Championship Game Recap(DSFL): The DSFL Championship game pitted the terminator-like efficiency of the Palm Beach Solar Bears against Pythons GM Rashaad Brooks and his crew of future first round draft picks. PB was storming into the title matchup having blown the doors off the Luchadores in the conference finals while the Pythons had won a close but decisive matchup against the Norfolk Seawolves. The game was hard fought and without much of the controversial officiating that came up in the Ultimus, with only eight total penalties for just over eighty yards being incurred by the combined sides. Portland built their strategy around using workhorse tailback Borro Gore to control the tempo of the game and limit the explosive Palm Beach offense. Gore started out in a timeshare but worked his way into the primary back’s spot by the time the title rolled around, and he delivered for the Pythons with 19 carries for 69 yards into the teeth of the PB defense. The game was won, however, in the air. Like in many of their blowout wins the Solar Bears sent the ball deep on a regular basis and were able to convert those long gains into points on the back end. PB Quarterback Jim McMahon was beyond excellent, boosting a 118.6 passer rating and completing 5 passes over 20 yards. In the end the Solar Bears’ offense was simply too explosive, and the era of human dominance in the DSFL came to an end.
That Magic Moment(NSFL, Ultimus): The moment that served as the beginning of the end for the Yellowknife Wraiths in the S6 Ultimus also served as the title matchup’s magic moment. With the game tied 3-3 midway through the first quarter the YKW forced a punt from Orange County’s Madlad from out of his own end-zone. The punt was an impressive 55 yarder, but an eleven yard return set the Wraiths up on a short field and an opportunity to take the lead heading into the second quarter. On the very next play Wraiths QB Akselsen evaded the pass rush, faked a defender out and took off downfield, racing into Otters territory and toward the goal line. Akselsen’s scamper didn’t end up rosy for the Wraiths, however, as Atwell, the Otters third CB and nickel-back made a heroic play. After chasing down Akselsen from his slot corner position Atwell took an opportunistic punch at the ball and forced a fumble that was scooped out by Angus Winschester at the OCO 33. Whether the moment was too much for Akselsen, he just wasn’t used to carrying the ball in those situations, or Atwell just made a helluva play the results speak for themselves. Orange county marched down the field for a go-ahead TD and never trailed again as they powered their way to yet another Ultimus.
Going to Disneyland!: The Ultimus MVP can be none other than receiver Bradley Westfield. The offensive speedster for the Orange County Otters regularly burned the Wraiths’ secondary deep during the game, hauling in 141 receiving yards on a mere six catches. The eye popping 23.5 YPC would have ranked as the best in the NSFL for receivers with over 10 catches in the regular season. Westfield moved Orange County down the field when they needed it, and despite not punching it into the end zone on any of his touches Westfield proved himself to be the most dynamic player on the field whenever he stepped on it. Orange County was able to run their offense through Westfield, allowing him to match up in single coverage against his Wraith’s counterparts and relying on him to torch those same cornerbacks on go-routes and deep posts. On a night of generally sloppy football that saw six turnovers, ten penalties, and the complete absence of a running game Westfield showed out. All said and done, the receiver accounted for just under 41 percent of the Otters’ total offense on the evening, and for that consistency combined with his proven explosiveness with the ball in his hands, Westfield takes the MVP.
Playoff Series MVP(DSFL, POR vs NOR): The MVP for the Pythons in their game against Norfolk could be no other player than defensive tackle Norman Bagwell. Bagwell has had an excellent season shoring up the interior of the Python’s defensive front but he didn’t really stuff the stat sheet while doing so. Well, they say that the best comes out to play in the playoffs, and Bagwell certainly took that to heart, tallying 4 tackles and two huge sacks that ended up being a big part of the difference in the game. Bagwell’s most important play was a sack on 2nd and two from the Portland 34 yard line. Two plays, an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the Seawolves, and another sack from safety Bobby Ruckus later the Seawolves had been forced back onto their own side of the field and what had looked like a sure field goal at the least ended up being a punt back to the Pythons. While that sequence in and of itself may not sound like MVP material, when you consider that this was a four point game with the Seawolves driving late only to turn the ball over on downs because they needed the TD, the magnitude of Bagwell’s contribution becomes apparent. The Python’s #1 OA pick showed out when he needed to most to make sure his team went to the Ultimini.
That Magic Moment(NSFL, Ultimus): The moment that served as the beginning of the end for the Yellowknife Wraiths in the S6 Ultimus also served as the title matchup’s magic moment. With the game tied 3-3 midway through the first quarter the YKW forced a punt from Orange County’s Madlad from out of his own end-zone. The punt was an impressive 55 yarder, but an eleven yard return set the Wraiths up on a short field and an opportunity to take the lead heading into the second quarter. On the very next play Wraiths QB Akselsen evaded the pass rush, faked a defender out and took off downfield, racing into Otters territory and toward the goal line. Akselsen’s scamper didn’t end up rosy for the Wraiths, however, as Atwell, the Otters third CB and nickel-back made a heroic play. After chasing down Akselsen from his slot corner position Atwell took an opportunistic punch at the ball and forced a fumble that was scooped out by Angus Winschester at the OCO 33. Whether the moment was too much for Akselsen, he just wasn’t used to carrying the ball in those situations, or Atwell just made a helluva play the results speak for themselves. Orange county marched down the field for a go-ahead TD and never trailed again as they powered their way to yet another Ultimus.
Going to Disneyland!: The Ultimus MVP can be none other than receiver Bradley Westfield. The offensive speedster for the Orange County Otters regularly burned the Wraiths’ secondary deep during the game, hauling in 141 receiving yards on a mere six catches. The eye popping 23.5 YPC would have ranked as the best in the NSFL for receivers with over 10 catches in the regular season. Westfield moved Orange County down the field when they needed it, and despite not punching it into the end zone on any of his touches Westfield proved himself to be the most dynamic player on the field whenever he stepped on it. Orange County was able to run their offense through Westfield, allowing him to match up in single coverage against his Wraith’s counterparts and relying on him to torch those same cornerbacks on go-routes and deep posts. On a night of generally sloppy football that saw six turnovers, ten penalties, and the complete absence of a running game Westfield showed out. All said and done, the receiver accounted for just under 41 percent of the Otters’ total offense on the evening, and for that consistency combined with his proven explosiveness with the ball in his hands, Westfield takes the MVP.
Playoff Series MVP(DSFL, POR vs NOR): The MVP for the Pythons in their game against Norfolk could be no other player than defensive tackle Norman Bagwell. Bagwell has had an excellent season shoring up the interior of the Python’s defensive front but he didn’t really stuff the stat sheet while doing so. Well, they say that the best comes out to play in the playoffs, and Bagwell certainly took that to heart, tallying 4 tackles and two huge sacks that ended up being a big part of the difference in the game. Bagwell’s most important play was a sack on 2nd and two from the Portland 34 yard line. Two plays, an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the Seawolves, and another sack from safety Bobby Ruckus later the Seawolves had been forced back onto their own side of the field and what had looked like a sure field goal at the least ended up being a punt back to the Pythons. While that sequence in and of itself may not sound like MVP material, when you consider that this was a four point game with the Seawolves driving late only to turn the ball over on downs because they needed the TD, the magnitude of Bagwell’s contribution becomes apparent. The Python’s #1 OA pick showed out when he needed to most to make sure his team went to the Ultimini.
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