:46 AM by Asked Madden.)
This is the story of the soon to be legendary Steven Wadham and his pedestrian rise through the ranks of the International Simulation Football League. I’m going to give you a bit of context and then take you through every game of my illustrious first season as a sim player.
It all started in season 24 of the Developmental Simulation Football League with the London Royals. A late recruit, I was drafted with the 101st pick of the rookie draft in the DSFL. Some would say that was a late-round bargain, others would say it was a waste of a pick. I began my career sharing the Strong Safety position with Ed Balls and playing opposite the main man Tayshawn Crunk at Free Safety. I’m going to take you through every game of my debut season.
Preseason game 1 – London Royals 19 v 35 Portland Pythons
Home Loss
• My very first action came in the first quarter of the first preseason game, with a tackle on 2nd down. Royals went up 7-0 in the first quarter with a touchdown from RB Danny King. The defense was stout in the first quarter, not allowing Portland out of their own half. A sack from Juan Domine early on helped set the tone. In the second quarter, things took a turn for the worse, with the Pythons outscoring London 21-3. Two interceptions by Cortez allowed the Pythons to get a hold of the game. The Royals offense continued to struggle in the 3rd quarter only scoring 3 points, but the defense did ok holding them to 7 points. A sack from L’Gazzy Burfict was a high point on defense, though I was pretty quiet not doing too much. Another turnover allowed the Pythons to score. The Royals didn’t put up too much of a fight in the 4th quarter as the game was over and this was the first game of the preseason. Turnovers let us down in this game, but I was ok with my own performance. A couple of tackles in the 1st quarter was great but that was all I did all game. I was still young and developing and had very little endurance, so this was a fine first outing.
Preseason Game 2 –Minnesota Grey Ducks 32 v 12 London Royals
Away Loss
• I was starting to find my feet a bit after the nerves of the opening game, though the Royals were still getting things together on offense. Our only points in the first quarter came from a safety by Juan Domine! I had a couple of tackles in the first quarter as I started to understand my role in a professional team, and we managed to hold them to a field goal and a turnover on downs at our own 27. The second quarter started with Cortex throwing an interception whilst in our own half. The defense managed to bail us out though by holding the Grey Ducks to a field goal which they ended up missing. A messy second quarter with a lot of punting and a massive punt return which led to a touchdown was crystalised in a series of plays where Minnesota fumbled the ball which we recovered, only to throw an interception 3 plays later. Best to get all the mistakes done in pre-season I always say. I had a solid 3rd quarter with a couple more tackles as I eased myself into the game. The 4th quarter was a bit messy with a field goal from us and a Grey Ducks TD being the only scores. It was another loss but the defense was finding its feet and I was starting to feel at home in London.
Preseason Game 3 - Tijuana Luchadores 27 v 30 London Royals
Away Win
• This was my first win as a London Royal. A really close game with the final score being 30-27 to the Royals. In the 1st quarter, the Royals got off to a flying start going up 16-0 with a field goal two touchdowns and a missed extra point. The offense was starting to click and the defense looked as solid as it had done. Things were looking up. The second quarter started with a long drive from Tijuana which ended in a 4-yard touchdown run by Crowbar Theeks. The Royals replied with an equally long drive, but the Luchadores managed to hold them to a field goal. Tijuana hit back immediately with a kick-off return for a score. A 96-yard touchdown by J’Vathon. The second half started with another methodical drive by Tijuana (where I got my only tackle of the game) which ended in a 1-yard touchdown throw to Vequain. Royals went 3 and out the following drive but managed to stop Tijuana from getting another touchdown and kept the score close by forcing them to kick a field goal. Royals replied with a field goal of their own setting up a 22-24 scoreline going into the final quarter. The fourth quarter started with another Luchadores drive though they were held to a field goal. Thorbjornsson then returned the kick-off for a 98-yard touchdown. The Royals went for 2 and got it, setting up for an exciting end to the match. There was a lot of backwards and forwards and punts but no one else scored and the Royals won it, giving me my first ever win! I hadn’t added much to the win personally, but it felt great to have a win under my belt. Even if it was just preseason.
Preseason Game 4 – London Royals 37 vs 10 Myrtle Beach Buccaneers
Home Win
• This was a dominant display from the defense shutting out the Buccaneers for the whole first half. Our offense was really clicking now and put up 27 points in the first half. It was a solid showing in the 1st quarter stopping the Myrtle Beach offense from getting any momentum going. They got into our half one time, but we stopped them at the 39-yard mainly down to my one and only tackle in the whole game. This heroic display of tackling prowess motivated the rest of my team to force the opposition into a punt. Yaki got a bit lucky being able to recover a fumble, but we then went down the field and scored. Buccaneers missed a field goal early in the second quarter which greatly helped our cause. A further 2 touchdowns set us up to dominate the rest of the game. I got an unnecessary Roughness penalty on me early in the 3rd quarter, I would argue it was completely necessary and totally deserved. My boy Crunk got a sack on Daytona as the game got a bit too physical and this forced them into kicking a field goal. Losers. Terry Yaki got another touchdown to pretty much seal the win as we cruised into the 4th quarter. Juan Domine nailed Daytona again in the 4th quarter as we set down a marker for everyone else in the league. This defense was here to smash skulls. If you want to come to our house and get a result you better be ready for a game.
Season 24 DSFL Week 1 – Minnesota Grey Ducks 21 v 24 London Royals
Away Win
• The opening game of the season saw me having limited snaps. Ed Ball was still the starting Strong Safety and I was going to have to prove myself to get a chance. I had an ok off-season, but he was the starter, so he deserved the chance to keep his place. The first quarter started pretty quietly with a long drive from the Royals ending in a Touchdown for J’Vathon. Cortez had to deal with a porous o-line as he was sacked twice but the defense held the Grey Ducks to punting the ball away. The 2nd quarter continued being pretty quiet with only a field goal and another touchdown, this time for Michel. Cortez had to absorb another sack this quarter, though we got out own back as Mattress Cadaire managed to get a sack for the Royals defense. The second half started slowly but the Grey Ducks kicked into life, the turning point a fumble by Show which Minnesota managed to recover. They scored a touchdown off the back of that turnover and another before the 3rd quarter was done. This left London 3 points up going into the final quarter. A touchdown for each of the teams saw London manage to hold on for the win.
