Missed extra points sink Barracudas
In close game, every play counts; ‘Cudas fall just short.'
Throwed Slappers overcome interceptions for 22-21 victory in CoRec Intramural Flag Football Championship Monday night in Memorial Stadium.
Joe Preiner
Tuesday, October 9th, 2007
Finalists for the intramural flag football corecreational championship contenders, the Throwed Slappers and the Blue Barracudas, took center stage in what proved to be a showdown for the ages Monday night in Memorial Stadium.
The game was destined to be a battle. The Blue Barracudas came into the contest having conceded only six points in each of their previous playoff games. The Throwed Slappers were no slouch in the playoffs either, beating each of their opponents by 20 points.
Kim Cavaleri, Lansing sophomore and coach of the Blue Barracudas, was confident in the ability of her players.
“Some of our guys actually played in high school,” she said. “Two of them were regional champs.”
Photo by Adam McDonald
TJ McReynolds, Olathe senior, catches a pass during the co-ed intermural championship game Monday evening at Memorial Stadium. McReynolds' team, the Throwed Slappers, defeated the Blue Barracudas 22-21.
Both teams prepared intensely for the game. Throwed Slappers players went so far as to make sure they picked out jerseys with “mean numbers” as a form of intimidation.
The game started in fitting championship fashion, with the Blue Barracudas driving down the field efficiently. The team scored the contest’s first points when quarterback Neal Watson, Lansing junior, completed a pass to Chris Bristow, Lansing junior. The team missed the extra point, leaving it with a 6-0 lead.
The following possession by the Throwed Slappers resulted in a turnover on downs. The team would not dwell on that for long, however, because Jenna Hewitt, Silver Lake senior, picked off a Blue Barracudas pass just a few plays later. The play proved valuable, as the team notched a nine-point touchdown after Trina Lacen, Delphos junior, caught a pass in the end zone. In corecreational intramurals a touchdown caught by a female player is worth nine points. The team converted on its two-point try to bring the score to 11-6.
Before the whistle blew for halftime, the Blue Barracudas scored again. Watson sacrificed his body by diving headfirst into the end zone to catch a pass from Carolyn McKune, Lansing junior.
The Throwed Slappers attempted a quick response on their next possession, with T.J. McReynolds, Olathe senior, weaving his way to within 10 yards of the goal line. But the team was left knocking on the door as time expired a few seconds later.
Trailing 15-11 to start the second half, the Throwed Slappers had new motivation. A quick touchdown and extra-point conversion brought the score to 22-15 in the Throwed Slappers’ favor.
The scoring was not over. The Blue Barracudas, with just more than five minutes left in the game, fought back. An interception that led to Bristow’s second touchdown of the game helped the Blue Barracudas cause. Another missed extra point left the score at 22-21, with Throwed Slappers still leading.
The next drive for Throwed Slappers ended in the same way. With just 40 seconds remaining in the game, Spearville junior Brad Werner intercepted the ball in the end zone, stopping the clock and giving the Blue Barracudas one last chance. The sideline was tense as the seconds counted down.
The Blue Barracudas managed to work their way to midfield, but it was not enough. Time ran out and the Throwed Slappers took the title with a final score of 22-21.
“What a way to end the game,” Bristow said.
Champion quarterback Matt Hoover, Junction City senior, was all smiles after the game.
“It’s a lot of fun to play at Memorial Stadium,” he said. “It’s even better to win.”
— Edited by Tara Smith
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