The final week before the final week…it’s week six. The second to last chance to get in your final game requirements before the playoffs. Some have already been declared ineligible while others are trying hard to get there. Week six was intense so here we go.
The week started off with the Vikings on the road to take on the Battletoads in the swamp. This one kicked off an hour earlier than usual; nothing like a little seven a.m. football to get the athletic juices flowing. The Vikings didn’t show any signs of the sleepytime night-befores, as they took the field and went right to work. After electing to receive in the second half, the Vikings D took the field. On the first drop back of the game for the Toads, Mike Lamonday ended the game in one simple swoop. He got in the way of a pass and wiggled his way over the goalline for a pick six. If this were hockey or soccer, that would technically be the game-winning touchdown, but it’s not, so it wasn’t. Dave Brown on the ensuing drive would find himself a pick six of his own, before the Vikings offense finally got the ball and got moving. Tyson Forsaith caught a pair of receiving TD’s for the winning side along with Adam Beardguy and Johnny Sr. adding TD’s to their totals as well. The Vikings would go on to rout and shut out the Toads in this one, 40-0.
The Battletoads would quickly have to regain their composure as they had a short turnaround; welcoming the Scoregasms to the swamp in the second leg of their doubleheader. Josh Briand was the star of the show in the first of this one with his impressive stat line. He got the Toads on the board first with an acrobatic one handed catch over the middle from the five yard line. Then two drives later, intercepted a Scoregasms pass to set up a Ben Phelps touchdown. Briand would add another two receptions on the next drive aiding yet another Phelps touchdown. And finally Ben Glassman would get on the board right before the half ended. Toads score 24 first half points while only having a small error, allowing a 60 yard touchdown reception to Travis Tripodi. The second half was somewhat of a laughter filled snooze fest as Glassman and Tripodi traded touchdowns for the only scores of the half. Thanks to the Scoregasms being more “gasms” and less “score”, the Toads were able to prevail victorious and keep their A playoff aspirations alive. Battletoads split the day, 31-14.
At 8:40, the Vikings rolled out of their personal plane and stepped onto the homefield of a winless Flagnado squad. The Vikings still have nightmares of their playoff matchup from four scores and seven years ago, so they were out for blood. However, Flagnado struck first in Flagnado like fashion. Not a behind the back pass or an opposite hand no-look, but this time was by way of wide receiver reverse. Timmy Michelini handed off to Tyler Humphrey in the backfield. Humphrey then took the ball around the edge, faked the run and threw the ball to a wheeling Timmy Michelini over the goalline to go up six right away. The Forsaith brothers would not let the ghosts of Playoff past’s haunt them as they responded right away on their next drive. Jake Forsaith dumped the ball off to his center, Tyson Forsaith from the fifteen yard line who then spun his way into the endzone to tie it up at seven’s. On the next Flagnado drive, Adam Beardguy would intercept a pass to set up a 55 yard touchdown bomb to RJ Gagnon. Flagnado’s woes continued on the very next play. An airball missile of a snap right before the half, led to a safety to extend the Vikings lead to eight at the break. Dylan Humphrey intercepted a Vikings pass right out of the locker room, but Gagnon intercepted a Flagnado pass shortly after. Tyson then worked his way down once again for his second touchdown of the game to go up by fourteen. Jake Tinirella would then intercept and return the extra point to cut into the lead Viking lead. However, first down, next drive, Adam Beardguy got yet another interception. This time he took it to the house for six more to put it out of reach. Jerry Brown would add a touchdown in garbage time for Flagnado but too little too late. The Vikings get back to 500 on the year, 27-15.
Up next was the white hot Nightmare and the winless Spartans. This game was all but over from the coin toss. Nightmare dominated each side of the ball throughout the duration of the game. Dillon LaPlante hooked up with Nick Santana on a backflip springboard touchdown mctwist. Followed up by a Randy Moss-esque touchdown catch by Mike Kamysz. Tyler McDaniels leapt from mid-earth to summon an interception to his naked palm which set up yet another Kamysz touchdown. After Kamysz picked off an arrant Spartan spear, Martin Beccerril caught a bubble screen then spun past two ghostly defenders and moonwalked his way into the endzone. The Spartans couldn’t get anything going on Offense or Defense in this one, as it was almost like they weren’t there at all. The Spartans won’t be able to sleep at night after the beat down by the Nightmare. Spartans stay defeated and the Nightmare pull even in W’s and L’s, 28-0.