Season 24 DSFL Week 2 – London Royals 10 vs 23 Portland Pythons
Home Loss
• We went into our first home game against division rivals Portland Pythons. The win in week one had given us some confidence and we hoped to build on it. I found myself getting more snaps this week, but still rotating with Ed Balls. The game started well for London scoring a touchdown on their first possession. I made my first ever tackle in a real SFL league game. What a rush, taking down Marksman on a 3rd and 17 which led to them having to kick a field goal. That was pretty much it for the first quarter outside of another sack on Cortez. Poor guy can’t get a rest. In the second quarter, Cortez got intercepted which Portland turned into another field goal. The game was quite back and forth for the rest of the half, Cortez once again taking a sack, but that was it for scoring. In the second half, we started off punting our first possession and managed to get a sack through Busch Light. Cortez threw an interception shortly after which the Pythons converted into a touchdown. The rest of the quarter was quite bitty, Cadaire adding to his sack total for the season the high point. Portland started the 4th quarter off with a touchdown from Pama, royals replied with a field goal but couldn’t maintain drives and ended up falling to the Pythons 23-10.
Season 24 DSFL Week 3 – Myrtle Beach Buccaneers 13 v 0 London Royals
Away Loss
• In this game against Myrtle Beach Ed Ball seen most of the work and done well, getting 6 tackles and 1 sack. This didn’t stop the Buccaneers from shutting out the Royals offense and eventually winning 13-0. The offense couldn’t stay on the field with a couple of fumbles really making things difficult to sustain any kind of pressure. This game was a real defensive slog though as I watched from the sidelines. Maybe the coach felt that I was slacking off or that I needed to work harder, I don’t know. I could only watch and learn from my teammates and make sure I worked hard and got to the point where it was impossible for them to ever bench me again. Neither offense got things going this game and it kind of petered out dropping us to 1-2. We trained pretty hard the next week as the coaches made sure we knew that wasn’t good enough.
Season 24 DSFL Week 4 – London Royals 31 vs 0 Dallas Birddogs
Home Win
• I got another chance in the starting line-up for the next game. I had a pretty solid game, but the highlight was my first big play in the DSFL. In the 3rd quarter, after Cortez had been intercepted, I managed to sack the Dallas quarterback Caliban for a loss of 7 yards. This ended up being a turnover on downs as they continued to struggle against our defense. We held them to no score, just as we had been the week before, and ended up winning 31-0. This was a great way to respond to such a devastating loss. The whole defense was clicking with 5 sacks and an interception helping our team to get a statement win and prove the doubters wrong. This was the point where I started to feel really part of the team and where I fell in love with the DSFL. I was expecting a long tough battle with Ball but as long as we kept winning, I didn’t mind. I was still developing and it’s better to do that on a winning team than try to do it on a team that gets pounded every week.
Season 24 DSFL Week 5 – Tijuana Luchadores 24 vs 20 London Royals
Away Loss
• I managed to keep my place in the team for the next game, but we, unfortunately, lost a close game against the Tijuana Luchadores. It was a pretty messy first quarter with 3 fumbles between both teams an example of that. We could only manage a field goal whilst Tijuana scored a field goal and a touchdown to take a 10-3 lead. The second quarter didn’t improve much with five consecutive drives ending in punts as neither team could really get anything going. The Luchadores were able to extend their lead after a long drive scoring a 1-yard touchdown. We made a bit of a comeback in the second half, getting two turnovers which, we turned into a field goal and a touchdown. They kept the lead by scoring a touchdown too. The fourth quarter was dominated by both defenses as we struggled to break them down. Narrow loss but the defense played pretty well. I ended up with 2 tackles and a pass defended which I’ll take on a personal level but hopefully, we can put a run of games together and start getting more wins.
Season 24 DSFL Week 6 – London Royals 33 – 13 Norfolk Seawolves
Home Win
• This was a game where our run defense really helped to keep the Seawolves in check. Domine had 8 tackles and 3 sacks, and I got my first ever sack! Poor Ramza was getting smashed all game and a second-quarter flurry of scoring helped set us up for a good home win. On offense King had a huge game running for 125 yards and scoring 2 touchdowns. Despite the constant pressure Ramza still had a good game showing their potential to be a top QB in the ISFL. My first ever sack came late in the game on a 3rd and 7 at the Norfolk 34-yard line. I pushed them back 7 yards, but they managed to get the first down with a 24-yard pass on the next play on 4th down. We held on after that to come away with the win.
Season 24 DSFL Week 7 – Kansas City Coyotes 26 – 23 London Royals
Away Loss
• We started this game well going 10-0 up in the first quarter. A Busch Light sack helping us to shut out the Coyotes. The offense put up a good showing too, but it wasn’t to last as in the second quarter we were outscored 16-3. The Coyotes offense started to kick into gear. I didn’t help matters by getting an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty at our own 12-yard line. Just got carried away and wanted to make a play too much, sometimes you need to let them know they’re in a game. A field goal just before the half kept us in it. In the 3rd quarter, our defense started dominating a bit with two sacks and an interception by my boy Crunk. We only managed to get one touchdown though but went into the 4th quarter ahead. Unfortunately, we threw two interceptions and couldn’t regain the lead so lost this very close game. I was sharing duties with Ball again as he had been kicked out of Strictly Come Dancing. Had a solid 4 tackles but it wasn’t enough to help the team to a win.
Season 24 DSFL Week 8 – London Royals 24 – 14 Minnesota Grey Ducks
Home Win
• The game got off to a bad start with the Grey Ducks taking an early lead in the first quarter. The defense managed to get 2 sacks on Quarterback Peterson which made them have to kick a field goal. We went into the second quarter 10-3 down. I was able to get a sack myself which led to Minnesota punting. We pulled it back to 10-10 on our next drive but a field goal for the Ducks made sure they went into the half ahead. We took control of the game in the second half, scoring two touchdowns in the third quarter. An interception by Jones helped to keep the Grey Ducks scoreless and our offense capitalised on the turnover. The only score of the fourth quarter was a safety by Grey Ducks but it wasn’t enough for them to regain the lead. I was once again splitting snaps with Ed Ball, but I managed to be more productive getting a sack and 1 more tackle than him. I felt like I would have to keep competing with him for the rest of the season and show I deserved to be the starter.
Season 24 DSFL Week 9 – Portland Pythons 17 – 10 London Royals
Away Loss
• This game was a tough loss for us with two great defenses taking control. Portland took an early lead in the first quarter after Yaki had fumbled. Our offense had a long drive end in an interception, the defense forcing Pythons into a 3 and out immediately after. We couldn’t get going with a lot of penalties in both teams and a bit of a slog. A field goal apiece was the only scoring in the second quarter as both teams struggled to make headway. I ended up being much more involved than previously and I managed to get the joint second-most tackles for this game with 5. Ball didn’t really get much game time so this could be the changing of the guard. The second half wasn’t much better a spectacle. Only one touchdown in the third quarter by the Royals. The rest of the drives ended in a punt as neither team could get going offensively. Pythons went into the lead in the fourth quarter after Marksman scored a touchdown. London drove down the field but couldn’t get it done. Fumbling the ball on Portland’s 26-yard line with 18 seconds left was the killer blow.
