Chili Bowl...here we come!!

(TEAM BUTTERCUP - From Left to Right: Mike, Nick, Seth, Jeremy, Matt, Me, Jeshua, Matt, & Mark.)

Okay, first off, our team name assinged to us by the intermuel league was "Warriors", but thanks to Rindy & the girls, it has effectively been changed to "Team Buttercup". Believe me, the pastel yellow shirts were not our doing, but assigned along with the Warrior name. At least our new name makes us a little prouder to wear such a color...er.. soemthing like that. :)

This is for flag-football in case you were wondering. In our first game we were matched up against a team called "The Chariots", who were the champs of last year's Chili Bowl. [The "Chili Bowl" is the championship game played by the top two teams during Regent's Homecoming weekend.] The Chariots, aside from being part of this little tournement, play in a city league. They are pretty organized and have been playing together for quite a while. We were definitely the underdogs.

We put up a good fight. After giving up two touchdowns in the first half, our defense buckled down and held them scoreless in the second. Our offense needed a little bit more work, but it was, afterall, the first time we actually played together. We scored once. The loss was a tough one because it meant that we were put out of the running for the Chili Bowl. Instead we would be competing for 5th and 6th place in the losers bracket. This did not sit well with my highly competitive team. Then good news came before our next game. For some unnknown reason, the Chariots had dropped out, forcing the schedule to be revampt, giving everyone another another chance to make it into the Championship. WE WERE PSYCHED!! We faced 3 games. A win on Thursday, meanst a game on Friday. A win on Friday meant a win on Saturday. A win on Saturday would put us in the Chili Bowl.

This past week our team came together, much thanks to the leadership of our team Captain, Jeremy Puglia, and his organizing of plays. We won Thursday 6-0 against the Horsemen. Friday we beat the Swordsman (gotta love the generic names) 19-0. Again our defens held strong, and our offense put out its best effort yet! This put us up against the Commanders, the one other 1L team (who were actually the team who beat us in the softball tournement) in Saturday's game. Going into the game, we were the underdogs for sure. They had a bigger team, with some very fast players. We were missing one of our star recievers, Nat, leaving us with 9 players - 8 on the field, and one sub.

The Commanders came out strong their first possession, scoring on their first drive. They missed their extra point drive, however, leaving the score 0-6. On our drive, we came back and scored, then missed our extra point drive as well. Score 6-6. It became largely a defensive game after that.

I actually had a very good game, with some very big plays, including the touchdown that put us ahead!! On defense, I was playing cornerback. I had a big interception to stop one of the Commanders big drives. Seth, one of our go-to recievers, got injured, and I was pulled off the offensive line (where I was fighting off their big pass rushers) and had me fill his position on offense. This was my first time playing reciever for our team. While neither team scored the rest of the half, I quickly established myself as a threat at inside recieving, making 3 catches in a row, and gaining some good yardage. I almost had a touchdowns before the end of the half, but my lost my footing after going up for a catch. The second half was nearly all defense, as both teams would came near, but could not put it in the endzone. On our last drive down, I caught a pass that I almost put in the endzone, but was caught by their fast safety. We had 5 yards and goal. The first two plays were unsuccessful, one resulting in a penalty that put us back 10 yards. The clock had about 35 seconds left. I was alot taller than my defender, so they called a play for me, lone left side reciever, and Matt Sexton, our star quarter back was just gonna put it up. I ran straight ahead, and then turned around. The ball was in the air. I lept up and made the catch, falling back onto the corner back trying to stop the play, and into the endzone. TOUCHDOWN!! I think my roommate Jeremy was the most excited of all, hugging me and telling me he could kiss me right now. :) We missed our extra point. The other team had one last shot at a play. We played back giving them lots of room. The ball went up to my man, who caught it 20 yards from the endzone. I didn't let him get anywhere, pulling his flags, and essentially ending the game!! WE WON!!

While I am sore today, as is most the team, we are pumped!! We play The Kings, a 2L team, in the Championship next Friday. It sounds like they are pretty good, and pretty serious, practicing a couple times a week. They better be. Who would want to be beat by a team called "Buttercup" (joking - LOL!!) . The organizer is hoping for a good game, since last year it was a blow-out.

Again, it looks like we will be going in as the underdogs. That's okay. Our team has heart! Don't count us out yet. Practice on Wednesday. I'll be sure to fill you in on what happens. Watch out Chili Bowl...here comes TEAM BUTTERCUP!!!

Grace & Peace!!