Draft 2016: Top Ten Picks

By Ryan Solis, PFL Columnist 

The PFL Draft starts on 3rd June. So, one week away. our panel of three pick their top ten picks… We all agree on the top two! Think you can do better? Try us?

PFL Free Agency 2016: Top five movers

-Ryan Solis, PFL Columnist

We’re a week into Free Agency 2016! Although off to a fairly muted start, the last few days have put some interesting moves out there. With some confirmed, here’s our collective top five from the first week of movement! Note: There was some debate about the positioning of these five, but not who the five were.

Over the Humph?

After suffering a devastating loss in the AC Final, Wasps’ Franchise Quarterback Billy Humphrey has a decision to make. The old gunslinger, now 40, has until April 1st to decide if he’s going to continue playing.

Unlike Peyton Manning in the NFL, the 40 year old didn’t have a defence to carry him through to the championship and end on a high. Also unlike Peyton though, Humphrey still has some gas left in the tank. He’s still showing formidable accuracy and, as long as he’s healthy could play a few more years.

The 18-year veteran, Billy Humphrey.

Hot on the loss of one franchise QB in the US, Eborians will have to wait and see if there’s going to be more of Number 16 in ’16.

EDIT: Billy has decided to come back for one more season! GO TEAM HUMPH!

CBXLVI: Phoenix players rejoice!

The celebrations of the players and coaches went well into the night. After twenty-two matches (regular and post-season) over twenty four weeks, it all seemed worth it!

Holliday intercepts Mills.

MVP Matt Kelly was at his best.

Marshall Knight got 100 yards on the ground.

Lopez intecepts Mills.

CBXLVI Reactions: Tigers take responsibility

The Ballymore Tigers players and coaches have lined up to take the blame for yesterday’s loss. Team captains and coaches have pointed out mistakes to make sure that kicker Todd Lovell, who missed a second quarter field goal, was not left high and dry as the guy that lost them the championship:

“I think we made some mistakes on offence, I made some bad throws, missed blocks and fumbled, it’s not on Todd. We take this as a team. As team captain for the attck, this rests with me”
– QB Bo Mills.

CRYSTAL BOWL XLVI: The game.

CRYSTAL BOWL XLVI:

ADELPHIA PHOENIX 30
BALLYMORE TIGERS 27

The StarDome, Hallas | Att: 66,000 | Sun March 6, 2016

	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	ET	FT
ADELPHIA	14	3	10	3	–	30
BALLYMORE	0	10	7	10	–	27

Scoring:
1st Quarter:
ADE- Kelly 5 pass to Rice (Hernandez Kick); 7-0
ADE- Kelly 3 pass to Little (Hernandez Kick); 14-0
2nd Quarter:
BAL- FG Lovell 47; 14-3
ADE- FG Hernandez 34; 17-3
BAL- Mills 16 pass to Bradley (Lovell Kick); 17-10
3rd Quarter:
ADE- FG Hernandez 51; 20-10
BAL- Mills 10 pass to Hamilton (Lovell Kick); 20-17
ADE- Kelly 6 pass to Hart (Hernandez Kick); 27-17
4th Quarter:
BAL- FG Lovell 44; 27-20
BAL- Slater 27 Run (Lovell Kick); 27-27
ADE- FG Hernandez 23; 30-27

Missed FG: Lovell (BAL) 49 2nd Quarter-WL

Further report will appear here….

Kicker Ricardo Hernandez hit a field goal in the final 00:02 of the game as the Adelphia Phoenix won their second Crystal Bowl in four years. Having gained the ball on a Jeff Holliday interception, the Phoenix QB Matt Kelly calmy led them down the stretch, to where Rodriguez could hit a 23 yard field goal, lined up straight down the middle, as time expired.

Crystal Bowl XLVI Preview

CRYSTAL BOWL XLVI |  Sunday March 6, 2016 | The StarDome, Hallas.

ADELPHIA PHOENIX vs BALLYMORE TIGERS

Adelphia Attack vs Ballymore Defence:

The Phoenix attack is a quick-scoring offence, stretching the field, looking for holes in the defence to exploit. The strong run game is run by the flashy and elusive Marshall Knight. The pass attack is orchestrated by Matt Kelly who distributes the ball to wingers Rice, White and rookie sensation Drew Hart. The forwards (Centre, Guards and Locks) make holes well and have protected Kelly all year long.

The Tiger defence, their greatest asset, is the number three ranked defence in the league. Strong up front and stout in the midfield, they are completed by one of the best back fours in the league. Hybrid End/Attacking Midfielder Sam Randall leads the league in hurries and has two touchdown returns from fumbles.