Season 24 DSFL Week 10 – London Royals 34 – 31 Myrtle Beach Buccaneers
Home Win
• This game got off to a bang defensively for us with Cadaire forcing a fumble early on that we recovered. We were unable to turn that into points though, and the only points this whole quarter came from a Myrtle Beach field goal. The second quarter is where we came alive. We started off with a touchdown. On our next possession, Cortez got picked but we managed to hold them to a field goal. The game turned on its head after we scored our second touchdown of the quarter. Crunk picked off Holloway at the Buccaneers 20-yard line to set up a 1st and goal at the 1-yard line. King punched it in which gave us a 21-6 lead going into the half. The next two quarters they managed to outscore us, but we held them off to keep the victory and keep our playoff hopes alive. I had a pretty quiet game only managing two tackles, but it seems that I have now overtaken Ball in the depth chart. I hope to repay my coach by putting in some big performances over the coming games.
Season 24 DSFL Week 11 – Dallas Birddogs 13 – 27 London Royals
Away Win
• I got my first ever fumble recovery in the opening quarter of our game against the Dallas Birddogs. I picked it up after Ruschmann forced Caliban to fumble the ball at the Dallas 22-yard line. We only managed a field goal out of it, and it was more a right place right time play than anything else, but it felt good to get a turnover for my team. We outscored them 14-7 in the second quarter to put ourselves in control of the game. The highlight of this being a pick 6 by Tayshawn Crunk as he intercepted a pass meant for Watts at the 40-yard line and returned it for a touchdown. The Birddogs were not to be outdone on the big plays and scored a 61-yard punt return touchdown! The game sort of died down after that with only 6 points in the second half for Dallas and 3 for us. We had done what was needed though and got the away win with a stellar performance from the defense. My 4 tackles and the fumble recovery a respectable day at the office.
Season 24 DSFL Week 12 – London Royals 13 – 17 Tijuana Luchadores
Home Loss
• This game started off well as we took a 10-0 lead in the first quarter. Andrews managed to score a touchdown off the back of a blocked punt and Fencik got a field goal to put us in a good position. We held the Luchadores to no score in the first half, but our offense couldn’t put us further in front with the only score coming from another field goal. We went into the half 13-0 up though and looked good for another win. The Luchadores had other plans though. They got a field goal early on in the 3rd quarter. Afterwards, Yaki fumbled the ball then on our next drive Cortez was intercepted by Alexander-Arnold on our own 27-yard line. Tijuana capitalised by scoring a touchdown and we couldn’t get back into it. The Luchadores managed to shut us out the whole second half and a touchdown in the final quarter sealed the narrow win for them. I was anonymous in this game and we let ourselves down as a team. We should have been able to extend our lead, but we were off our game and Tijuana managed to pull it back so fair play to them.
Season 24 DSFL Week 13 – Norfolk Seawolves 3 -21 London Royals
Away Win
• This was a game where the defense played amazingly and the offense managed to destroy them through the running game. The Seawolves got their only score of the game with a Murder Moose field goal 9 minutes into the first quarter. From then on out they never sniffed our endzone again. We didn’t have any takeaways in this game but our defense just managed to contain the Seawolves and stop them from functioning. Yaki and Thorbjornsson got touchdowns in the second quarter which put us 14-3 up going in at half-time. The second half started as the first half ended with us holding the Seawolves to minimal offense and our offense scoring another touchdown. The fourth quarter was scoreless as our defense got 3 sacks in a row to crush any hope the Seawolves had left. Our defense just suffocated the Seawolves offense whilst our running game put up 224 yards. Smashmouth football coming back in fashion and grinding out results. I was more involved this game getting 4 tackles and felt like I had solidified myself as a first-team player now as we geared up for the playoffs.
Season 24 DSFL Week 14 – London Royals 20 – 16 Kansas City Coyotes
• We started this game well. On the first drive, Cadaire got a sack and the Coyotes missed their field goals after an 8-minute drive. We went down the other end and scored putting us 7-0 up as the Coyotes ended the first quarter grinding down the field again. They managed to get a touchdown at the end of this 7-minute drive. They also got a turnover from a fumble and managed to score a field goal out of it, so we went into the half 10-7 down. We came out and got a field goal in the 3rd quarter to even things up. We then forced a 3 and out on defense which our offense converted into a touchdown giving us the lead. Coyotes replied with another field goal as this game was going down to the wire in the 4th quarter. it was 17-13 going into the last quarter and the Coyotes drew first blood with a field goal taking it to 17-16. Our offense stalled on the next drive having to punt it away. Crunk intercepted the ball on the Coyotes 1st down which we turned into a field goal putting us 20-16 ahead. The Coyotes had a good drive but our defense managed to hold them to a turnover on downs. The offense ground out the rest of the clock and we had the win in the bag. A great end to a nice rookie season for me. Top of the division and going to the playoffs. Our defense one of the best in the league. Ball and I shared snaps during this game as I had been pretty inconsistent.
