It was a must win game for the Strikers if they wanted to have any leeway down the stretch for a playoff run, however after a heartbreaking 20-18 loss to the Assault, on a failed XP, the Strikers like several other teams in the League, are now in a must win out situation.  As witnessed in the Strikers’ previous two games, issues at the quarterback position keeps costing the team victories.  Tarenz Jaime, Donald Van Lew, Kirby Williams, and Orlando Adwaters, all took snaps during the game, without anyone clearly winning the job.  It seems as if original starting QB Ted Buzzard is out as he has missed the teams’ last two games. 

Early on, it looked to be an upset in the making when the Strikers jumped out to a quick 12-0 lead.  D. Van Lew behind center would score a rushing touchdown on the team’s opening possession and on the Assault’s opening drive, sans Kenny Harris, Safety Wes Heflin intercepted a Donnell Hall pass that he raced into the end zone for the touchdown, all happening less than three minutes into game.

Still without Harris, the Assault would answer when MVP candidate Corey Peterson would connect with Terrance Mack on a deep bomb to get the Assault to within six.  Less than seven minutes later, Chioke Ward, who is having a quiet season, would sack the Strikers’ Tarenz Jaime in the end zone to bring the Assault to within four. 

Enter Kenny Harris, the ageless wonder.

Harris would enter the game with 7:00 minutes remaining in the half and despite a rough start by throwing an interception on his first drive, the troops, which are the Assault after halftime would rally behind Harris who provided the spark they needed to overcome the Strikers relentless attack.  Four minutes after the break, Harris’ legs and not his arm would put the Assault in the lead at 14-12.  The teams would battle defensively for more than ten until Harris would connect with Specialist Defonte Coleman at the 15:24 mark, for the Assault’s 20^th unanswered points.

Then with less than :20 seconds in the game and after a false start penalty backing the Strikers up to the two-yard line, a quick strike to Van Lew, who was able to get out of bounds to stop the clock, would set the stage for what happened next.  Orlando Adwaters would go behind center and for the second time this season would heave a deep Hail Mary pass into the air in the direction of D. Van Lew.   Three Assault defenders managed to tip the ball and just as it is drawn up, Van Lew found himself in the perfect position to catch the tipped ball and walk into the end zone.  However, his heroics were not enough as down by the two and forced to go for the 2-pt conversion, the Strikers were unsuccessful in that attempt and as such suffered the two-point loss 20-18.

Looking at the Strikers remaining schedule, a team that started the season 0-3, now has the potential to sneak in with wins against the now 1-3 Chaos and 1-3 Triangle Triggermen, both games should see the Strikers as the heavy favorites.  The Assault was able to secure its spot in the playoffs and now will fight down the stretch for the division title and the #1-seed in Conference South.

TAFFL Coed Preseason Officially Underway
Interest High Less Than Two Months Away

The Triangle Area Flag Football League Front Office on Thursday officially announced the opening of the TAFFL Coed preseason. TAFFL Coed is set to kick-off its first season – THE BEGINNING – on May 11^th, 2008.  

Along with the opening of the official preseason was also the launch of the new TAFFL Coed website.  Similar in feel and navigation to its adult male counterpart, the TAFFL Coed website will feature and highlight the same unique off the field experience that the male players receive.  Players and fans will be able to participate in contests, polls, and other interactive features and the website will also feature a weekly newsletter similar to The Wire, name yet to be determined.  

The League Front Office is excited about the prospect of hosting the Coed version of the game and interest has been high.  Currently four teams have registered to participate with a host of individually registered Free Agents still available.  The League will launch 1-2 more marketing and advertising campaigns beginning next week and expectations are sitting at a 6-8 team league for its first season.  

Three of the four currently registered teams will be captained by current players of TAFFL male and the Front Office is joyful of the crossover.  “That’s our goal,” stated League President Marcus Cole, “we want to create a product and environment that invites current and future players to participate in all of our offerings.”    

The Bombers will be led by Brian Harpster, who is a current member of Da Inc.; the Revolution makes its return to the TAFFL world and will be led by long-time veteran Matt Secrest of the Assault; and the Hurricanes will do battle under the direction of current Titans Captain Sherell Dunn.  Also expressing an interest and his return to the TAFFL ranks is veteran Kevin Houston, a former place kicker for North Carolina Central University and a current football coach at Green Hope High School.  Sean Bragg of the Titans and Mike Sugalski of the Crush, have also expressed an interest in fielding teams.

