NCR Tigers: Welcome

Wow, what a battle this was. The two best teams in the league going at it one more time for the Rinky Dink City Championship. We had just finished the regular season with a record of 5-1 and a league championship but we wanted that one last win to secure us the city championship. Both teams battled hard in this one and just like when we played each other earlier in the season, this one would be decided in the final seconds of the game.

We got the ball to open the game but a couple of mysterious penalities would put us facing a 3rd and 30 from our own 20-yd line. Jett relled off a couple of hard runs but it wouldn't be enough and we would give the ball over to the Wildcats. Our defense would be up to the challenge this time though. They were facing the best running back in the league in Bubba Merriweather. A couple of fumbled snaps and a few good plays from our defense would give the ball back to our offense at mid-field.

This time our offense would put us on the scoreboard. After a couple of short gains, Ethan would throw a bomb to Connor for a 37-yd TD. We failed to convert the extra point and the score remained 6-0. The Wildcats would get their offense rolling as Merriweather done it all on a 4-play 60 yard drive to tie the game at 6. Connor started off our next drive with a 47-yd rumble down the sidelines. A few plays later, Connor would cross the goal line from 3 yards out to give us a 12-6 lead. Connor would then convert the extra point to give us a 13-6 lead with just seconds left on the clock in the 2nd quarter. I was so hoping our defense could hold them just one more time, but the wildcats had other ideas. Merriweather broke 4 tackles on his way to a 60 yard touchdown scamper to tie the game as the half-time buzzer sounded.

The Wildcats would get the ball to start the 3rd quarter and put together a 10-play 60 yard drive that would use up the entire 3rd quarter. Merriweather scored from 17 yards out to cap off the drive and give the Wildcats a 19-13 lead. The Wildcats converted two 4th downs on the drive as our defense did not make things easy for them. Our offense would come right back at the Wildcats. Connor, Jett and Ethan would move the ball to the 30-yard line and Jayden Brown would then get us down to the 5-yd line with a 25 yard scamper. A couple of QB sneaks later we had tied the game at 19. We converted the extra point but once again a mysterious flag would wave off our conversion and keep the game tied at 19.

We had left way too much time on the clock as 1:55 still remained in the game. Our defense made a couple of very good plays and it looked as if we might hold them, but Merriweather broke free for another long touchdown run to give Webb the 25-19 win. It was ironic that we had beat them earlier in the season on the last play of the game and this time they returned the favor. It was a great championship game by two very good teams. I'm very proud of our young group of Tigers as they finish the season with a record of 5-2 and a league championship under their belts. See you at the party!

Our offensive player of the week for the final week of the season is Cannon England. He was the leader of our offensive line all season long. He was without a doubt the best center in the league this year. He had another good game on Saturday versus the Wildcats. He was a huge weapon for our offense and was the reason we were able to run some of the plays we ran and do different things with our offense. Other teams did not have the advantage of having a good center that could snap the ball out of the shotgun like we did. Great job Cannon, we are very proud of you and the season you had!

Our defensive player of the week for the final week of the season is Avery Walker. He had a good game in the city championship versus the Webb Energy Wildcats. Avery had three tackles and did a good job at corner. He did a good job for our team all season long. It was Avery's first year to play football and he played one of the toughest positions on the field. Great job Avery, we are very proud of you!

Week 1

Webb Energy - 40              Simmons 1st Steelers - 18

NCR Tigers - 40                 Police Cubs - 24

Week 2

Alford's Pirates - 40            Simmons 1st Steelers - 33

Police Cubs - 28                   National Family Bulldogs - 20

NCR Tigers - 26                  Webb Energy Wildcats - 25

Week 3

NCR Tigers - 28                  National Family Bulldogs - 14

Webb Energy - 32               Alford's Pirates - 27

YMA Cowboys - 40              Simmons 1st Steelers - 19 

Week 4

Police Cubs - 40                  Simmons 1st Steelers - 34

Webb Energy - 46              National Family Bulldogs - 26

YMA Cowboys - 26             Alford's Pirates - 24

Week 5

Webb Energy - 24               YMA Cowboys - 12

Police Cubs - 47                   Alford's Pirates - 46

NCR Tigers - 40                  Simmons 1st Steelers - 32

Week 6

Alford's Pirates - 48             NCR Tigers - 46

Simmons 1st Steelers - 34      National Family Bulldogs - 20

YMA Cowboys - 21                 Police Cubs - 0 

Webb Energy - 54                 Police Cubs - 47

NCR Tigers - 6                      YMA Cowboys - 0

Alford's Pirates - 30              National Family Bulldogs - 6

YMA Cowboys - 30                 National Family Bulldogs - 0     

Week 7 - (Optimist Day) 

Alford's Pirates - 27               National Family Bulldogs - 19    (Played (1) half)                 

Alford's Pirates - 19               Simmons 1st Steelers - 14          (Played (1) half) 

Simmons 1st Steelers - 19        National Family Bulldogs - 13     (Played (1) half) 

YMA Cowboys - 24                 Police Cubs - 0

FSBGC Rinky Dink City Championship

Webb Energy Wildcats - 25    NCR Tigers - 19

FINAL 2011 FSBGC Rinky Dink League Standings

NCR Tigers                  5-1        League Champs

Webb Energy               5-1

YMA Cowboys              4-2

Police Cubs                   3-3 

Alford's Pirates           3-3

Simmons Steelers         1-5

NFP Bulldogs               0-6

Earlier in the week we had lost a heartbreaker 48-46 to the Alford Pirates. Who would have believed that a couple of short days later we would win a game 6-0. The YMA coach and I decided to play "straight up" in this one. Sub who you want, when you want, where you want. I knew they had a very good defense. I had watched them shut up a very good offensive team in the Police Cubs earlier in the week. I knew that playing kids both ways would help both teams defensively. That would be an understatement.

