UFB Quarter-finals: Boxing day matchups finalised

NUSA UFB National Championship Play-offs:

On Friday and Staurday night, the  UFB 1/4 finals were played, with the winners advancing to the national semi-finals on Boxing Day, December 26th 2019.

#1 GRANADA BULLDGOS 39-21  #8 OAKLAND CRIMSON GLORY
#2 MADISON BULLDOGS 30-24 #7 EREGONIA DRAGONS
#3 OHARA 44-19  #6 O’CONNELL
#4 STAMFORD RAMS  34-35 #5 AMORGAN IRISH

Only the 4/5 tie didn’t follow the seeding, with Amorgan pulling off a slight upset over the Stamford Rams. The Irish will now face the number one seeds, the Granada Bulldogs.

Boxing Day Bowls:

Apple Bowl: #1 Granada vs #5 Amorgan

Cherry Bowl: #2 Madison vs # 3 Ohara

UFB – University Football Play-off teams selected

NUSA UFB | University Football Playoffs – 2019-20

 

The NUSA Bowl Executive Committee (BEC) have set the final places in the UFB Playoffs for the 2019-20 season. The final eight teams play-off in quarter-finals this weekend, before the semin-finals on Boxing day (26th Dec).

PFL Half-season report card

PFL 2019-20 Half-season report card

by Ryan Sollis

After ten weeks of action, everyone has completed nine games in league play. We have graded all 16 teams’ progress to date:

PFL EAST

Landor 96ers (6-3) – B+

The 96ers have been a great defensive team, led by DE Vin Marshall, who has become an elite pass rusher. The offence is still good, but there are signs that veteran QB Kurt Sierra is perhaps coming to the finish line sooner rather than later.

Crystal Bowl XLIX – Tigers claim win in defensive showpiece

Crystal Bowl XLIX (49) | PFL Championship 2018-19

1st Quarter:

Unloved, unnoticed and irreplaceable: The story of the Long Snapper

PFL features | The Long Snapper

Hands up who knows who is the Long Snapper for the Ballymore Tigers?  Anyone? No? Um, how about for the champion Landor Knights? Still no? Well, meet the position where fame is not sought, if you’re getting attention, you may be doing it wrong. Welcome to the world of the most unheralded position in Football. I give you the Long Snapper.

It wasn’t even considered a proper position, deserving of a specialist roster spot until the 1990s. Yep. The backups often got a roster spot on their ability to long snap. The teams started taking in more seriously after some key games, where missed field goals and extra points had been attributed to botched snaps. one by one they reserved a roster spot for someone who could specialise in getting the ball to the punter and to the holder on place kicks. Nowadays it is an accepted position, but is it respected?

Crystal Bowl XLVIII: The Game.

Crystal Bowl XLVIII: The PFL Championship 2017-18|

  ROCHESTER TROJANS 28
  NEW JORG 96ERS 41

	1	2	3	4	ET	FT
ROCHESTER	7	14	0	7	–	28
NEW JORG	14	7	3	17	–	41

From the Cherry Bowl Stadium, Granada.

1st Quarter:
NJ – Johnson 17 pass from Sierra (Gold XP); 0-7
NJ – Brown 25 pass from Sierra (Gold XP); 0-14
ROC- Shell 16 pass from Bruce (Turner XP); 7-14
2nd Quarter:
NJ – Jammer 29 interception return (Gold XP); 7-21
ROC- Shell 2 run (Turner XP); 14-21
ROC- Philips 27 pass from Bruce (Turner XP); 21-21
3rd Quarter:
NJ – Gold FG 37; 21-24
4th Quarter:
NJ – McKeown 89 fumble recovery return (Gold XP); 21-31
NJ – Brown 18 pass from Sierra (Gold XP); 21-38
ROC- Philips 60 pass from Bruce (Turner Kick);28-38
NJ – Gold FG 25; 28-41

The Rochester Trojans turned the ball over five times in a slightly one-sided second half performance at the Cherry Bowl stadium. QB Ryan Bruce threw four interceptions- all to POTG WB Edgar Jammer, one returned for a pick six.

The ‘Sixers started off at breakneck speed, being 14-0 after two Kurt Sierra touchdown tosses; to Johnson and Brown. The Trojans first three possessions ended with three and outs and an interception. They started off running away from DE Vin Marshall and his pass rushing prowess. They were playing in to the New Jorg Defence’s hand- who dared them to throw the other side to – Jammer.

Following Frank Bowman’s fumble, the Trojans got one back with a Ray Shell catch and run for sixteen yards. The Trojans then gave up the pick six, before rallying with a Shell running TD and Ryan Bruce’s pass to Philips. It was tied at 21 at the half.

After the halftime show featuring Ellie Winters and Monstersauce, the game restarted with defences on top. Vin Marshall and the ‘Sixers front seven locked down the Trojans.
It took a defensive play to open the game back up, and it happened following Ray Shell’s fumble. The ball popped up into the hands of Defensive End Marco McKeown, who returned it 89 yards for the score.

Kurt Sierra then topped the day off with a second scoring pass to Asante Brown. The Trojans pulled one back when Philips broke through for a 60 yard score.