To get involved, you can pre-register at the TAFFL Coed website or call 919.337.3538.

As Thunder Roars Dogs Retreat For Cover
Jeffries' Three TD Day Help Propel Team To 32-6 Victory

The Raleigh Thunder continued their dominance in the Triangle Area Flag Football League and remained undefeated at 5-0 with their latest victory against the Reservoir Dogs who with the loss fell to 1-4.  QB Ryan Borowitz once again as he has done all season long, was the epitome of perfection and contributed with both his arm and his legs.  The second season Quarterback, who even had to play some defense, as two mid-week contract disputes left the Thunder slightly shorthanded, finished the day with four passing touchdowns and a rushing touchdown to help lead the team to the 32-6 win.

Earlier in the week, veterans Kirby Williams and Marcus Johnson, were released from the team and signed by the Strikers.  However, even without two of their regular defensive starters, the Thunder defense was able to control and dictate what the Dogs were able to do on offense.  QB Corey Rush, who in his previous two showings had extremely decent games, was not as effective against the Thunder.  The rookie QB was only able to lead the Dogs on one scoring drive that came late in the second half.

Although the blame was not all on Rush, as the Dogs’ defense was unable to keep the Thunder offense out of the end zone.  The Thunder built a 32-0 lead late into the second half as they scored at will.  Although on this day, it was not the usual Borowitz to McDougald connection that we have grown accustomed to this season, instead it was the V’Ger Jeffries show. 

Jeffries was able to continuously find holes in the Dogs’ defense and he made them pay in a big way.  A long time veteran of the League, Jeffries was on fire in the scoring department, where he hauled in three catches all for touchdowns, including three straight.

The Thunder faces their biggest challenge of the season when they take on an undefeated Raw Talent team after the bye week.  The winner of that game will be in the driver’s seat to wrap up the Eastern Conference title and the #1-see heading into the playoffs.  The Dogs’ on the other hand, must win out for playoff consideration.

Woodpeckers Escapes Da Zoo's Bite 25-16
QB Travis Aptt Plays Best Game of Season To Lead Team

In what was potentially one of two upsets in Week 5, the other coming at the hands of the Average Joes against team Crush, the Raleigh Woodpeckers would defeat the favored Da Zoo convincingly by a score of 25-16 to help strengthen their playoff case with two games remaining.  The game also marked the return of Ryan Bradley, whom the Woodpeckers seemed to look for as the spark that had been missing.

Da Zoo playing without All-TAFFL WR Tomocus Alston, as it showed, was completely flat in the contest and despite scoring first midway through, when QB Xavier Overton-El found a leaping KC Dobbins in the end zone, Da Zoo was just not able to find enough offense to keep pace with the Woodpeckers.  The Woodpeckers would respond as QB Travis Aptt would connect with Brian Ondrako with less than two minutes before the half and a quick response from Overton-El on a rushing touchdown with :04 before halftime would see the score at 16-8 in favor of Da Zoo. 

However, after the intermission, Travis Aptt would shed his Clark Kent attire, and lead the team in an exhibit of Woodpecker football not seen all season.  The Woodpeckers would start the second half on a John Jeleniewski safety and would not look back.  Later, Aptt would find Captain and WR Chris Menard for a spectacular catch for the go ahead score, putting the Woodpeckers up 17-16.  Aptt would then add a final rushing touchdown late in the game to seal the deal.  The Woodpecker defense would hold Da Zoo scoreless in the second half.

The win would shoot the Woodpeckers from a last place tie, to a fourth place spot in the standings, with the tiebreaker advantage over Da Zoo, with only three spots remaining as Dazz and the Assault with wins earlier in the day would secure two of the five available slots.  However, neither team is yet safe from elimination and will need to win one if not both of their final games to stay in the hunt.

CAROLINA NATIONALS 2008
FLAG FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT
JUNE 14-15

Dazz Survives Yet Another Close Call
Chaos Fails To Close Deal For Second Straight Week

Both team Dazz and team Chaos have had trends going this season.  Dazz despite the competition their facing and being heavily favored in games, the team seems to do just enough to win.  Team Chaos on the other hand, jumps out to early leads in a game, but its defense tends to let the team down late.