In a possible championship preview, we saw the Raiders taking on Legion of Doom in the runner-up for BGOW. The Legion of Doom sent the home team ticker buyers home early with their first half performance. Teshaun Watson provided the boom in LOD’s first drive. He caught a pass from Kiel Canada and spun his flags away from defenders and sprinted thirty yards for the game’s first score. Jamaal Woods, caught a pylon bulldozing touchdown just two drives later for LOD. Lastly, Vinnie Frasco caught a touchdown but on the defensive side of the ball, after a Jamaal Woods interception and lateral. Legion of Doom up twenty to zip at the half. If those home town fans ripped up their stubs and exited the stadium, they sure missed a good performance from their Raiders squad in the second. Rookie of the year hopeful, Brian Pacheco stepped up and put the offense on his shoulders. On fourth down from the three yard line, Mike Howe slung a dart to Pacheco in the front of the goal line for their first score of the day. On the next possession, Pacheco found pay dirt again this time by way of shovel pass and back end back in touchdown to pull within a score. Fast Forward to a turnover on downs helped by a Christiano Reyes sack, and the Raiders were marching again. Pacheco was able to complete his touchdown hat trick to pull within a point. This time he caught a thirty yard bomb over the top of the defenders to come down with it. The Raiders had momentum in their favor with nineteen unanswered points so they rolled dice and went for two. LOD sent two blitzers and the game winning extra point attempt failed. Legion of Doom doesn’t score in the second half, but they survive this one and win on the road, 20-19.
Next was the BLITZ GAME OF THE WEEK (and also a possible championship preview), when Shake n’ Bake took on Rampage at home. Defense shined through in the first half for both teams. Shake n’ Bake’s lone score was when Lee Mellilo laid down in the corner of the endzone to receive a toss for a two yard touchdown. Rampage followed in their footsteps when Andrew Duval caught a dart over the middle from the one yard line. Rampage up by one with the extra point. Rampage was knocking on the door to score from the four before the half, but a huge forced fumble by John McCarthy ended that threat and Shake n’ Bake went into the locker room down by just a point. It was just the third play of the half, when QB Junior Teixeira aired one out for an open James Tanguay down the sideline. Tanguay hauled it in and danced his way into the endzone for six. Duval added the extra point and Rampage went up by eight. Shake n’ Bake then turned the ball over on downs giving it back to the Rampage offense. After a long drive, Duval scored again. Fourth down and no hopes to score, Teixeira lofted one in his direction and Duval went up and got it in the back of the endzone, Rampage up 20-6. Shake n’ Bake began their comeback on their ensuing possession. Mellilo caught a shovel again from short for the score. Then after a turnover on downs by Rampage, they got the ball back on last time. With time expiring, Dane Schindler got his offense down the field as only he could… quickly. Quick out to Jason Grace. A quick hitch to JMac. A shovel to Grace and out of bounds again. From the ten yard line, Schindler delivered an underneath pass to Dave Martel, whose hips twisted and contorted over the goal line to pull within two points. JMac caught a heart attack two point conversion and this game was sent into overtime. The first overtime, Rampage couldn’t convert. Shake n’ Bake, couldn’t convert. Rampage pitched it and then fell short at the one yard line. Shake n’ Bake threw into traffic and it got picked off. Both teams exchanged interceptions, sacks and incompletions for four overtime possessions until Duval called game. Like he did earlier, he rose above the defense and caught the eventual game-winner. Gunner Siverly shut down the Shake n’ Bake attempt with his second overtime sack to seal it. Rampage and Shake n’ Bake go into four overtimes, but Rampage wins it, 21-20.