Season 24 DSFL Playoff NFC Championship Game – Portland Pythons 3 – London Royals 22
• In my first season we had made it to the playoffs and our defense was really starting to click. We were up against the 6-8 Pythons who had already beaten us twice this season. They had the league’s best points scored on offense yards and we had the least points allowed in the DSFL. So, it was a case of the unstoppable force that meets the immovable object. The game started off slow with the Pythons going for 3 and out. We followed up the next drive by doing the same as the nerves of the occasion still had to settle. On the next Portland drive, Domine got a sack on Howitzer which helped set the tone. They were going to have to beat us to win this game, no free passes here. That sack forced a punt again. The Royals marched down the field up until the Portland 36-yard line. We were held to a field goal though with Fencik doing what he does best and converting. Portland got stopped once again on their next drive having to punt from their own 27-yard line. We had a long drive after that making great progress down to the 17-yard line of the Pythons however, Cortez got Sacked and fumbled the ball with Portland recovering. They never did anything with the ball though as our defense stifled them in their own RedZone, forcing another punt. That was the end of the first quarter, a very edgy affair with only one field goal separating the sides. I think the nerves were finally starting to settle as the teams got into their groove. The Pythons started the second quarter putting a bit of a drive together but once again our defense stopped them at their own 41-yard line. Cortez got intercepted on our first play of the second quarter giving Portland the ball back. I managed to get a sack for a loss of 6-yards in our own RedZone. That pushed them back to a 3rd and 16 that they couldn’t convert. Pseudo QB converted the field goal and made the game all square at 3-3. We managed to drive down the field and put ourselves back in front with a 22-yard field goal from Fencik. It was still a very tense affair as we approached the half time mark. With the last play of the half Terry Yaki burst out for a 52-yard touchdown run extending our lead going into the half. The touchdown just before the half settled our nerves. We knew our defense could crush their offense as we had been doing it all half. Having that little cushion gave us the confidence to go out and keep dominating them. The 3rd quarter was a messy affair with incomplete passes and punts being the theme. We swapped possession back and forth but both defenses were keeping the other team’s offense in check. The Royals were getting aggressive trying to put the game to rest. They went for it on a 4th and 7 on the Portland 35 but the pass was broken up by Anabender. Crunk managed to get a sack on Howitzer which forced them to punt the ball away yet again. We ended up punting on our next possession. I got called for unnecessary roughness, though I maintain it was totally justified and necessary. He looked at me funny. Portland put together a bit of a drive making it down to our 33-yard line as they tried to save their dreams of getting to the Ultimini. Harrison Andrews came up with a clutch interception however to put them back in their place as we went into the 4th quarter still ahead after a scoreless 3rd quarter. The next 10 minutes of game time were a nervy affair as the teams traded punts. Then after a 4-minute drive, Cortez passed to Thorbjornsson to get a touchdown and put the game to bed. The offense down a great job of running the clock and finishing off the game. With 2 minutes left Portland started to get desperate but we clamped any chance of a comeback, forcing a turnover on downs. Another Fencik field goal was the icing on top of a hard-fought victory for the Royals as we booked our place in the Ultimini!
Season 24 DSFL ULTIMINI – London Royals 24 – 17 Norfolk Seawolves
• What a way to end my first ever season in a sim league. We had worked hard to get here and now the big day had arrived. Our defense had really gotten stronger as the season went on and I felt like I was now an important part of that. We came up against the Norfolk Seawolves with a chance to be the first team to win the Ultimini for the London Royals. The Seawolves had finished the season 8-6 as the second seed in the SFC. They managed to upset the Tijuana Luchadores in the Divisional round to get into the Ultimini. I remember being pretty nervous as I watched the game in my living room, upgrading to the TV for this special occasion. The game started off with the Seawolves receiving the ball. A Mattress Cadaire sack ensuring they had to punt on their first possession. It was good to make a stop immediately, but our offense was forced to a 3 and out as the teams were cautiously sizing each other up. We had beaten them twice in the season, so we were confident we could take them, but it’s always important not to take anything for granted. Norfolk put together a nice drive in the next possession. Burfict managed to get a sack on Ramza to make it 3rd and 12 but they converted to keep the drive alive. They got into our half but stalled at the 40-yard line. On a 4th and 3, they went for it and got stopped by Burfict. This gave us the ball back, but we couldn’t get anything going either. After receiving the punt Norfolk had another nice drive where they managed to get to our 22-yard line. We held strong in the RedZone, but they were able to get a field goal giving them an early lead. After the kick-off, we went 3 and out again as our offense struggled to get going. Both teams were nervous and settling into the occasion and we kept ourselves in it by only allowing 3 points to be scored on two long drives. At the beginning of the second quarter, things took a turn for the worse as Norfolk managed to get a touchdown through a 4-yard rush by Captain Rogers. Our offense replied by driving down to their 15-yard line but the usually reliable Fencik missed the field goal. You start to worry if this is going to be one of those games where everything goes wrong, but you can’t let your head drop. After forcing another 3 and out we got the ball back on offense and had a 2-minute drive down the field. We ended up powering through on a 1-yard rush by Danny King to bring the game back to within one score. The Seawolves had the ball again and had the ball moving again. They were at our 36-yard line when I managed to sack Ramza for a loss of 7 yards. The following 3rd and 17 was unsuccessful and they were forced to punt. We were unable to put another drive together as the Norfolk defense made life difficult. After Fencik punt pinned them in their own 25 we got the ball back for one last drive before half time. Cortez got picked off though and the time ran out on the half. Norfolk went in 10-7 up. The game was still very much on but the defenses were completely dominating the game so far. The offenses were going to have to grind it out and take what they can get. I had a nice first half getting a sack and a couple of tackles and I was excited about the second half. I knew we could do this. We got the ball to start the second half and our offense came out all guns blazing. First down after first down, driving down the field. Danny King once again punched it in from the 3-yard line as we went ahead for the first time in the game 14-10. The Seawolves got the ball back and replied by going straight back down the other end and scoring a touchdown. Both teams seemed fired up for the second half as we both sensed the game was there for the taking. We came back with another great drive but fumbled on their 33-yard line. We managed to stop that drive in its tracks though as they were forced to punt after Crunk got a sack on Ramza on 3rd and 10. BamBam McMullet managed to disrupt our next drive sacking Cortez on 1st down. This led to us punting the ball away again as things got tense with the score sitting at 17-14 to the Seawolves. We were still in it but we were behind right now. We got the ball back after forcing them to a 3 and out and drove down the field. A lot of short gains helped to keep the sticks moving as we made it down to their 2-yard line. We couldn’t get it over the line, however, but Fencik split the posts with the field goal making everything all square. It was 17-17 with 6 minutes left on the clock, these next few drives would decide our entire seasons. Norfolk couldn’t get going and were facing a 3rd and 10 when Ramza tried to rush on his own 1-yard line, after an amazing kick-off by special teams but was tackled by Cadaire who forcing a fumble. What a huge turnover! We got the ball on their 3-yard line and King got another touchdown this time taking the pass over the line. This put us 24-17 up with 5 minutes left. The next five minutes were the longest I had yet faced as a player. They got a first down to start with 4 minutes left. 3:26 left on a 2nd and 3 I got my second sack of the game and third in the playoffs to push them back to 3rd and 10. The 3rd down pass was incomplete but they went for it on 4th down and converted with a 13-yard reception. With 2:46 left Ramza spiked the ball giving them a 2nd and 10 on their own 40. Rogers got 3 yards on a rush, but van Perkins made the stop forcing a timeout. Ramza tried to pass on 3rd and 7 but it fell incomplete as Johnson was unable to pull it in. Ramza ran for it on 4th and 7 but got tackled for a 7-yard loss by Ruschmann giving us the turnover on downs with 1:14 left on the clock. We ran the clock down and ran out as Ultimini champions for the first time in Royals history. It felt amazing to achieve such a great feat in my first season and with a great locker room. We had a shaky start but came back and showed up when it mattered most. A lot of that defense went on to become great things in the ISFL. I felt like I developed into an important piece of that defense, winning the Defensive Player of the Game for the Ultimini, though I’d argue Cadaire should get that for the forced fumble that won us the game. It was a great first season and gave me a real appetite for sim football.
