SCAB Report

Championship

Galactic Soup Bowl

Pacifists Glide over Sharks

It didn't look like it in the first half, but it was all Northwestsoutheastern in this final. There was little more than a quarter of suspense about the Fighting Pacifists completing a second straight undefeated season and fourth championship. When the Pacifists scored before halftime to go up 17-7, it looked like they'd just gained some breathing room. It proved to be the beginning of the snowball, as Northwestsoutheastern scored on its second drive of the 3rd quarter, then 17 points in the 4th quarter.

The only gaudy numbers were the score. The Pacifists didn't need much yardage to rack up more points than even last year, the second highest score by one team and the most lopsided score ever in the title game. The scoring seemed like inevitability itself slamming the door on the Sharks and favoring the Pacifists, as it required no spectacular performances.

Sure, Demetrius Award winner, QB Sebastian Ophuls, calmly threw for 253 yards and 4 TDs, and last year's Demetrius winner, WR Avery Cunningham, caught 2 of those TD passes. But Cunningham, who would have been an advantage to offset University of Puerto Rico's dangerous rushing threat with RBs Hugo Gurl and Milo Rider, had only 7 catches for 79 yards. Nwse TE Phil Badd ended up with 9 catches for 96 yards and a TD to lead all receivers. That was in part because the Sharks, as so many teams this season, double-teamed Cunningham much of the time.

The Fighting Pacifists pulled a bit of a strategic switcheroo that led to Cheers being the MVP. Cheers carried the ball more than Gurl and Rider combined, and by him it was thus the Pacifists who controlled possession by the rush. His receiving only added to the effect. Cheers opened scoring with a 32-yard TD run.

Despite the offensive exploits of the Pacifists' marquee players, what was most impressive in this game bears out what was the real strength all this season: defense. This was the 10th time in 2006 (out of 15 games) the Pacifists allowed a single-digit score.

They allowed the UPRNY RBs 68 yards between them, Gurl, who had been the best player in the tournament prior to this game, just 40. The Pacifists were expected to dominate the passing game against the Sharks, but the numbers were perhaps more dramatic than expected against blue chip QB Elian Spahn, who had also been impressive in his debut post-season. Here he completed only 9 passes, of 27 attempts, for 109 yards. Star WR Orlando Difri had only 5 catches for 59 yards.

The Pacifists adjusted to accomplish this. Puerto Rico answered Cheers's opening strike with a TD drive of their own, having their way. Spahn hit WR Mustafa Djab, the MVP of the Dust Bowl victory over Swampmush St., for three completions of more than 10 yards on the drive, and Rider and Gurl did the rest. Gurl had runs of 11, 9 and 6 yards, the last for the TD. Little did the Sharks know that was pretty much the end of their show, and their amazing run in the tournament.

10 Clan:
HP 8 1 0 9 4 0
Ca 7 1 1 8 4 1
LB 7 2 0 11 3 0
Fl 5 4 0 7 5 0
UF 5 4 0 6 6 0
Bf 4 4 1 5 6 1
Gr 4 5 0 5 7 0
MV 3 6 0 5 7 0
IO 1 8 0 1 11 0
Bu 0 9 0 0 12 0

Little 10:
SS 8 1 0 11 2 0
KT 8 1 0 9 4 0
Bd 7 2 0 8 5 0
Br 5 4 0 6 6 0
GJ 4 5 0 6 6 0
CU 3 6 0 4 8 0
PU 3 6 0 6 6 0
SP 3 6 0 3 9 0
Wh 2 7 0 3 9 0
MS 2 7 0 3 9 0

10 Pack:
Nw 9 0 0 15 0 0
Cr 6 3 0 11 4 0
DG 6 3 0 10 5 0
DS 6 3 0 8 4 0
Pb 6 3 0 7 5 0
HG 5 4 0 7 5 0
MO 3 6 0 5 7 0
AT 3 6 0 5 7 0
Fm 1 8 0 4 8 0
Sb 0 9 0 0 12 0

Non-Conference:
BH 8 1 0 11 2 0
LW 7 2 0 9 4 0
UP 7 2 0 12 4 0
Pk 7 2 0 7 5 0
OL 5 4 0 6 6 0
Ox 4 5 0 7 5 0
Pe 3 6 0 4 8 0
So 3 6 0 3 9 0
OD 1 8 0 3 9 0
St 0 9 0 0 12 0