Edge: Tiger defence- the line is so strong, they will create havoc for the Phoenix forwards. Although Adelphia are blessed with one of the best front lines in the league, the Tigers will out-gun them.

Ballymore Attack vs Adelphia Defence:

The Ballymore attack is a ground and pound retro approach. With strong runners Tito Hawkins, Bo Mills, Marcus Jones and Robbie Slater- they can split defensive lines and break though to the second level quickly. They are adept at breaking down the defence with their continual option runs. Throw a few play-action passes in there and you have a great mix, especially as defences nowadays are generally built to defend the pass more than the run.

The Phoenix line is built well, but is mainly a bend but don’t quite break system- with some crazy blitz packages and coverages thrown in there. They have chancers in the back four, which van be exploited by Tiger QB Mills. It may depend on whether the blitzes and gambling on defence pays off. The Phoenix defence is in their third Crystal Bowl in four years. They have experience on their side .

Edge: Phoenix- by a whisker- they have been here twice before, recently too.

Special Teams: Evens! They both cover kicks well, return well and have pretty reliable kickers in Todd Lovell and Ricardo Hernandez.

OVERALL EDGE: PHOENIX– by 1-3 points. This is going to be a close one, unless the Phoenix can strike big early, or Ballymore can shut down Adelphia completely and dominate the game.

Crystal Bowl XLVI teams now set.

So here we are. Sunday, March 5 2016 will see the Adelphia Phoenix (for the third time in four years) represent the Atlantic Conference. The Ballymore Tigers, The National Conference.

The Adelphia Phoenix will be deemed as the ‘home’ team and presumably will wear their normal red jerseys. The Tigers have considered the black shirts as lucky this season, so could well be clad in the black and orange.

(NFL fans note: The PFL allows both teams to wear coloured jerseys, as long as they do not clash).

Now, we embark on the silly season, the week before ‘CBWeek’…

Hawkins 150 yards and a td ruled the day.

Scoring on first play…

National Conf. Final: Ballymore vs San Andreas

   BALLYMORE TIGERS 20
 SAN ANDREAS MINERS 17

	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	ET	FT
BALLYMORE	3	7	10	0	–	20
SAN ANDREAS	7	3	7	0	–	17

Scoring:
1st Quarter:
BAL- FG Lovell 43; 3-0
SA – Mullen 9 pass to Bowens (Clinton Kick); 3-7
2nd Quarter:
SA- FG Clinton 37; 3-10
BAL- Hawkins 3 run (Lovell Kick); 10-10
3rd Quarter:
BAL- Jones 5 run (Lovell Kick); 17-10
SA – Mullen 15 pass to McComas (Clinton Kick); 17-17
BAL- FG Lovell 39; 20-17

The defending champions are out- San Andreas lost their cool in the freeing, snowy, icy , Ballymore Tiger Field. In a game where the ground game was going to be crucial, Ballymore’s forwards controlled the Miners’ defensive line, allowing Tito Hawkins to run for over 150 yards.

Atlantic Conference Final! Chakota vs Adelphia

   CHAKOTA WASPS 34
   ADELPHIA PHOENIX 44

The Wasps’ Nest, Chakota, Att: 65,000 | Monday February 22, 2016

	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	ET	FT
ADELPHIA	17	7	14	6	–	44
CHAKOTA	0	17	3	14	–	34

Scoring
1st Quarter:
ADE- Kelly 76 pass to Rice (Hernandez Kick); 0-7
ADE- FG Hernandez 20; 0-10
ADE- Kelly 66 pass to White (Hernandez Kick); 0-17
2nd Quarter:
CHA- FG Wall 19; 3-17
CHA- Hobbs 30 INT return (Wall Kick); 10-17
CHA- Humphrey 21 pass to Tucker ( Kick); 17-17
ADE- Hart 100 kickoff return (Hernandez Kick); 17-24
3rd Quarter:
CHA- FG Wall 40; 20-24
ADE- Kelly 24 pass to White (Hernandez Kick); 20-31
ADE- Kelly 5 pass to Rice (Hernandez Kick); 20-38
4th Quarter:
CHA- Humprey 7 pass to Tucker (Humprey pass to Wilkins); 28-38
ADE- FG Hernandez 34; 28-41
ADE- FG Hernandez 27; 28-44
CHA- Humphrey pass to Hardy (Conv. failed); 34-44

After being delayed by over 24 hours, it appeared that the Phoenix had showed up ready and the home team had stayed behind in the locker room. Adelphia stormed into a 17 point lead in the first quarter, thanks to two long touchdown passes from QB Matt Kelly to Rice (76) and White (66) and a Hernandez Field Goal.