Words-6071
It all started in season 24 of the Developmental Simulation Football League with the London Royals. A late recruit, I was drafted with the 101st pick of the rookie draft in the DSFL. Some would say that was a late-round bargain, others would say it was a waste of a pick. I began my career sharing the Strong Safety position with Ed Balls and playing opposite the main man Tayshawn Crunk at Free Safety. I’m going to take you through every game of my debut season.
Preseason game 1 – London Royals 19 v 35 Portland Pythons
Home Loss
• My very first action came in the first quarter of the first preseason game, with a tackle on 2nd down. Royals went up 7-0 in the first quarter with a touchdown from RB Danny King. The defense was stout in the first quarter, not allowing Portland out of their own half. A sack from Juan Domine early on helped set the tone. In the second quarter, things took a turn for the worse, with the Pythons outscoring London 21-3. Two interceptions by Cortez allowed the Pythons to get a hold of the game. The Royals offense continued to struggle in the 3rd quarter only scoring 3 points, but the defense did ok holding them to 7 points. A sack from L’Gazzy Burfict was a high point on defense, though I was pretty quiet not doing too much. Another turnover allowed the Pythons to score. The Royals didn’t put up too much of a fight in the 4th quarter as the game was over and this was the first game of the preseason. Turnovers let us down in this game, but I was ok with my own performance. A couple of tackles in the 1st quarter was great but that was all I did all game. I was still young and developing and had very little endurance, so this was a fine first outing.
Preseason Game 2 –Minnesota Grey Ducks 32 v 12 London Royals
Away Loss
• I was starting to find my feet a bit after the nerves of the opening game, though the Royals were still getting things together on offense. Our only points in the first quarter came from a safety by Juan Domine! I had a couple of tackles in the first quarter as I started to understand my role in a professional team, and we managed to hold them to a field goal and a turnover on downs at our own 27. The second quarter started with Cortex throwing an interception whilst in our own half. The defense managed to bail us out though by holding the Grey Ducks to a field goal which they ended up missing. A messy second quarter with a lot of punting and a massive punt return which led to a touchdown was crystalised in a series of plays where Minnesota fumbled the ball which we recovered, only to throw an interception 3 plays later. Best to get all the mistakes done in pre-season I always say. I had a solid 3rd quarter with a couple more tackles as I eased myself into the game. The 4th quarter was a bit messy with a field goal from us and a Grey Ducks TD being the only scores. It was another loss but the defense was finding its feet and I was starting to feel at home in London.
Preseason Game 3 - Tijuana Luchadores 27 v 30 London Royals
Away Win
• This was my first win as a London Royal. A really close game with the final score being 30-27 to the Royals. In the 1st quarter, the Royals got off to a flying start going up 16-0 with a field goal two touchdowns and a missed extra point. The offense was starting to click and the defense looked as solid as it had done. Things were looking up. The second quarter started with a long drive from Tijuana which ended in a 4-yard touchdown run by Crowbar Theeks. The Royals replied with an equally long drive, but the Luchadores managed to hold them to a field goal. Tijuana hit back immediately with a kick-off return for a score. A 96-yard touchdown by J’Vathon. The second half started with another methodical drive by Tijuana (where I got my only tackle of the game) which ended in a 1-yard touchdown throw to Vequain. Royals went 3 and out the following drive but managed to stop Tijuana from getting another touchdown and kept the score close by forcing them to kick a field goal. Royals replied with a field goal of their own setting up a 22-24 scoreline going into the final quarter. The fourth quarter started with another Luchadores drive though they were held to a field goal. Thorbjornsson then returned the kick-off for a 98-yard touchdown. The Royals went for 2 and got it, setting up for an exciting end to the match. There was a lot of backwards and forwards and punts but no one else scored and the Royals won it, giving me my first ever win! I hadn’t added much to the win personally, but it felt great to have a win under my belt. Even if it was just preseason.
Preseason Game 4 – London Royals 37 vs 10 Myrtle Beach Buccaneers
Home Win
• This was a dominant display from the defense shutting out the Buccaneers for the whole first half. Our offense was really clicking now and put up 27 points in the first half. It was a solid showing in the 1st quarter stopping the Myrtle Beach offense from getting any momentum going. They got into our half one time, but we stopped them at the 39-yard mainly down to my one and only tackle in the whole game. This heroic display of tackling prowess motivated the rest of my team to force the opposition into a punt. Yaki got a bit lucky being able to recover a fumble, but we then went down the field and scored. Buccaneers missed a field goal early in the second quarter which greatly helped our cause. A further 2 touchdowns set us up to dominate the rest of the game. I got an unnecessary Roughness penalty on me early in the 3rd quarter, I would argue it was completely necessary and totally deserved. My boy Crunk got a sack on Daytona as the game got a bit too physical and this forced them into kicking a field goal. Losers. Terry Yaki got another touchdown to pretty much seal the win as we cruised into the 4th quarter. Juan Domine nailed Daytona again in the 4th quarter as we set down a marker for everyone else in the league. This defense was here to smash skulls. If you want to come to our house and get a result you better be ready for a game.
Season 24 DSFL Week 1 – Minnesota Grey Ducks 21 v 24 London Royals
Away Win
• The opening game of the season saw me having limited snaps. Ed Ball was still the starting Strong Safety and I was going to have to prove myself to get a chance. I had an ok off-season, but he was the starter, so he deserved the chance to keep his place. The first quarter started pretty quietly with a long drive from the Royals ending in a Touchdown for J’Vathon. Cortez had to deal with a porous o-line as he was sacked twice but the defense held the Grey Ducks to punting the ball away. The 2nd quarter continued being pretty quiet with only a field goal and another touchdown, this time for Michel. Cortez had to absorb another sack this quarter, though we got out own back as Mattress Cadaire managed to get a sack for the Royals defense. The second half started slowly but the Grey Ducks kicked into life, the turning point a fumble by Show which Minnesota managed to recover. They scored a touchdown off the back of that turnover and another before the 3rd quarter was done. This left London 3 points up going into the final quarter. A touchdown for each of the teams saw London manage to hold on for the win.
