Saturday, January 14th 2012

Hyenas (6-3-1) vs Rhinos (7-3)

Well this is the game we’ve been waiting for all year, the Pac West Bowl. The “Big Game” for the Pac West Flag Football League. This is the reason we push ourselves to the edge and now all that sweat and blood you’ve shed throughout the regular season and the postseason will all be left on the field here tonight. Both teams worked so hard all year to get to this game and now it’s your time to shine on the football field. Pac West Bowl IV would make Pac West history in a few ways. This would be the first time in Pac West history that two teams have advanced to the Pac West Bowl game in back to back seasons. Also, this would be the Pac West Flag Football Leagues first night game in nine seasons and it would be a great one. The Hyenas are the defending Pac West Champions winning it all last season versus the Rhinos in Pac West Bowl VIII 6-3. The Hyenas are trying to make history by winning back to back championships, but they still had a very good Rhinos team standing in their way. The Rhinos start the game on offense first facing the #1 ranked defense in the league. The Hyenas defense played lights outs on the Rhinos first series with the football making them go four and out. The Hyenas took over at the Rhinos 25-yard line looking to take the lead early in this one. Veteran Brad Stadther had a different take on that, intercepting Hyenas quarterback Jarod Blodgett’s pass on the Rhinos 10-yard line. The Rhinos offense took over and moved the football down the field, chipping away at whatever the Hyenas defense would give them. The Rhinos looking to get in the red zone, when 2009 MVP Zack Manning of the Hyenas picks off rookie quarterback Levi Maxwell on their own 20-yard line and returns it all the way down to the Rhinos 14-yard line. Two plays later, Hyenas quarterback Jarod Blodgett runs in from 14-yards out to put them on top 1-0. The Rhinos go back on offense looking to drive down the field to score and tie it up. But on second down, Nathanial Guard of the Hyenas put a quick stop to that intercepting quarterback Levi Maxwell on the Rhinos 45-yard line. Two plays later, team captain Pat Dunford scores a 4-yard touchdown reception to put them up 2-0. The Rhinos take control of the football and are looking to score their first touchdown of the game. On a big fourth down play, it looks like the Rhinos converted for a first down with a 20-yard pass to rookie Levi Maxwell, but quarterback Kurtis Adams stepped over the line of scrimmage and they turn the football over yet again to the Hyenas. The Hyenas go four and out and turn the football over. The Rhinos offense hasn’t done anything all game long, but on this series they looked to be on their way towards the end zone for the score. The Rhinos entered the red zone for the first time in the game on this drive. Then, on the Hyenas 7-yard line on a fourth down play, Josh Lovell sacks rookie quarterback Levi Maxwell on the Hyenas 18-yard line for the turnover on downs. The Hyenas took over on offense and looked to push their lead one more on the Rhinos. On the last play of the first half, Zack Manning breaks the Rhinos defense for a 38-yard touchdown receptions to put the Hyenas up 3-0 at halftime. The Hyenas were only one half away from making Pac West history. The Hyenas started off the second half with the football first and the Rhinos defense steps up and makes them go four and out. The Rhinos appeared to score a touchdown on their next possession as quarterback Kurtis Adams throws a strike into the end zone to rookie Levi Maxwell from 10-yards out. On that play, the Rhinos were hit with a holding penalty that erases their first score of the game. On the very next play, Adams throws another pass to Maxwell for a 20-yard touchdown receptions to put the Rhinos on the board for the first time in the game and make it 3-1 Hyenas lead. The Hyenas didn’t waste any time moving the football down the field as quarterback Jarod Blodgett throws a 45-yard bomb to Zack Manning who gets tackled at the 10-yard line. The Hyenas eventually punched it in from the 2-yard line on a touchdown reception from Josh Lovell to push their lead to 4-1. After a number of Rhinos make mental mistakes, they turn the football over on downs to the Hyenas. After back to back stops by both teams defenses, Hyenas quarterback Jarod Blodgett throws an interception to rookie Levi Maxwell who returns it 25-yards to the Hyenas 40-yard line. The Rhinos offense looked out off sync all game long as they turn the football over yet again on downs with a number of dropped balls. On only their second play on offense, Hyenas quarterback Jarod Blodgett runs down the sideline for a 52-yard gain. Blodgett then throws a 17-yard touchdown strike to Nathanial Guard on the very next play to push their lead to 5-1. The Hyenas defense racks up another sack on the Rhinos quarterbacks as Gabe Guard gets his 3rd sack of the day on this series. The clock would eventually run out on the Rhinos season as the Hyenas would make Pac West history by being the only team ever to repeat as Pac West Champions. The final score would be Hyenas 5 Rhinos 1. Hyenas quarterback Jarod Blodgett had an outstanding game with four touchdown passes, two interceptions thrown and one rushing touchdown. Gabe Guard ended the day with three sacks and two tackles on defense. 2009 MVP Zack Manning had five receptions, one touchdown reception, five tackles and one interception caught. And last but not least Nathanial Guard who had four receptions, one touchdown reception, four tackles, one interception caught and one sack. All four Hyenas players are notables for the Pac West Bowl MVP? Congratulations to the Hyenas for winning the Pac West Championship for the second straight year in a row.