Raw Talent was looking to stay unblemished against America’s Children (Children Children) at 11:40. The Children got it going first when Andy Geffard picked off a Raw Talent pass on their first drive. QB2 Geffard, then threw a deep bomb to rookie Drew Newbie to inflict some temporary fearful jitters into the Raw Talent hearts. Jitters that didn’t last long because Raw Talent then went on to score 36 unanswered points with plenty of fireworks in between. Nathan Guillermo returned the extra point to start the murderous drubbing of the Children. JJ Lopez caught a touchdown over the middle that was “too easy” which was then instantly followed up by a quick drag touchdown by Isaac Velez. He flexed for the crowd and got them on their feet and just like that, in the blink of an eye, the game was over. Lopez caught an interception, then lateraled it on the return only to get it back for the score. Guillermo caught his own pick six. And lastly, Lopez ran one in on an end around to close it out officially. Raw Talent stays unbeaten with ease, 36-6.
The new look Take Over stayed at home to take on the Phantoms next on the docket. Take Over got on the board first and fast and in flurries in the first half. Terry Lovett caught his first touchdown of the year on the opening drive. Jeremy Beland then followed that up by intercepting a Phantoms pass, then catching a 35 yard touchdown two plays later. The Phantoms would work the ball all the way down to the Take Over four yard line, when the Take Over D was just too much. Four downs inside of the hot zone would eventually lead to a turn over for the offense. Take Over would take possession back and see who else, but Beland once again on a 60 yard bomb for another touchdown. Take Over up 18 points on three drives. The Phantoms would respond on their final possession of the first half. From midfield, quarterback John Freese threw up a fizzling hail mary prayer towards the endzone. Into double coverage, Dean Muzzy elevated over everyone and came down with the ball for the clock expiring touchdown. When things work right, you do them again, so why not try it again to start the half. The Phantoms replicated their jump ball hail mary to Muzzy again to start the second. This time, like the last he skied over everyone and came down with his second touchdown of the game to pull within a score. Take Over quarterback Tommy Pelkey wouldn’t go down that easy in his second career start. Pelkey slowly matriculated down the field, spreading the ball to a plethora of receivers until he reached the one yard line. After a missed opportunity over the head of an open receiver, he gave a little flip pass to a sitting Jesse Diaz in the endzone to double up the Phantoms score. Take this one all the way down to the one minute mark when the Phantoms were driving. Freese threw a flying duck to Cory White where only he could catch it to pull within six points with only seconds left on the clock. The Phantoms gathered their troops for their Money Ball try. Alas, the try was valiant but it failed. The hail mary that worked two times before, was batted down out of bounds to end it. Take Over hangs on 24-18.
The Tribe and the Shotgunnaz closed out the day on week six. This game was sloppy in the first half and also a bit in the second but at least the second half had actual points and highlights. The Tribe was shut out on the offensive side in the first thanks in large part to the Hamilton brothers. The two of them on both offense and defense lit it up and set up the lone scoring opportunity for the Shotgunnaz. After a safety sack by Sean McGrath and a turnover on downs by the Gunnaz offense, Allen Hamilton picked off a Tribe pass and took it twenty yards for his offense. Brendan Bernazzani, then aired a pass out over the middle on a deep post to David Hamilton who reached out and tucked it to his chest for a catch and run touchdown. Shotgunnaz go up by eight heading into the break. After the Hamilton brothers disappeared in the second half, the Tribe took full advantage. Steven Polanco who led the team with eight receptions on the day, scored his fifth touchdown of the season on the first play of the second half. Curtis Gentles would add the extra point and just like that… we got a ball game again. Two drives later, Jake Fitzgerald, under center, pitched the ball to Edwin Rodriguez to evade the blitz. Rodriguez would tuck the ball like a fullback and truck his way for 32 yards towards his first career score. Polanco later added his second TD of the game, when he darted over the middle and caught a pellet from Fitzgerald to go up by eleven. The Shotgunnaz countered with the clock winding down. Bernazzani threw a high arcing bomb to Jordan Martin who snuck by everyone for a touchdown, to pull the Gunnaz within three. With no time left and no chance to tie, they had to use their Money Ball in hopes of victory. Bernazzani dropped back, eluded the rush and hurled the ball 45 yards towards the endzone. The wind kicked in and lost some steam as it was easily batted down by an array of Tribe defenders. The Tribe hang on in a tough one, 19-16.
With six weeks in the books, there is only more to go. The B playoffs are just around the corner and hopefully all the guys that have only three games played thus far, show up for the finale to be playoff eligible.