Season 24 DSFL Week 2 – London Royals 10 vs 23 Portland Pythons
Home Loss
• We went into our first home game against division rivals Portland Pythons. The win in week one had given us some confidence and we hoped to build on it. I found myself getting more snaps this week, but still rotating with Ed Balls. The game started well for London scoring a touchdown on their first possession. I made my first ever tackle in a real SFL league game. What a rush, taking down Marksman on a 3rd and 17 which led to them having to kick a field goal. That was pretty much it for the first quarter outside of another sack on Cortez. Poor guy can’t get a rest. In the second quarter, Cortez got intercepted which Portland turned into another field goal. The game was quite back and forth for the rest of the half, Cortez once again taking a sack, but that was it for scoring. In the second half, we started off punting our first possession and managed to get a sack through Busch Light. Cortez threw an interception shortly after which the Pythons converted into a touchdown. The rest of the quarter was quite bitty, Cadaire adding to his sack total for the season the high point. Portland started the 4th quarter off with a touchdown from Pama, royals replied with a field goal but couldn’t maintain drives and ended up falling to the Pythons 23-10.
Season 24 DSFL Week 3 – Myrtle Beach Buccaneers 13 v 0 London Royals
Away Loss
• In this game against Myrtle Beach Ed Ball seen most of the work and done well, getting 6 tackles and 1 sack. This didn’t stop the Buccaneers from shutting out the Royals offense and eventually winning 13-0. The offense couldn’t stay on the field with a couple of fumbles really making things difficult to sustain any kind of pressure. This game was a real defensive slog though as I watched from the sidelines. Maybe the coach felt that I was slacking off or that I needed to work harder, I don’t know. I could only watch and learn from my teammates and make sure I worked hard and got to the point where it was impossible for them to ever bench me again. Neither offense got things going this game and it kind of petered out dropping us to 1-2. We trained pretty hard the next week as the coaches made sure we knew that wasn’t good enough.
Season 24 DSFL Week 4 – London Royals 31 vs 0 Dallas Birddogs
Home Win
• I got another chance in the starting line-up for the next game. I had a pretty solid game, but the highlight was my first big play in the DSFL. In the 3rd quarter, after Cortez had been intercepted, I managed to sack the Dallas quarterback Caliban for a loss of 7 yards. This ended up being a turnover on downs as they continued to struggle against our defense. We held them to no score, just as we had been the week before, and ended up winning 31-0. This was a great way to respond to such a devastating loss. The whole defense was clicking with 5 sacks and an interception helping our team to get a statement win and prove the doubters wrong. This was the point where I started to feel really part of the team and where I fell in love with the DSFL. I was expecting a long tough battle with Ball but as long as we kept winning, I didn’t mind. I was still developing and it’s better to do that on a winning team than try to do it on a team that gets pounded every week.
Season 24 DSFL Week 5 – Tijuana Luchadores 24 vs 20 London Royals
Away Loss
• I managed to keep my place in the team for the next game, but we, unfortunately, lost a close game against the Tijuana Luchadores. It was a pretty messy first quarter with 3 fumbles between both teams an example of that. We could only manage a field goal whilst Tijuana scored a field goal and a touchdown to take a 10-3 lead. The second quarter didn’t improve much with five consecutive drives ending in punts as neither team could really get anything going. The Luchadores were able to extend their lead after a long drive scoring a 1-yard touchdown. We made a bit of a comeback in the second half, getting two turnovers which, we turned into a field goal and a touchdown. They kept the lead by scoring a touchdown too. The fourth quarter was dominated by both defenses as we struggled to break them down. Narrow loss but the defense played pretty well. I ended up with 2 tackles and a pass defended which I’ll take on a personal level but hopefully, we can put a run of games together and start getting more wins.
Season 24 DSFL Week 6 – London Royals 33 – 13 Norfolk Seawolves
Home Win
• This was a game where our run defense really helped to keep the Seawolves in check. Domine had 8 tackles and 3 sacks, and I got my first ever sack! Poor Ramza was getting smashed all game and a second-quarter flurry of scoring helped set us up for a good home win. On offense King had a huge game running for 125 yards and scoring 2 touchdowns. Despite the constant pressure Ramza still had a good game showing their potential to be a top QB in the ISFL. My first ever sack came late in the game on a 3rd and 7 at the Norfolk 34-yard line. I pushed them back 7 yards, but they managed to get the first down with a 24-yard pass on the next play on 4th down. We held on after that to come away with the win.
Season 24 DSFL Week 7 – Kansas City Coyotes 26 – 23 London Royals
Away Loss
• We started this game well going 10-0 up in the first quarter. A Busch Light sack helping us to shut out the Coyotes. The offense put up a good showing too, but it wasn’t to last as in the second quarter we were outscored 16-3. The Coyotes offense started to kick into gear. I didn’t help matters by getting an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty at our own 12-yard line. Just got carried away and wanted to make a play too much, sometimes you need to let them know they’re in a game. A field goal just before the half kept us in it. In the 3rd quarter, our defense started dominating a bit with two sacks and an interception by my boy Crunk. We only managed to get one touchdown though but went into the 4th quarter ahead. Unfortunately, we threw two interceptions and couldn’t regain the lead so lost this very close game. I was sharing duties with Ball again as he had been kicked out of Strictly Come Dancing. Had a solid 4 tackles but it wasn’t enough to help the team to a win.
Season 24 DSFL Week 8 – London Royals 24 – 14 Minnesota Grey Ducks
Home Win
• The game got off to a bad start with the Grey Ducks taking an early lead in the first quarter. The defense managed to get 2 sacks on Quarterback Peterson which made them have to kick a field goal. We went into the second quarter 10-3 down. I was able to get a sack myself which led to Minnesota punting. We pulled it back to 10-10 on our next drive but a field goal for the Ducks made sure they went into the half ahead. We took control of the game in the second half, scoring two touchdowns in the third quarter. An interception by Jones helped to keep the Grey Ducks scoreless and our offense capitalised on the turnover. The only score of the fourth quarter was a safety by Grey Ducks but it wasn’t enough for them to regain the lead. I was once again splitting snaps with Ed Ball, but I managed to be more productive getting a sack and 1 more tackle than him. I felt like I would have to keep competing with him for the rest of the season and show I deserved to be the starter.
Season 24 DSFL Week 9 – Portland Pythons 17 – 10 London Royals
Away Loss
• This game was a tough loss for us with two great defenses taking control. Portland took an early lead in the first quarter after Yaki had fumbled. Our offense had a long drive end in an interception, the defense forcing Pythons into a 3 and out immediately after. We couldn’t get going with a lot of penalties in both teams and a bit of a slog. A field goal apiece was the only scoring in the second quarter as both teams struggled to make headway. I ended up being much more involved than previously and I managed to get the joint second-most tackles for this game with 5. Ball didn’t really get much game time so this could be the changing of the guard. The second half wasn’t much better a spectacle. Only one touchdown in the third quarter by the Royals. The rest of the drives ended in a punt as neither team could get going offensively. Pythons went into the lead in the fourth quarter after Marksman scored a touchdown. London drove down the field but couldn’t get it done. Fumbling the ball on Portland’s 26-yard line with 18 seconds left was the killer blow.