Week 5 would be no different for either.

As usual, Chaos would get the ball rolling first, when QB Kyle Davis, who has had a monster three game stretch, would score the team’s first points of the game on a rushing touchdown five minutes in.  Davis in his last three games has thrown for seven touchdowns, with one interception, and has rushed for four touchdowns, showing flashes of the QB we saw in the Pre-Season Invitational II Tournament.  Chaos was not done building a lead, as Davis would hit Allen Stewart for a long pass to put the Chaos up 12-0.

Then in typical Chaos fashion, the lead they built would evaporate, as the team’s defense would watch Dazz rack up twenty unanswered points starting with a Ken Little rushing touchdown at the 13:10 mark in response to the Stewart touchdown.  Then just before halftime, Little would connect with Marvis Brown for the first of two times in the game and Dazz would take a 14-12 lead into the break.

Little would add his second rushing touchdown of the game after the intermission, before Chaos would respond with a Davis to Kevin West touchdown pass to tie the score at 20-20.  After Brown would score the go ahead touchdown with 2:46 left in the game, Chaos would threaten with :09 remaining on a Davis to Jon Blackmon touchdown, however a failed extra point, would seal the win for Dazz at 27-26.

Raw Talent's Dominance Continues
Team Now Sits At 5-0 After 46-0 Smashing Of Woeful Chargers

“This dude’s like a video game,” were the words of Raw Talent’s DE Mario Uzzell.  Uzzell was referring to teammate Clyde Price who once again in Week 5 against the winless Carolina Chargers, put on a ‘Tecmo Bowl’ like performance in helping his team to a 46-0 victory and a 5-0 record. 

Price was unstoppable, as the specialist would record four catches, three for touchdowns, a sack, and a tackle.  And even when Price wasn’t performing a statistic that’s recorded, he was near the ball on offense and defense.  However, no one defense was more around the ball then Justin Crawford who finished the game with and interception returned for a touchdown and a season high six tackles.  Crawford now leads the League in tackles with 20, which is five more than his nearest competition.  This was the Talent’s second shutout of the season and record keeping is currently verifying if any team has shutout more than one team in a season.

“It was like watching a how-to-do-it video,” a fan on the sidelines was overheard saying.  “Everything they do is just right.”  And it was…

QB and Captain Quincy Pedew was perfect on the day throwing for four touchdowns and rushing for another.  His other touchdown pass was to Mark Thompson, who since his acquisition in Week 2 has been a tremendous hit for the team.  The Chargers on the other hand were for lack of a better word…lost.  Gidney for the second straight week has completed more passes to the other team then he has to his own teammates.  Gidney was 0-2 for the day passing and that’s following a 0-4 day in Week 4.  Nick Shinn was the leading pass catcher in the game for the Chargers as he finished with five catches, but like so many times this season, no touchdowns.

However, frustration would settle in later for the Chargers and the team’s players as Gidney and Pedew would engage in an exchange of words and shortly thereafter, Shinn would be ejected from the game, due to an obscenity directed towards an official.  The Chargers and Shinn would be informed later that he would be suspended for one game (Week 6) and can return in Week 7.

The Talent will face their biggest challenge to date after the bye week when they face the 5-0 Raleigh Thunder, a game in which the winner will share at least half of the Eastern Conference Title. 

Joes More Than Average In Week 5
Crush Crush by 14, 34-20

Up against huge odds and needing a win to even stay remotely alive in the Eastern Conference playoff chase, the Average Joes came out in Week 5, not only looking to gain some respect, but do it in a big way.

They did not disappoint. 

Against a Mike Sugalski led Crush team who has been up and down in its inaugural season of the Triangle Area Flag Football League, the Average Joes played the best football the team has played in its young existence in rout to a 34-20 victory and possibly the biggest upset of Season VII.  QB and Captain Kyle Mitchell was sensational, throwing for three touchdowns, all to WR John Branch on four receptions, and Mitchell also finished with two rushing touchdowns.  He also finally got the help he needed from his teammates on defense with Brandon Lee hauling in an interception of an Adam Bailey pass, as well as Demetrius Liverman recording a key sack on a potential Crush scoring drive.

