Sunday Sizzlers!

PFL Week 3 | Sunday games

We thought we would be  in for a treat- and we were yesterday. In the late afternoon game, Adelphia marched over Hallas, 37-13 at the Stardome. Matt Kelly threw for three TDs and Drew Williams was picked off three times. The game was very entertaining to watch- easy on the eye as both teams moved the ball. It was perhaps the four turnovers that stopped the scoreline being so close. But hey, it was good Sunday watching for the neutral.

Matt Kelly passed for 258 yards , in a very much improved performance than last week- where Oakland shut the passing game down. Marshall Knight gained 141 yards on the ground. The Stars could not protect the ball, which was their undoing (three picks and a fumble from Williams).

Then, for the Sunday Night Game, we had a very close 26-20 win for the home team in Caligara, as the Bulldogs beat the defending champions Landor Knights. The Bulldogs dreamt up the perfect game plan, running nearly 50 times (47 atts) and commanding the time of possession- at nearly 40 mins. By doubling down on Rashaan Johnson, Landor had to find other options.  Although Shyrone Rogers had 10 catches for 241 yards- 79 on the first pass play and 49 on their penultimate drive. He WAS the Landor offence.

Zack Slater completed 17 of 23 passes, for 246 yards and one score. Jeremy Franklin gained 101 yards (28 atts) for the ‘Dogs. An Old school approach won out the day.

Ryan McKenzie was quiet on the day for the Knights, gaining only 32 yards, and key to the fightback, fumbled a pass from Brooks, which the Bulldogs recovered.

Zack Slater drills a TD pass to Max Buchanon. 

PFL Week Two wrap-up

PFL | Week 2 | 2017-18

The second round of matches are complete, following the season openers- you can perhaps throw the form book out of the window. Only three teams that won on opening weekend repeated. Only three teams that lost, lost again.

Adelphia Phoenix got back to winning ways against the Tallassea Oilers, feeling at home in the Dome, they raced to an early lead. Tallassea came back, but it was not quite enough. The Phoenix won 23-20. The Adelphia Defence limited Edjerious Jones to three catches. The Oilers’ defence gave up points early, but shutout Matt Kelly and Co.  for the  second half.

The Melborg Giants gave up a late touchdown to Bo Mills and the Ballymore Tigers to lose 24-20. Mills threw a late pass to Slater for 19 yards, with only 17 seconds remaining. The Giants are 0-2 for the first time in a 12 seasons.

The Oakland Ravens marched to a 20-13 victory over the New Jorg 96ers. The Ravens have a ground based attack working very efficiently, with Tom2 pulling the strings at QB. The 96ers look dangerous, but were overloaded by blitzes in the 4th Quarter.

Iomagh Steelers maintained their 100% record by beating the hosting Harteford Hawks 21-10. The Hawks scored an extra seven points to last week, but still looked way off the ark. Not to take anything away from this Iomagh side, who looked like a well oiled machine out there on Sunday.

In a surprise Sunday afternoon showdown showing, the Hallas Stars beat the Landor Knights 27-21 at home. Normally a Sunday/Monday Night Game, this was a normal daytime showing. Both teams looked less sparkly than normal. Brooks and Williams put up modest numbers- as again- defence was well played.

The Rochester Trojans succumbed to the Eregon Eagles 34-16.  The Eagles used a balanced attack to throw the Trojans off guard. The Eregon defence also dialed up some amazing schemes to upset Ryan Bruce and the Trojans’ passing lanes. The Trojans looked like a different side out there.

In the late Sunday game, the San Andres Miners put up 48 on division rival St. George Sharks. This game was a blow out, with the Sharks scoring two 4th Quarter TDs to make the score closer than it was, even thought it finished 48-28! As prolific as the offences looked, it was shoddy tackling by both sides that led to some big  (and long) scoring plays.

And in the Monday Night Game, the  Chakota Wasps moved to 2-0 by beating the Caligara Bulldogs 35-27 in Caligara. The Wasps started out slowly and trailed 13-7 at the half. Veteran QB Billy Humphrey threw late TD passes as the Wasps took it home. Caligara had late opportunities to equalise, but Zack Slater’s pass for Moss was intercepted in the end zone.

Kickoff16: Steelers 13, Phoenix 41

The season has now officially kicked off, with the defending champions getting off to a great start with a deserved 41-13 win over the Iomagh Steelers.

Iomagh held the Phoenix to 20-13 at halftime, but with three second-half touchdowns, the Phoenix romped away with it.

The Steelers tried out Jared Millard and Cam Rogers at Quarterback. Rogers impressed early and will probably get the start next week! Millard started 1-6 with a fumbled snap.

For the Phoenix, the carried on from where they left off last season. Despite missing several stars in defence, captain midfielder Michael Keys recorded nine tackles and forced a fumble. On the attack, Marshall Knight had 112 yards on the ground and 2 touchdowns, QB Matt Kelly threw for 241 yards and three scores (one to Knight) with no interceptions.

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Kickoff 2016: Iomagh @ Adelphia

All the time for waiting is over, the teams are set. The stadiums getting ready to receive  football thirsty fans! Tonight, the Adelphia Phoenix, the defending champions, open the season at home with the visiting Iomagh Steelers.

in a few hours, it is AWAY WE GO! #ADEvsIOM #PFLKickoff #PFL2016

Hall of LEGENDS – Mike Vincent

Michael Vincent (Quarterback) Morrigan Giants 2001-2012 |
PFL Legends Class of 2016

A first time ballot entry. Mike Vincent changed the position profile in the PFL. He became seen as the ‘prototype QB’ Quick, agile, strong-arm, fearless… he seemed to possess it all.

Hall of LEGENDS- Ralph Adams

Ralph Adams (Guard) Harteford Hawks  1998-2010 | PFL Legend Class of 2016

Ralph wasn’t just  a reliable figure at Guard for 13 seasons- he was the leader of the line and the person that Defenders tried to avoid in blocking assignments. Following an impressive UniBall career at the University of Michago, Adams was picked in the first round in the 1998 draft (yes, the same one as Billy Humphrey!)

Training Camp Buzzes for 20 Teams!

Training Camp (#TrainingCamp16) has been going for a week (or two for some teams). Most of the last remaining veterans have reported in to their camps- to refine fitness, drills and build comradery with new recruits.

The rookies have been put through the ropes, learning a new set-up, finding a new home and learning what may be an extensive playbook. Plus stars that have changed teams this off-season have to start over- that includes Jeff Holliday, Oliver Parkman and co!

Over this time, as well, will be the battles for starter positions in the PFL. The battle remains for August- and into the two-week pre-season. Teams will scrummage off against each other on set-days near month end.

The next few weeks could be make-or-break for several fringe players, some new opportunities too- as all players striving to avoid injury at this early stage. Ed Brooks and Chauncey Smith have not been so lucky, so far.

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.

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.

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.