The snow is melting. Birds are chirping. TFO's Trillium Tour starts next month. It is time to go back to the gym, get back on the ABS diet, dust off the cleats, and pump up the footballs. Football season is around the corner. STAY TUNED!!
New teams and interested parties should check out www.oshawafootball.com or e-mail myself at cheech@alumni.uwo.ca
After an extremely competitive game between the Hawks and Cobras the Champions have finally been determined for the 2007 season. Both teams matched each other score for score and interception for interception throughout the game. With 6 plays left the Cobras managed to kick the ball through the Hawks endzone to take the lead by a single point with only 5 plays left. Unfortunately their defense couldn't hold the win and the Hawks marched down and scored within the 5 plays to take the Championship. After a long road the Hawks finally have their first Championship and proved they are the best team in the OTFL.
The "B" final was held between the Hounds and the Mustangs. Again this was a very competitive game with the Hounds finally pulling it out in the end. After a lack luster season with attendance issues the Hounds managed to field a full team of their own men and show what they can do. Congratulations.
This Sunday at Eastdale Collegiate in Oshawa the OTFL A and B Championships are being held. Playing for the B trophy are the Mustangs and Hounds. Two teams that struggled much of the year but are evenly matched which should make a good and entertaining game. Kick off is 9:00 am.
The A Championship is between the Hawks and Cobras. After a close game against the All Blacks the Cobras advanced to the final and are the only team this year that beat the Hawks in regular season action. The Hawks played the Raiders in the semi-finals and as the OTFL regular season champs deserve to be in the final. After last years loss to the Rogues in the A final the Hawks have something to prove. Time will tell if they overcame their previous shortcomings. This should be a good game and worth watching.
After the games the year end festivities will be held at the Waltzing Weasel on Taunton Rd. in Oshawa beginning at 1:00 pm. There will be door prizes and free pitchers of beer after every 3 purchased pitchers are emptied into the guts of OTFL guzzlers. The banquet was organized my Robert "Buzz" Bezzant and is greatly appreciated. See you there.
Below is "Skid" of the Raiders launching his own pre-emptive strike on the banquet festivities.
Round one of the play-offs is complete. After locking up first place the Hawks earned a bye for week one. The second place All Blacks took on the Falcons and soundly defeated them without allowing a touchdown. The Cobras met up with the Hounds who happened to make it interesting with both teams scoring back and forth until eventually the Cobras finished it. The Raiders and Mustangs also met up with the Raiders advancing forward. This sets up the Raiders vs. Hawks next weekend and the All Blacks vs. Cobras. Until then it is time to enjoy some turkey, suds, and stuffing. Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy the pictures.
The Play-Offs are scheduled to start after this coming weekend. Last weekend the Cobras took down a couple of the teams in their last double header of the year. The Cobras beat the heavily favoured and undefeated Hawks last Sunday and then went on to beat the Raiders as well. Although underdogs the snakes aren't to be taken lightly heading into the post season.
In other news the Mustangs beat the Falcons and then lost soundly to the All Blacks 41-0. The All Blacks have scored 76 points for and allowed 0 against since their embarrassing loss to the Hawks and then their close loss to the Cobras.
The Hounds are still hanging in the league despite attendance issues. This weekend they will face the All Blacks in their last game of the season. Cobras will see the Falcons and Hounds as well, while the Hawks will see the Raiders. All games are at Eastdale starting at 9:00 with one game at Donevan starting at 10:30.
League Scoring Leaders
Mathew Chang 58
Andrew Blair 41
Brent Ashby 36
Chris Pierre 35
Steve Correa 31
The Oshawa Cobras went head to head against the All Blacks this past weekend. Both teams defenses played well throughout the game however the Cobras had the advantage offensively as the All Blacks were using their back up QB. The Cobras QB scored first and managed to get the extra point after. In return the All Blacks marched it back down the field and scored along with the extra point to make it 7 - 7 at halftime. Both teams threw several interceptions in the second half until late in the 4th the Cobras sprung a receiver out deep for a reception and managed to score on the following plays. With the score 14 - 7 the All Blacks moved the ball into the Cobras red zone but were unable to penetrate the end zone. On 2nd and 10 they dropped a first down pass and on the 3rd and 10 the Cobras defense knocked the ball down. They then ran the clock out. Congratulations to the Cobras.
In a much anticipated match up between the OTFL's supposed best 2 teams last Sunday the Red Hawks sent a message to the rest of the league by blanking the All Blacks on all fronts. The first two quarters were even match ups with both teams defense stopping the others offense 3 times each. But late in the second quarter the All Blacks quarterback, Rich Lafoy, threw an interception to Mike Rafuse while trying to throw the ball away. The Hawks were able to score and get the convert. On the last play of the quarter another All Black blunder by Che Lafoy cost them another score when as a halfback he threw the ball back to the quarterback only to be picked off by the Hawks rusher who then ran it in. 13-0 at half for the Hawks.
The rest of the game pretty much went down hill from there for the All Blacks. Several interceptions and scores later the Hawks won the game 30 something to nothing. The All Blacks have looked much better and the Hawks appear to be at the top of their game heading into the latter part of the season.
After beating the All Blacks the Hawks went on to beat the Hounds in their second game of the day.
Rick Nurse got married this weekend to Shelley Stewart at Kedron Church in Oshawa. Rick has been a member of the OTFL for over a decade and has played with the Oshawa All Blacks for the last couple of years.
Dave Spackmen of the Hawks was in the wedding party and Brett Herod and Che Lafoy were also in attendance.
After a year of trying we finally got Rick to run a deep pattern and caught it on film to boot. Now if we could only get a garter for the football. Congrats to Mr. and Mrs. Nurse.
This weekend events are heavy. First of all the OTFL has only two games which will be held at Donevan Collegiate between the Raiders and Mustangs at 9:00 and later the Falcons and Hounds at 10:30. The first game I give to the Raiders as I think a few Stangs will be away at the Unionville Tournament. The second game I give to the Hounds as long as they field a full team. If they don't then Falcons have the edge. Time will tell.
The Hawks and Cobras will be off and competing in TFOnt's Unionville Tournament. I know the Hawks will have it tough against the London Realty team that features Rob Greenshields, a former Oshawa boy and graduate of Donevan Collegiate. I will have more updates later regarding that.
The All Blacks have the weekend off which is fine as Ricky Nurse is tying the knot to his beau, Shelley Stewart on Saturday. Several of the All Blacks will be in attendance, including myself. Having the weekend off is perfect for those of us that like to hit the bar at formal gatherings and drink amber fluids. I will try and get some pics with Ricky in a tux with a football ... later.
Raiders and Hawks battled it out last weekend in close one. Hawks almost went scoreless until halftime and were down 18-7 when the second half began. They then scored again on the their first drive of the second half to make it 18-13. Hawks scored again on a controversial tag/no tag and finally won the game 19-18 to the reluctance of a disappointed Raiders squad. A couple of controversial calls in this one apparently but definately a wake up call for the Hawks who have won by a single point twice this season against the stronger clubs.
Elsewhere the All Blacks overcame the rookie Falcons 34-0 in a good hearted match up. There is a learning curve for touch football and the Falcons are on their way.
The Cobras were victorious as well with a score of 32-6 over the Mustangs. With the Mustangs new QB and Halfback I thought they would be better but so far the season hasn't been kind to them.
This weekend is the August long weekend so there are no games in the OTFL. Have a good one!
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