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 EFL FINALS: Clinton vs. Quincy |
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Clinton Irish Blizzard vs |
20 |
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Quincy Militia |
14 |
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Game Played 10/25/2009 3:00PM
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CLINTON IRISH BLIZZARD CAPTURE 2009 E.F.L. CHAMPIONSHIP
OVERTIME THRILLER..... CLINTON IRISH BLIZZARD CAPTURE 2009 E.F.L. CHAMPIONSHIP
EFL CHAMPIONSHIP.... Sunday October 25, 2009 3pm Fuller Field, Clinton, MA
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CLINTON IRISH BLIZZARD 20 - Quincy Militia 14 (Overtime)
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Quincy (8-5) 0 0 0 14 0 - 14
Clinton (10-2) 0 7 7 0 6 - 20
Scoring Summary:
2nd: C - Gamble 3 yard TD run (Cairns kick)
3rd: C - Learned 4 yard TD pass from Riccio (Cairns kick)
4th: Q Milton 16 yard TD pass from Boyle (Moore kick)
4th: Q McQueen 16 yard TD pass from Boyle (Moore kick)
OT: C Gamble 4 yard TD run
CLINTON - The Clinton Irish Blizzard earned their first EFL crown with a dramatic 20-14 overtime victory over the Quincy Militia in front of a packed house at Fuller Field on Sunday. The Irish Blizzard rode the right arm of quarterback John Riccio who completed 23 passes for 259 yards and 1 touchdown to give Clinton its first title after two previous championship game losses. The Irish Blizzard got another solid outing from its defense including a blocked field goal by Mike McGonagle at the end of regulation and a clutch overtime interception by cornerback Ronnie Guyton. Ty Gamble recorded two touchdown runs including the game winner in overtime. Jim Learned caught a third quarter touchdown pass while racking up 11 catches on the day. Learned (109 yds) and Rayshawn Link (102 yds) each went over 100 yards receiving on the day.
Defense ruled the opening period as both teams failed to score in the opening stanza. Quincy moved the ball on the ground but Clintons defense eventually forced a punt and a fumble on the Militias first two drives. Meanwhile Clinton went three-and-out to open their first series before Riccio went to the air on his next drive. The Blizzard marched 50 yards on 10 plays with Riccio going 5/6 before being picked off by Quincy defensive back Domenique Milton. It didnt take long for Clinton to shrug off the turnover as Riccio and Link hooked up for a 54 yard completion on their very next offensive play. Gamble plowed in from three yards out and the Irish Blizzard assumed a 7-0 lead with 7:04 remaining in the half.
Clinton looked sharp late in the second and into the third, but a personal foul penalty hurt the Irish Blizzard as they threatened late in the half. A sack of Riccio and fumble halted a promising drive deep in Quincy territory to open the third quarter. Riccio took control later in the third as he hooked up with Learned on completions of 12 yards and 31 yards before hitting Link for a 14 yard completion down to the Militia 6 yardline. Two plays later Riccio and Learned connected on a 4 yard TD pass and the Irish Blizzard extended the lead to 14-0.
Quincy quarterback Matt Boyle turned the game around with his arm and his legs as he engineered consecutive drives in the 4th quarter that each led to touchdown passes to stun the Irish Blizzard and tie the game with 3:03 remaining in regulation. The game got interesting at this point as Riccio drove Clinton 34 yards in 7 plays before being intercepted on a deflected pass with 1:14 remaining. The return to the Clinton 39 yardline helped set up a Will Moore game winning field goal attempt. Moore drilled the kick from 35 yards out but the Militia were flagged for an illegal formation as they failed to have enough players on the line of scrimmage. Their second attempt at the kick was blocked by McGonagle as time expired and the game was headed to overtime.
With college rules in effect, Quincy took possession at the 25 yardline. An incredible interception in the corner of the endzone by Guyton thwarted the Militias first attempt at scoring. Riccio ensured it would be their last attempt as he took over and completed consecutive passes to Learned, Link, and Lorin Reed setting the Irish Blizzard up with a first and goal from the 4 yardline. Gamble grabbed a handoff from Riccio on the next play and found paydirt, sealing Clintons first title in the teams 10th season as an EFL franchise.
*Offensive MVP: Irish Blizzard receiver #6 JIM LEARNED (11 catches/109 yards, 1TD)
*Defensive MVP: Militia defensive back #2 DOMENIQUE MILTON (2 Interceptions)
CHAMPIONSHIP BOX SCORE
CLINTON PASSING
Riccio - 23/36, 259 yds, 1 TD / 3 INT
CLINTON RUSHING
Gamble 6 rushes / 15 yds / 2TDs
Allard 6 rushes / 15 yds
Whitehead 5 rushes / -5 yds
CLINTON RECEIVING
J Learned 11 catches / 109 yds / 1 TD
Link 7 catches / 102 yds
Reed 2 catches / 19 yds
Whitehead 1 catch / 18 yds
Adams 1 catch / 8 yds
Gamble 1 catch / 3 yds
CLINTON INTERCEPTIONS
Guyton 1
CLINTON FUMBLE RECOVERIES
Whitehead 1
Watts 1
CLINTON POINT AFTER ATTEMPTS
Cairns 2/2
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