The teams would exchange scores for the entire first half and at the break would head into the locker rooms tied at 13-13.  After halftime, Crush would score first on an Adam Bailey to Virgil Clem touchdown reception two minutes into the half to make the score 20-13, however that would be the last time that the Crush would taste the endzone.  Mitchell and company would then go on to score twenty-one straight points and its defense would keep the Crush from making any charges in the second half.

Bad Boys Continue To Be Good
Jam Triangle Triggermen 19-12

The 4-1 Bad Boys pushed their winning streak to four with a seven-point victory (19-12) over the Triangle Triggermen in Week 5.  QB Patty Duke continues to shine in what is turning out to be his best season yet, as this was his “best showing ever as a leader and field general” one analyst commented after the game.  Statistically, Duke finished the game with three touchdowns passing without any interceptions and found offense in Montrel Pittman who hauled in two of the three Dukes touchdown passes.  Longtime teammate and Captain Tamaro Johnson would haul in Duke’s other pass. 

The teams would exchange scores for the entire first half and with the slight advantage at 12-13 and with 7:48 left in the game, the bad boys would add the final points of the game making the score 19-12.  The Triggermen would give the Boys a slight scare, but two great defensive tackles Johnson would help his team secure the victory.

Triggermen QB Ryan Steck in his second game back after missing weeks 2 and 3, did what he could to help keep his team in the game, the rookie QB finished the game with two touchdowns passing, connecting with WR Jonathan Burnette both times.  Burnette had a monster game receiving as he finished with six (6) catches to go along with his two touchdowns. 

This was the fourth straight loss for the Triggermen and with it the team’s playoff chances begin to fade, as they must face an up-and-down Da Zoo, who’s due for an ‘up’ and a new and improved Strikers team.  The Bad Boys remaining games pits them against a surging Woodpeckers team coming off an upset victory over Da Zoo, and a shaky, yet undefeated Assault team looking for their sixth title in seven seasons. 

TAFFL COED
STARTS MAY 11, 2008
REGISTER NOW AT THE NEW TAFFL COED SITE!
(There's going to be girls for pete's sake!)

Titans Rebound In Big Way Versus Blaser & Da Inc.
History Of Two Straight Shutouts Erased With Impressive 28-6 Victory

In an effort to make up for two straight shut-out losses and avoid being potentially put out of the playoff race, the Titans with some major adjustments, did what no other team has done over the last three weeks…stop Troy Blaser.  The Titans, aka ‘kryptonite’ on this day, played like a team possessed and showed fans and writers what was expected of this team coming into the season.

After two mediocre performances and two lousy performances from the QB position, which saw the team at a record of 2-2, Captain Sherell Dunn made a major decision, by naming Rookie Jaime Praylow as the Titans new starting quarterback.  Praylow, who took a minimum number of snaps in the Titans Week 4 loss to the Raleigh Thunder, was to replace last season’s starter De’Qaiun Walker and newcomer Paul Tambasco, both who have proved ineffective against defenses this season.  Praylow would quickly show his Captain why he made a good decision.

The Titans would jump on the board first, 2-0, with a Steven Easely sack, his first of three in the game, on a high snap by Da Inc.’s Andrew Manzolillo .  The teams would play solid defense until 11:54 in the game when Praylow would connect on his first of three touchdown passes on the day, to a wide-open Dunn who would break two tackles to race more than half the field to the end zone to put the Titans up 8-0.  Then just before the break, a handoff to FB Zulu Nwanko, would find the big back in the end zone which would make the score 16-0.  However, just as time expired in the first half, Blaser would wake-up momentarily to find Da Inc.’s leading receiver Jacob Smith to cut the deficit to 10 going into the break.

After the break, the Titans would KO Blaser again and keep Da Inc. from scoring any points in the second half, while Praylow would connect with De’Qaiun Walker for two more scores to inevitably wrap the game and the victory up.  The six points the Titan’s defense allowed was Blaser’s and Da Inc.’s lowest point total on the season.  Blaser finished the day with the lone touchdown pass to Smith, an interception, and no rushing touchdowns. 

Next up for the Titans are the Average Joes, who coming off a big win last week, are in desperate need of a win to keep in playoff contention.  Da Inc. will face the Crush, who lost to the Average Joes in Week 6.  The outcomes of these two games will help clear the playoff picture moving into the final week of the season.