Season 24 DSFL Week 10 – London Royals 34 – 31 Myrtle Beach Buccaneers
Home Win
• This game got off to a bang defensively for us with Cadaire forcing a fumble early on that we recovered. We were unable to turn that into points though, and the only points this whole quarter came from a Myrtle Beach field goal. The second quarter is where we came alive. We started off with a touchdown. On our next possession, Cortez got picked but we managed to hold them to a field goal. The game turned on its head after we scored our second touchdown of the quarter. Crunk picked off Holloway at the Buccaneers 20-yard line to set up a 1st and goal at the 1-yard line. King punched it in which gave us a 21-6 lead going into the half. The next two quarters they managed to outscore us, but we held them off to keep the victory and keep our playoff hopes alive. I had a pretty quiet game only managing two tackles, but it seems that I have now overtaken Ball in the depth chart. I hope to repay my coach by putting in some big performances over the coming games.
Season 24 DSFL Week 11 – Dallas Birddogs 13 – 27 London Royals
Away Win
• I got my first ever fumble recovery in the opening quarter of our game against the Dallas Birddogs. I picked it up after Ruschmann forced Caliban to fumble the ball at the Dallas 22-yard line. We only managed a field goal out of it, and it was more a right place right time play than anything else, but it felt good to get a turnover for my team. We outscored them 14-7 in the second quarter to put ourselves in control of the game. The highlight of this being a pick 6 by Tayshawn Crunk as he intercepted a pass meant for Watts at the 40-yard line and returned it for a touchdown. The Birddogs were not to be outdone on the big plays and scored a 61-yard punt return touchdown! The game sort of died down after that with only 6 points in the second half for Dallas and 3 for us. We had done what was needed though and got the away win with a stellar performance from the defense. My 4 tackles and the fumble recovery a respectable day at the office.
Season 24 DSFL Week 12 – London Royals 13 – 17 Tijuana Luchadores
Home Loss
• This game started off well as we took a 10-0 lead in the first quarter. Andrews managed to score a touchdown off the back of a blocked punt and Fencik got a field goal to put us in a good position. We held the Luchadores to no score in the first half, but our offense couldn’t put us further in front with the only score coming from another field goal. We went into the half 13-0 up though and looked good for another win. The Luchadores had other plans though. They got a field goal early on in the 3rd quarter. Afterwards, Yaki fumbled the ball then on our next drive Cortez was intercepted by Alexander-Arnold on our own 27-yard line. Tijuana capitalised by scoring a touchdown and we couldn’t get back into it. The Luchadores managed to shut us out the whole second half and a touchdown in the final quarter sealed the narrow win for them. I was anonymous in this game and we let ourselves down as a team. We should have been able to extend our lead, but we were off our game and Tijuana managed to pull it back so fair play to them.
Season 24 DSFL Week 13 – Norfolk Seawolves 3 -21 London Royals
Away Win
• This was a game where the defense played amazingly and the offense managed to destroy them through the running game. The Seawolves got their only score of the game with a Murder Moose field goal 9 minutes into the first quarter. From then on out they never sniffed our endzone again. We didn’t have any takeaways in this game but our defense just managed to contain the Seawolves and stop them from functioning. Yaki and Thorbjornsson got touchdowns in the second quarter which put us 14-3 up going in at half-time. The second half started as the first half ended with us holding the Seawolves to minimal offense and our offense scoring another touchdown. The fourth quarter was scoreless as our defense got 3 sacks in a row to crush any hope the Seawolves had left. Our defense just suffocated the Seawolves offense whilst our running game put up 224 yards. Smashmouth football coming back in fashion and grinding out results. I was more involved this game getting 4 tackles and felt like I had solidified myself as a first-team player now as we geared up for the playoffs.
Season 24 DSFL Week 14 – London Royals 20 – 16 Kansas City Coyotes
• We started this game well. On the first drive, Cadaire got a sack and the Coyotes missed their field goals after an 8-minute drive. We went down the other end and scored putting us 7-0 up as the Coyotes ended the first quarter grinding down the field again. They managed to get a touchdown at the end of this 7-minute drive. They also got a turnover from a fumble and managed to score a field goal out of it, so we went into the half 10-7 down. We came out and got a field goal in the 3rd quarter to even things up. We then forced a 3 and out on defense which our offense converted into a touchdown giving us the lead. Coyotes replied with another field goal as this game was going down to the wire in the 4th quarter. it was 17-13 going into the last quarter and the Coyotes drew first blood with a field goal taking it to 17-16. Our offense stalled on the next drive having to punt it away. Crunk intercepted the ball on the Coyotes 1st down which we turned into a field goal putting us 20-16 ahead. The Coyotes had a good drive but our defense managed to hold them to a turnover on downs. The offense ground out the rest of the clock and we had the win in the bag. A great end to a nice rookie season for me. Top of the division and going to the playoffs. Our defense one of the best in the league. Ball and I shared snaps during this game as I had been pretty inconsistent.
Season 24 DSFL Playoff NFC Championship Game – Portland Pythons 3 – London Royals 22
• In my first season we had made it to the playoffs and our defense was really starting to click. We were up against the 6-8 Pythons who had already beaten us twice this season. They had the league’s best points scored on offense yards and we had the least points allowed in the DSFL. So, it was a case of the unstoppable force that meets the immovable object. The game started off slow with the Pythons going for 3 and out. We followed up the next drive by doing the same as the nerves of the occasion still had to settle. On the next Portland drive, Domine got a sack on Howitzer which helped set the tone. They were going to have to beat us to win this game, no free passes here. That sack forced a punt again. The Royals marched down the field up until the Portland 36-yard line. We were held to a field goal though with Fencik doing what he does best and converting. Portland got stopped once again on their next drive having to punt from their own 27-yard line. We had a long drive after that making great progress down to the 17-yard line of the Pythons however, Cortez got Sacked and fumbled the ball with Portland recovering. They never did anything with the ball though as our defense stifled them in their own RedZone, forcing another punt. That was the end of the first quarter, a very edgy affair with only one field goal separating the sides. I think the nerves were finally starting to settle as the teams got into their groove. The Pythons started the second quarter putting a bit of a drive together but once again our defense stopped them at their own 41-yard line. Cortez got intercepted on our first play of the second quarter giving Portland the ball back. I managed to get a sack for a loss of 6-yards in our own RedZone. That pushed them back to a 3rd and 16 that they couldn’t convert. Pseudo QB converted the field goal and made the game all square at 3-3. We managed to drive down the field and put ourselves back in front with a 22-yard field goal from Fencik. It was still a very tense affair as we approached the half time mark. With the last play of the half Terry Yaki burst out for a 52-yard touchdown run extending our lead going into the half. The touchdown just before the half settled our nerves. We knew our defense could crush their offense as we had been doing it all half. Having that little cushion gave us the confidence to go out and keep dominating them. The 3rd quarter was a messy affair with incomplete passes and punts being the theme. We swapped possession back and forth but both defenses were keeping the other team’s offense in check. The Royals were getting aggressive trying to put the game to rest. They went for it on a 4th and 7 on the Portland 35 but the pass was broken up by Anabender. Crunk managed to get a sack on Howitzer which forced them to punt the ball away yet again. We ended up punting on our next possession. I got called for unnecessary roughness, though I maintain it was totally justified and necessary. He looked at me funny. Portland put together a bit of a drive making it down to our 33-yard line as they tried to save their dreams of getting to the Ultimini. Harrison Andrews came up with a clutch interception however to put them back in their place as we went into the 4th quarter still ahead after a scoreless 3rd quarter. The next 10 minutes of game time were a nervy affair as the teams traded punts. Then after a 4-minute drive, Cortez passed to Thorbjornsson to get a touchdown and put the game to bed. The offense down a great job of running the clock and finishing off the game. With 2 minutes left Portland started to get desperate but we clamped any chance of a comeback, forcing a turnover on downs. Another Fencik field goal was the icing on top of a hard-fought victory for the Royals as we booked our place in the Ultimini!
