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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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.

Monday Night Fight!

PFL Season 2017-18 | Week Eleven | Monday Night Game

   OAKLAND RAVENS  16
   CHAKOTA WASPS 15

	1	2	3	4	ET	FT
OAKLAND	3	3	3	7	–	16
CHAKOTA	2	3	3	7	–	15

From the Wasps’ Nest, Chakota.

What a war it was on Monday Night between divisional rivals Chakota and Oakland. Both teams defence’s were on top and the game was full of brutal, albeit legal hits and tackles. Tempers flared over at times, but the referees seemed to keep their cool when other’s did not.

This was not a game for those who enjoy flashy high scoring games, for the defensive knock-down, hustling, bustling fight- this was a game for you!

At the end of the first quarter, it was 3-2 , with a Philips field goal and a Tomkowski rogue (safety for US fans), when he was tackled in his own end zone.

In the second and third quarters, both teams could only trade field goals. Humphrey had thrown four picks and Tomkowski two. each team had lost two fumbles and given up nine penalties.

The Wasps thought they had won it when Wiley returned a punt 76 yards for the score, however. The Ravens managed to make one decent drive, going 86 yards for the score. Dante Fulcher dived into the endzone from a yard out on 3rd and goal with 4:19 left to play.  The Wasps got the ball back but could not move the chains.

The Ravens go ahead of the Wasps in PFL Central. Brutal game, compulsive viewing.

PFL GOTW- Giants at Bulldogs

PFL Game of the Week

   MELBORG GIANTS  31

   CALIGARA BULLDOGS 24

	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	ET	FT
MELBORG	14	7	7	3	–	31
CALIGARA	10	7	7	0	–	24

Summary:
The Melborg Giants won a thrilling contest in Caligara on Sunday. The Giants’ mean defence shut down both the Caligara run game and the Slater-to-Slater passing connection. Alternate winger Dennis Morales had 9 catches for 144 yards, including a 76 yard catch and run.

The Giants ran a simple and effective gameplan aginst the Bulldogs, running quick straight-ahead plays and quick passes. The Bulldogs had two opportunities to draw level in the fourth quarter, but both fourth downs resulted in incomplete passes- one to which brought a huge reaction from the home fans who insisted there was a defensive hold on the play.

Scoring:
1st Quarter:
MEL Hand 10 pass to Miller (Williams Kick)
CAL Wright 39 FG
MEL Beckett 98 yard kick return (Williams Kick)
CAL Slater 76 pass to Morales (Wright Kick)
2nd Quarter:
MEL Higgins 10 run (Williams Kick)
CAL Slater 5 pass to Slater (Wright Kick)
3rd Quarter:
MEL (Williams Kick)
CAL Slater 9 pass to Morales (Wright Kick)
4th Quarter:
MEL Williams 31 FG

Stats:

	Giants	Bulldogs
First Downs	22	18
Third Down Converts	6/13	6/15
Third Down %	46.2 %	40 %
Fourth Down Converts	0/0	0/2
Fourth Down %	0 %	0 %
Double Pointers	0/0	0/0
Double Point %	0 %	0 %
Run Plays	32	31
Run Yards	97	64
Run Average	3.0	2.1
Passing	20/28	20/34
Net Pass Yards	244	299
Touchdown Passes	2	3
TOTAL YARDS	341	363
Defensive Marks	1	0
Defensive INTs	0	0
Punts	5	6
Punting Average	45.4	38.3
Field Goals	1/2	1/2
Field Goal %	50 %	50 %
Fumbles	1	1
Fumbles Lost	0	0
Penalties	3	5
Penalty Yards	15	42
Turnovers	0	0
Handovers	0	2
Possession (Time)	29:42	31:38

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