8)
The best case that I can make in regards to awards is Danny King for Offensive Rookie of the Year. King was signed from free agency by the newly-formed Berlin Fire Salamanders ahead of the ISFL's 25th season, which would be his first as a full-fledged professional player. And what an impact! Between Danny King and the slightly more seasoned Joseph Petrongolo, the Berlin Fire Salamanders were able to finish the season as the league's 2nd-best rushing team by both attempts and yardage. King on his own was able to rush for 1068 yards on 255 for 6 touchdowns, putting him behind only Ashley Owens, Jamar Lackson, and Zoe Watts. Though less impressive, King as also able to receive as a short-pass option, catching for 148 yards on 16 catches with 2 touchdown. Breaking the top 5 rushers (and with the best average mind you) should on it's own get him both a nomination and a win. Danny King was not only a great rusher in his debut season, but he carried a team that had no reason to reach what success it did.
On a similar note, I would also put Joseph Petrongolo up for awards, namely Offensive Breakout Player of the Year. Joe was Berlin's first pick of the S25 Expansion Draft, as he was meant to carry the team. And though he would eventually be outshone by the rookie sensation I've already covered, Petrongolo was the ISFL's lead rusher for the first few weeks of the season. He finished the season with 995 yards on 250 attempts with 2 touchdowns, a fantastic improvement over his last season with Arizona, where he made 697 yards on 182 attempts, though with 4 TDs. On the same note, Joe was an excellent short-range option for new QB Nick Kaepercolin, as he was able to catch for 474 yards on 47 receptions, compared to last season's 167 yards on 20 catches with 1 touchdown. The improvements made despite playing with a less-equipped team should earn Joseph Petrongolo a nomination, at the absolute least.
My final awards-worthy teammate in my opinion is Hingle McCringleberry for Linebacker of the Year. Even though he only recorded 120 tackles, McCringleberry managed a high stat sheet across the categories, even though he rarely led in any particular. With 3 tackles for loss (T-2nd), 3 forced fumbles (T-1st), 1 fumble recovered (T-2nd), 8 sacks (T-6th), 2 interceptions (T-3rd), 13 passes defended (T-9th), and 2 touchdowns (T-1st), Hingle McCringleberry has done well in every major category and therefore deserves a nomination.
9)
The Berlin Fire Salamanders had a rocky first season, to say the least. Finishing dead last with a record of 3-13, we also managed to finish dead last in nearly every category for both passing and receiving. Our strong suit was rushing, not surprising for a team that "can't pass". But I don't think our offense was the issue. Granted, we had the least points scored across the league. But our offensive talent is only really limited by our passing game. As QB Nick Kaepercolin continues to develop into his new position, we can only get better. Our receiving core is only a few degrees away from elite status, comprised of WRs Susan Cash Jr., Dre Matthews, and Taylor Cooper and TEs Clark Boyd and Cmon Skiuuup. The upswing on this offense in ridiculous. The main issue that this team faces is bolstering our defense. Though our defense could apply some pressure on opposing offenses, it never seemed to be enough. There were just too many holes to fill in. By season's end, we managed to have the most points scored against us across the whole league. Having more pass rushing and man-to-man coverage would really help our team out, in my opinion. As it stands, we simply cannot contain offenses. And we lack the forward mobility on offense to make up for the failings on defense. Granted, we have some solid players in the defense, but getting some more would really make the team more successful overall. As with most teams, but ours especially, the secondary can use some filling in. And creating a more pressurizing line can only help. Containment is our biggest issue and if we can put a lid on how often we let opposing players into our half of the field, the sky's the limit. In short, all we need as a team is some time. If we can manage to bring in some more defensive talent, and allow our offense to become a bit more dynamic, we could become dangerous pretty soon. But I don't want to get my hopes up just yet. Obviously, improvement of any sort will lead to more success next season. We looked good every once in a while when things clicked this year. But if the goal is Ultimus contention, as it damn well should be, we will need all hands on deck. With maximum effort and just a little bit of luck, the Berlin Fire Salamanders can bounce back and bounce back hard.