Season 24 DSFL ULTIMINI – London Royals 24 – 17 Norfolk Seawolves
• What a way to end my first ever season in a sim league. We had worked hard to get here and now the big day had arrived. Our defense had really gotten stronger as the season went on and I felt like I was now an important part of that. We came up against the Norfolk Seawolves with a chance to be the first team to win the Ultimini for the London Royals. The Seawolves had finished the season 8-6 as the second seed in the SFC. They managed to upset the Tijuana Luchadores in the Divisional round to get into the Ultimini. I remember being pretty nervous as I watched the game in my living room, upgrading to the TV for this special occasion. The game started off with the Seawolves receiving the ball. A Mattress Cadaire sack ensuring they had to punt on their first possession. It was good to make a stop immediately, but our offense was forced to a 3 and out as the teams were cautiously sizing each other up. We had beaten them twice in the season, so we were confident we could take them, but it’s always important not to take anything for granted. Norfolk put together a nice drive in the next possession. Burfict managed to get a sack on Ramza to make it 3rd and 12 but they converted to keep the drive alive. They got into our half but stalled at the 40-yard line. On a 4th and 3, they went for it and got stopped by Burfict. This gave us the ball back, but we couldn’t get anything going either. After receiving the punt Norfolk had another nice drive where they managed to get to our 22-yard line. We held strong in the RedZone, but they were able to get a field goal giving them an early lead. After the kick-off, we went 3 and out again as our offense struggled to get going. Both teams were nervous and settling into the occasion and we kept ourselves in it by only allowing 3 points to be scored on two long drives. At the beginning of the second quarter, things took a turn for the worse as Norfolk managed to get a touchdown through a 4-yard rush by Captain Rogers. Our offense replied by driving down to their 15-yard line but the usually reliable Fencik missed the field goal. You start to worry if this is going to be one of those games where everything goes wrong, but you can’t let your head drop. After forcing another 3 and out we got the ball back on offense and had a 2-minute drive down the field. We ended up powering through on a 1-yard rush by Danny King to bring the game back to within one score. The Seawolves had the ball again and had the ball moving again. They were at our 36-yard line when I managed to sack Ramza for a loss of 7 yards. The following 3rd and 17 was unsuccessful and they were forced to punt. We were unable to put another drive together as the Norfolk defense made life difficult. After Fencik punt pinned them in their own 25 we got the ball back for one last drive before half time. Cortez got picked off though and the time ran out on the half. Norfolk went in 10-7 up. The game was still very much on but the defenses were completely dominating the game so far. The offenses were going to have to grind it out and take what they can get. I had a nice first half getting a sack and a couple of tackles and I was excited about the second half. I knew we could do this. We got the ball to start the second half and our offense came out all guns blazing. First down after first down, driving down the field. Danny King once again punched it in from the 3-yard line as we went ahead for the first time in the game 14-10. The Seawolves got the ball back and replied by going straight back down the other end and scoring a touchdown. Both teams seemed fired up for the second half as we both sensed the game was there for the taking. We came back with another great drive but fumbled on their 33-yard line. We managed to stop that drive in its tracks though as they were forced to punt after Crunk got a sack on Ramza on 3rd and 10. BamBam McMullet managed to disrupt our next drive sacking Cortez on 1st down. This led to us punting the ball away again as things got tense with the score sitting at 17-14 to the Seawolves. We were still in it but we were behind right now. We got the ball back after forcing them to a 3 and out and drove down the field. A lot of short gains helped to keep the sticks moving as we made it down to their 2-yard line. We couldn’t get it over the line, however, but Fencik split the posts with the field goal making everything all square. It was 17-17 with 6 minutes left on the clock, these next few drives would decide our entire seasons. Norfolk couldn’t get going and were facing a 3rd and 10 when Ramza tried to rush on his own 1-yard line, after an amazing kick-off by special teams but was tackled by Cadaire who forcing a fumble. What a huge turnover! We got the ball on their 3-yard line and King got another touchdown this time taking the pass over the line. This put us 24-17 up with 5 minutes left. The next five minutes were the longest I had yet faced as a player. They got a first down to start with 4 minutes left. 3:26 left on a 2nd and 3 I got my second sack of the game and third in the playoffs to push them back to 3rd and 10. The 3rd down pass was incomplete but they went for it on 4th down and converted with a 13-yard reception. With 2:46 left Ramza spiked the ball giving them a 2nd and 10 on their own 40. Rogers got 3 yards on a rush, but van Perkins made the stop forcing a timeout. Ramza tried to pass on 3rd and 7 but it fell incomplete as Johnson was unable to pull it in. Ramza ran for it on 4th and 7 but got tackled for a 7-yard loss by Ruschmann giving us the turnover on downs with 1:14 left on the clock. We ran the clock down and ran out as Ultimini champions for the first time in Royals history. It felt amazing to achieve such a great feat in my first season and with a great locker room. We had a shaky start but came back and showed up when it mattered most. A lot of that defense went on to become great things in the ISFL. I felt like I developed into an important piece of that defense, winning the Defensive Player of the Game for the Ultimini, though I’d argue Cadaire should get that for the forced fumble that won us the game. It was a great first season and gave me a real appetite for sim football.
Words-6071
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