ESYFL Championships- The game of the day featured the Division 1 Varsity teams of the F.L.A Vikings taking on the Wesconnett Wildcats. It was built as the game of the day and the most anticipated matchup all season because both teams were extremely talented and well coached. Spring football enthusiast knew that it would be a good one, and it certainly lived up to the billing.
The scoring started quickly as many anticipated it would, when F.L.A Quarterback #4 Jaliajah Barnes hit #7 Davon Davis down the seem on a beautiful long pass for the game’s first touchdown. Davis told us before the game that he would make a big play and he lived up to his word from the first snap of the ball.
Touchdown FLA to make it 6-0 pic.twitter.com/WELAA3Es2N
— Duval Sports (@DuvalSports) May 1, 2016
F.L.A would take a 6-0 lead, but Wesconnett would respond. They began to wear F.L.A down with the running game, an effective strategy in 8 on 8 football. The plan yielded dividends for the Wildcats as #23 Bass took the ball and burst to day light. A physical running back with very good size, Bass was the perfect weapon for Wesconnett, as they tied the game at 6-6. Both team’s defenses played exceptionally well on the afternoon stalling their opponent’s drives, and making plays on the football. These plays prevented offensive points and the score remained 6-6 through halftime.
Bass scored for Wesconnect and Davis for FLA! It’s a tough contest right now between both talented teams! pic.twitter.com/GQasgpv4LM
— Duval Sports (@DuvalSports) May 1, 2016
In the second half play got a little inconsistent for F.L.A. Davis, the one who had scored their first touchdown was hobbled by a knee injury, and the pass completions they hit earlier in the game were out of reach of intended wide receivers. Not to mention Wesconnett woke up in their secondary.
At halftime the Wildcats did not panic. In fact, the speech by their head coach was very calm and confident. ” We are here and we are just fine where we are, so lets go out in the second half and win the game”. The team would respond valiantly as the second half began. Wesconnett’s #20 Kemar Newman would make the biggest play of the second half for his team when he made a leaping interception taking the ball away from F.L.A wide receiver #9 Sheldon Jarrell. Newman would return the ball deep into Viking territory avoiding tacklers and breaking would be tackles until he finally was brought down at the 10 yard line. The play would set his team up in excellent field position and four downs to put points on the board. They would need all four downs as the Viking defense stiffened, but on fourth down, J. Jackson of Wesconnett took the run around the right side, followed his blockers and cut on a dime to squeeze in between the pylon. The Wildcats would go up 12-6 in the fourth with only minutes to play.
F.L.A and Coach Reese Brown would leave no stone un-turned on this day. They would try everything including going back to the play that cost them an ill-timed interception just minutes earlier. After several incomplete passes and minimal gains on the ground, the Vikings faced fourth down needing a touchdown to tie. Barnes would drop back and look deep to his left. The left hander heaved a perfect ball high down the left sideline where his wide receiver and the Wesconntt defensive back both waited to make a play on the ball. As fate would have it, it was F.L.A’s Sheldon Jarrell and Wesconnett’s Kemar Newman once again vying for position, to play hero of the game. This time however, it was Jarrell who came down with the ball and tumbled into the end-zone for the spectacular touchdown reception.
The point after was good and the Vikings led by one 13-12. The crowd was in utter amazement as the F.L.A sideline erupted and the Wesconnett sideline stared in disbelief. You couldn’t have scripted a better sway of momentum as the catch served as the perfect pendulum.
Sheldon Harrell for FLA with the TD pic.twitter.com/TB6TXiLrmE
— Duval Sports (@DuvalSports) May 1, 2016
The ensuing possession by Wesconnett was an immediate disaster for them as the Center and Quarterback suffered a miscommunication on the shotgun snap. The ball bounced into the endzone where Jackson scooped it up but tossed it out the back of the endzone as Viking defender’s barreled down on him. The mistake would cost the Wildcats two points and possession of the ball. A safety! Leading by three with only seconds left on the clock, F.L.A failed to convert on 4th down leaving five seconds on the clock, and the Wesconnett football at the Viking’s 12 yard line. But a pass intended for a receiver in the flat was terribly short and the game was over as F.L.A would win the ESYFL D1 Varsity 8 on 8 Championship. 15-12!