The best case that I can make in regards to awards is Danny King for Offensive Rookie of the Year. King was signed from free agency by the newly-formed Berlin Fire Salamanders ahead of the ISFL's 25th season, which would be his first as a full-fledged professional player. And what an impact! Between Danny King and the slightly more seasoned Joseph Petrongolo, the Berlin Fire Salamanders were able to finish the season as the league's 2nd-best rushing team by both attempts and yardage. King on his own was able to rush for 1068 yards on 255 for 6 touchdowns, putting him behind only Ashley Owens, Jamar Lackson, and Zoe Watts. Though less impressive, King as also able to receive as a short-pass option, catching for 148 yards on 16 catches with 2 touchdown. Breaking the top 5 rushers (and with the best average mind you) should on it's own get him both a nomination and a win. Danny King was not only a great rusher in his debut season, but he carried a team that had no reason to reach what success it did.
On a similar note, I would also put Joseph Petrongolo up for awards, namely Offensive Breakout Player of the Year. Joe was Berlin's first pick of the S25 Expansion Draft, as he was meant to carry the team. And though he would eventually be outshone by the rookie sensation I've already covered, Petrongolo was the ISFL's lead rusher for the first few weeks of the season. He finished the season with 995 yards on 250 attempts with 2 touchdowns, a fantastic improvement over his last season with Arizona, where he made 697 yards on 182 attempts, though with 4 TDs. On the same note, Joe was an excellent short-range option for new QB Nick Kaepercolin, as he was able to catch for 474 yards on 47 receptions, compared to last season's 167 yards on 20 catches with 1 touchdown. The improvements made despite playing with a less-equipped team should earn Joseph Petrongolo a nomination, at the absolute least.
My final awards-worthy teammate in my opinion is Hingle McCringleberry for Linebacker of the Year. Even though he only recorded 120 tackles, McCringleberry managed a high stat sheet across the categories, even though he rarely led in any particular. With 3 tackles for loss (T-2nd), 3 forced fumbles (T-1st), 1 fumble recovered (T-2nd), 8 sacks (T-6th), 2 interceptions (T-3rd), 13 passes defended (T-9th), and 2 touchdowns (T-1st), Hingle McCringleberry has done well in every major category and therefore deserves a nomination.
9)
The Berlin Fire Salamanders had a rocky first season, to say the least. Finishing dead last with a record of 3-13, we also managed to finish dead last in nearly every category for both passing and receiving. Our strong suit was rushing, not surprising for a team that "can't pass". But I don't think our offense was the issue. Granted, we had the least points scored across the league. But our offensive talent is only really limited by our passing game. As QB Nick Kaepercolin continues to develop into his new position, we can only get better. Our receiving core is only a few degrees away from elite status, comprised of WRs Susan Cash Jr., Dre Matthews, and Taylor Cooper and TEs Clark Boyd and Cmon Skiuuup. The upswing on this offense in ridiculous. The main issue that this team faces is bolstering our defense. Though our defense could apply some pressure on opposing offenses, it never seemed to be enough. There were just too many holes to fill in. By season's end, we managed to have the most points scored against us across the whole league. Having more pass rushing and man-to-man coverage would really help our team out, in my opinion. As it stands, we simply cannot contain offenses. And we lack the forward mobility on offense to make up for the failings on defense. Granted, we have some solid players in the defense, but getting some more would really make the team more successful overall. As with most teams, but ours especially, the secondary can use some filling in. And creating a more pressurizing line can only help. Containment is our biggest issue and if we can put a lid on how often we let opposing players into our half of the field, the sky's the limit. In short, all we need as a team is some time. If we can manage to bring in some more defensive talent, and allow our offense to become a bit more dynamic, we could become dangerous pretty soon. But I don't want to get my hopes up just yet. Obviously, improvement of any sort will lead to more success next season. We looked good every once in a while when things clicked this year. But if the goal is Ultimus contention, as it damn well should be, we will need all hands on deck. With maximum effort and just a little bit of luck, the Berlin Fire Salamanders can bounce back and bounce back hard.
![[Image: 62653_s.gif]](https://signavatar.com/62653_s.gif)