The Cowboys took the ball to start the game and after a few short gains, our defense made a stand and forced them to give up the ball. A few good plays from Ethan Arnold, Bryce Caldwell and Nick Hewett would give the ball back to our offense. We went right to work marching down the field. After a Jett Frazier 23 yard run, Ethan Arnold would move the ball down to the YMA 21-yard line and set up a 1st down. A motion penalty and a couple of missed blocking assignments would hault our drive and we were forced to give the ball back to the Cowboys as the 1st quarter ended. 

The Cowboys took the ball on their own 20-yard line and went backwards. Good plays in their backfield by Connor Brady and Nick Hewett would force the Cowboys into a 4th and long. They declared a punt and we would take over the ball at their 42-yard line. Jett relled off an 11-yard run and then we would pound the middle for a couple of yards. Then the play of the game occurred. With the 2nd quarter clock winding down, Ethan dropped back to pass and found an open Connor for a 34-yard touchdown pass to put us ahead 6-0. Little did I know that would be all the points we would need in this one. Connor made a very nice run after the catch. He dove across the goal line from a couple of yards out and our fans went nuts. Great play by both kids! 

We got the ball to open the 2nd half and was hoping to put this game away but the Cowboys defense had other ideas. They are so quick and fast on defense it is hard to find a gap or running lane on a lot of plays. They quickly forced us into a 4 and out giving the ball back to their offense. Needless to say our defense was up to the challenge on this day. Good plays from Bryce Caldwell, Matthew Humphrey and Ethan Arnold forced the Cowboys into a 4th and 10. Jayden Brown then stepped up and made a touchdown saving tackle on the corner giving the ball back to our offense.

With a little over 4 minutes left in the final qaurter, we wanted to put together a long drive and chew up some clock while at the same time getting 1st downs. That's exactly what we did. We ate up 4 or 5 yards a play and chewed up the rest of the clock. We moved the ball down to the Cowboys 10-yard line and took a knee with 25 seconds left on the clock to end the game. Our players and fans went nuts. The 6-0 win had given us the league championship and moves us into the city championship game versus the Webb Energy Wildcats. Webb Energy will be looking for a little revenge as we defeated them 26-25 earlier in the season. The game begins at 12:15. See you all there at 11:30. Congrats to all our little Tigers on a fanatastic season. The coaches are so very proud of you all!

Our week 6 offensive players of the week are Hayden Rofkahr and Blake Pinkston. These two kids have been real leaders on our offensive line all season long. They were a big reason we got the huge win over YMA on Saturday. They both had the tough task of blocking YMA's two very big and physical defensive ends. Blake and Hayden did awesome and really took both of these players out of the game. Awesome job to both these guys and congrats on being named our week 6 offensive players of the week. We are very proud of you both!

Our defensive player of the week for week 6 of the season is Aidan Donoho. Aidan had a good couple of games for us this week. He had 5 total tackles in our two games this week and is really one of the most improved players we have back from last season. Aidan has really done a good job playing linebacker for our defense all season long. Great job Aidan, we are very proud of you!

Wow, if you blinked in this one you probably missed a couple of touchdowns or more. Both teams tonight went up and down the field with ease most of the time. It was one of those games that makes the defensive coaches want to pull their hair out. It was one of those games that one mistake on offense might get you beat.

Our defense could not stop Alford's at all in the entire first half. But the good news is, their defense could not stop us. After Alford's took and early 7-0 lead, we put together a 7-play 60 yard drive to tie the game. Jayden Brown capped off the drive with a 25-yard touchdown scamper and Jett Frazier would convert the extra point. Alford's would then score once again on their first play of scrimmage to take a 14-7 lead. Ethan Arnold would find a streaking Connor Brady on a pass play that would cover 60 yards and another Tiger TD. Jett once again converted the extra point and the score was all tied at 14 at the end of the 1st quarter.

Both teams would keep the offense rolling in the 2nd quarter. Both teams would score a couple of touchdowns, but both would fail on one of their extra points and this one was all tied at 27 at the half. Our two TD's would come from Jett as he darted 23 yards for one and then would score on a 55-yd scamper as the clock expired to end the 2nd quarter.

We got the ball to begin the 3rd quarter and wasted no time in taking the lead in this one. Jett scored his 3rd touchdown of the game with a 55-yard race down the sideline. We failed to convert the extra point which would prove to be huge later on in this one. The Pirates came right back at us and put together a 4-play 60 yard drive to tie the game at 33. They did convert their extra point and suddenly we were down by one at 34-33. After an incomplete pass, Jayden Brown would out run the Pirate defense for a 60-yard touchdown and give us the lead back. Jett converted the extra point and we were up 40-34.

Alford's refused to go away in this one. They once again put together a nice drive to go ahead 41-40 as the 3rd quarter ended. We wanted to keep matching them blow for blow but on this drive it would not happen. We would fumble a hand-ff exchange and the Pirates would recover to take over the drivers seat in this one. They would run some clock while still driving the ball down the field. They would score with a little over a minute left on the clock to take a 48-40 lead. Connor Brady would show the Tiger fight as he would then take the hand-off and rumble 60 yards to pull us within 48-46 with seconds left. We tried kicking the extra point, which would count for 2 points and tie the game. Ethan gave it a good effort but the kick fell a bit short and the Pirates would hold on for the 48-46 win.

The loss is our first of the season and forces us to win on Saturday versus a very good YMA Cowboy team to advance to the City Championship. See you all at the game on Saturday. Go Tigers! 

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