Week 1: Tokyo Drifters
The game started off quite well for the Cavalry, as the defense forced an early three and out, leading to a string of solid runs by Joseph Stamps which set up a 39 yard field goal.
This was followed by another three and out and more dominating runs by Stamps, this time punctuated by a touchdown. At this point, all signs pointed towards a blowout. The defense was impenetrable, and the offense could score at will. Little did we know that slugfest that was to follow.
Following that touchdown, six consecutive punts occurred. The Drifters’ defense tightened up their run game and began to get decent pressure on Uncle Rico in the pocket. The Drifters were finally able to mount a decent drive with a slow moving but effective drive focused on short runs. However, late in the drive wide receiver Ruben Johnson caught an 18 yard pass and seemed sure to be heading to the endzone, until Jeeroy Lenkins arrived seemingly out of nowhere, delivering a crushing blow, which popped the ball out of Johnson’s hands and into his own. The Cavalry did not play risky with the ball, as they were backed up to their own 9 with less than two minutes left till halftime. They quickly punted, and the Drifters had one more shot to get on the board before the half. Lenkins, however, had other plans, making a diving interception on the second play of the drive. This left barely any time remaining in the half, and the Cavalry headed to the locker room in high spirits. If you happened to glance at the Drifters though, not a head was hanging. They were already thinking of the second half.
The Drifters’ first drive of the second was surgical, and the Cavalry’s defense was picked about both on the ground and in the air, leading to a touchdown. As the Cavalry’s second drive ended in another punt, the fans were beginning to sense the momentum shift to the Drifters. Perhaps this led the Drifters to think they were invincible. They opted to pass out the gate as they began their drive from their own 5 yard line. Daytona had no sense of urgency, and a bull rushing Hunter Mantis met him in the endzone. Two points and the ball to Calgary.
This began another series of punts by both sides, although one poor one by the Cavalry gave Tokyo a shot at a field goal, which they could not convert. They would get another try soon after though, following Uncle Rico’s interception. This time, kicker Willis Cannon did not miss. This brought the score to 12-10.
The game returned to a stalemate at this time. However, the Cavalry won the field position battle, causing Tokyo to begin multiple drives around the 10 yard line. Time was an enemy that the Drifters could not defeat.
Final Score: 12-10, Calgary
Week 2: Tiburon Landsharks
The Landsharks are on a rampage. It’s only unfortunate that Calgary was standing in their way. This game was a bit less interesting than the previous one, simply because of how one-sided the contest was. However, I’ll still force myself to look at the destruction.
The game immediately started off terribly for Calgary. Their first drive began at their 7 yard line, and a brutal sack by Sheed Thebaw in the end zone earned the Landsharks a safety to start the game. Owen Holloway proceeded to earn yards at will, despite my best efforts, and immediately led Tiburon to a touchdown. Calgary punted soon after, but a fumble that was heroically recovered by myself, Jimi DeSoto, put the ball back into their possession. The Cavalry were graced with great field position as a result, but unfortunately a risky play call that came straight from Amidships himself directed them to attempt to convert a 4th and 6 by running Stamps up the middle. Not the wisest decision. The next drive by Tiburon brought them to a similarly difficult 4th down decision, but they were in a position where risk was unnecessary, and they kicked a field goal.
Calgary and Tiburon shared a couple of punts, with the latter pinning the Cavalry at their 2 yard line. However, with their backs to the wall, the Cavalry orchestrated a valiant charge, and they carved out their best drive yet in the game. Unfortunately, just as the fearsome Takeda Cavalry faced an unfair foe in the form of Oda Nobunaga’s rifles at the battle of Nagashino in 1575, Calgary was met with a cruel and unreasonable clipping penalty that stalled out the drive just past midfield. At halftime, the score would remain 12-0.
Both offenses came into the second half rusty, but midway through the third quarter, Holloway considered a brilliant strategy to run away from wherever I was on the field, and he began to earn large chunks of yardage with his scrambling. This strategy led to two unanswered touchdowns for the Landsharks.
Since the Calgary offense was unable to sniff the end zone on their own, special teams decided to do their work for them. A blocked punt gave the Cavalry the ball at Tiburon’s 6 yard line with about 8 minutes left in the fourth. This resulted in an -11 yard drive thanks to two sacks in three plays by Bobby Hoffman. Good grief. Nonetheless, a field goal broke the shutout. This would come to be the last meaningful moment in the game.