The New Jorg 96ers were crowned the champions of the PFL for the third time. With that defence, how many more can they get?

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CB XLVIII Preview

Rochester Trojans vs Landor 96ers| Sunday March 4th 2018.

The  big game is almost upon us, here are the key matchups:

QB Ryan Bruce vs ‘Sixers Defence

Ryan Bruce has been calm and composed as he led the number 7 seed past number one and two seeds away from home. He has not faced a defence like this before. Rookie DE Vin Marshall has broken pass rushing records and been a revolution to this defence. ‘Can Bruce buy enough time to get the passes off?’ will be key question we look to on Sunday. WR Jason Galant is listed as probable for the game, after limping out of the semi-final.

QB Kurt Sierra & Asante Brown vs Trojans Defence

Kurt Sierra has been a master of the aerial arts throughout his career, but has he played this mystery scheme of the Trojans. Coordinator Ian Rudolph has dreamed up some creative systems to confuse both the Wasps’ and Stars’ attacks. If Sierra and co can figure it out, they will be hard to beat. Asante ‘Downtown’ Brown is perhaps the best open field receiver.

Trojans Run Game

The Rochester run game has depth, both Ray Shell and DeAngelo Jenkins gained 1,000 yards, as they marched through the defences as the top running tandem. You don’t get a down off where you can be facing a top runner. The 96ers will need to rotate their line to keep fresh if the Trojan ground game gets going.

So how will it all play out next Sunday? Who are you picking?

Two weeks to go, 12 teams in play!

The 2017-18 regular season has just two weeks left to play, but  there are an astonishing 12 teams vying for the eight playoff spots! In two weeks time four of these teams will be on the outside looking in. We may know more next weekend, as losses eliminate Ballymore and  Adelphia from contention.

The Outsiders;How do either Adelphia or Ballymore get in?

Both teams can get in with two wins, to get to 9-9 and they need other teams to lose both. The Phoenix’s extra-time win over the Melborg Giants was enough to keep them alive, so wins against the 96ers and Knights could let them sneak in.

The Tigers have to beat the Hawks and then the Bulldogs at home. Similar scenario.

Who is in already?

The Landor 96ers, Hallas Stars and Caligara Bulldogs have all guaranteed themselves top spots in their division and will be seeded. The Chakota Wasps are currently atop the PFL Central, however the Oakland Ravens and Rochester Trojans are both 10-6 and could end up topping the division with two wins. It is all to play for.
The defending champions, the New Chester Knights are almost secure in a spot.

On the Cusp

The Knights, Trojans and Ravens are all one win away from sealing their places, this means that the three 8-8 teams are vying for the latter spots- Eregon Eagles, Melborg Giants and St. George Sharks. Basically, keep winning to get in is the key!

Week 20 will see the Wasps play the Ravens and Eagles against the Sharks, so it looks to go right down to the wire.

Happy New Year! Welcome to 2018

Welcome to 2018, here’s to a fabulous New Year from all of us here at the PFL.

Looking forward to the Champions Bowl on Saturday January 6th and Crystal Bowl XLVIII on 4th March.

2017- Going out in style?

Bulldogs, Ravens, Trojans, Knights, Phoenix and Giants all win big on last day of the year

Week Fifteen | PFL | Season 2017-18

With five weeks to go, this is crunch time. The last game of the year normally sends out a statement as to how the regular season will end. Manifesting destiny, they call it.

Ballymore Tigers 21 – 34 Caligara Bulldogs

Ballymore were trounced early by Caligara’s ground and pound approach to the first half. This set up perfect play-action to Max Buchanon and Seth Slater in the third quarter and it was soon 34-14.

Chakota Wasps 25 – 27 Rochester Trojans

The Trojans got a key divisional victory in this game. Now there are three teams fixed at 9-4 in the PFL Central. Divisional wins could be key. Ryan Bruce threw for 317 yards and two scores, including the game winning drive for the winning Field Goal.

Eregon Eagles 28 – 19 Iomagh Steelers

Eregon kept themselves in the playoff race with a win over the increasingly hapless Iomagh Steelers side. At 6-7, the Eagles can still make a late push for the knockout phase.

Oakland Ravens 30 – 31 Landor Knights

The Ravens are kicking themselves after a missed field goal as time expired lost them this game. A game that they should never had a chance of winning! The Knights were leading 24-3 at halftime, dominating up front. A third quarter pick six and fumble recovery set up the fight back. Tomkowski snuck in to make it 30-24 in the fourth quarter. This allowed Elijah Brooks to march downfield and find Cooks in the endzone for the final score.

San Angelo Miners 20 – 34 Adelphia Phoenix

The Miners were without Brandon Mullen, and it showed. The Phoenix took control early and led 13-3 at the half. Adelphia QB Matt Kelly is coming back to fitness and form and he threw for 289 yards and three TD tosses.

Hallas Stars 26 – 31 Melborg Giants

The Giants are still in it! A mid-season comeback has helped the Giants continue to stay relevant. Their strong defence shit down Hallas for three Quarters and they led 17-10. Even though Hallas came back, the Melborg men had enough left in the tank to claim the victory.