Final score: 26-3, Tiburon
The game started off quite well for the Cavalry, as the defense forced an early three and out, leading to a string of solid runs by Joseph Stamps which set up a 39 yard field goal.
This was followed by another three and out and more dominating runs by Stamps, this time punctuated by a touchdown. At this point, all signs pointed towards a blowout. The defense was impenetrable, and the offense could score at will. Little did we know that slugfest that was to follow.
Following that touchdown, six consecutive punts occurred. The Drifters’ defense tightened up their run game and began to get decent pressure on Uncle Rico in the pocket. The Drifters were finally able to mount a decent drive with a slow moving but effective drive focused on short runs. However, late in the drive wide receiver Ruben Johnson caught an 18 yard pass and seemed sure to be heading to the endzone, until Jeeroy Lenkins arrived seemingly out of nowhere, delivering a crushing blow, which popped the ball out of Johnson’s hands and into his own. The Cavalry did not play risky with the ball, as they were backed up to their own 9 with less than two minutes left till halftime. They quickly punted, and the Drifters had one more shot to get on the board before the half. Lenkins, however, had other plans, making a diving interception on the second play of the drive. This left barely any time remaining in the half, and the Cavalry headed to the locker room in high spirits. If you happened to glance at the Drifters though, not a head was hanging. They were already thinking of the second half.
The Drifters’ first drive of the second was surgical, and the Cavalry’s defense was picked about both on the ground and in the air, leading to a touchdown. As the Cavalry’s second drive ended in another punt, the fans were beginning to sense the momentum shift to the Drifters. Perhaps this led the Drifters to think they were invincible. They opted to pass out the gate as they began their drive from their own 5 yard line. Daytona had no sense of urgency, and a bull rushing Hunter Mantis met him in the endzone. Two points and the ball to Calgary.
This began another series of punts by both sides, although one poor one by the Cavalry gave Tokyo a shot at a field goal, which they could not convert. They would get another try soon after though, following Uncle Rico’s interception. This time, kicker Willis Cannon did not miss. This brought the score to 12-10.
The game returned to a stalemate at this time. However, the Cavalry won the field position battle, causing Tokyo to begin multiple drives around the 10 yard line. Time was an enemy that the Drifters could not defeat.
Final Score: 12-10, Calgary
Week 2: Tiburon Landsharks
The Landsharks are on a rampage. It’s only unfortunate that Calgary was standing in their way. This game was a bit less interesting than the previous one, simply because of how one-sided the contest was. However, I’ll still force myself to look at the destruction.
The game immediately started off terribly for Calgary. Their first drive began at their 7 yard line, and a brutal sack by Sheed Thebaw in the end zone earned the Landsharks a safety to start the game. Owen Holloway proceeded to earn yards at will, despite my best efforts, and immediately led Tiburon to a touchdown. Calgary punted soon after, but a fumble that was heroically recovered by myself, Jimi DeSoto, put the ball back into their possession. The Cavalry were graced with great field position as a result, but unfortunately a risky play call that came straight from Amidships himself directed them to attempt to convert a 4th and 6 by running Stamps up the middle. Not the wisest decision. The next drive by Tiburon brought them to a similarly difficult 4th down decision, but they were in a position where risk was unnecessary, and they kicked a field goal.
Calgary and Tiburon shared a couple of punts, with the latter pinning the Cavalry at their 2 yard line. However, with their backs to the wall, the Cavalry orchestrated a valiant charge, and they carved out their best drive yet in the game. Unfortunately, just as the fearsome Takeda Cavalry faced an unfair foe in the form of Oda Nobunaga’s rifles at the battle of Nagashino in 1575, Calgary was met with a cruel and unreasonable clipping penalty that stalled out the drive just past midfield. At halftime, the score would remain 12-0.
Both offenses came into the second half rusty, but midway through the third quarter, Holloway considered a brilliant strategy to run away from wherever I was on the field, and he began to earn large chunks of yardage with his scrambling. This strategy led to two unanswered touchdowns for the Landsharks.
Since the Calgary offense was unable to sniff the end zone on their own, special teams decided to do their work for them. A blocked punt gave the Cavalry the ball at Tiburon’s 6 yard line with about 8 minutes left in the fourth. This resulted in an -11 yard drive thanks to two sacks in three plays by Bobby Hoffman. Good grief. Nonetheless, a field goal broke the shutout. This would come to be the last meaningful moment in the game.
Final score: 26-3, Tiburon
