promising behind some strong running by Eric Lewis (#3). However, the
London defence stiffened as crucial tackles by linebackers Tim Newton (#44)
and Francis Hatega (#2) forced the Sundevils to punt. London DE Ekwegh (#72)
beat the outside containment to block the punt and put the Southern Defence
under immediate pressure.
Ex-Sundevil running back Gareth Dauley (#27) started brightly for the
Olympians gaining back-to-back first downs before a holding penalty forced
the London side to pass. Franklin (#8) looked for Jeremy Simms (#7) on a
slant but Zak Clark (#2), who had been pressed into cornerback because of
injuries jumped underneath the route and intercepted Franklin's under thrown
pass.
Southern went back to their running game and after quarterback Nick Stalick
(#10) hit Clark to keep the sticks moving Lewis tore off a 23 yard run
after, running back, Scott Miller (#1) made a key block to set him free.
The London defence stiffened and consecutive sacks on 3rd and 4th down
turned the ball back over to London at their 16.
For the remainder of the quarter both teams struggled to move the ball and
possession was kept between the 30 yard lines for each team. The break for
the Sundevils came in the second quarter after a good punt by Southern's Leo
Lindsay (#13) and Scott Miller's coverage tackle at the London 10 yard line
put the London offence under pressure to move the ball.
Sound tackling by linebacker Dan Burnett (#11) and defensive linemen Vassili
Fedotov (#68) and Tom Tovo (#78) forced London into a 3rd and 11. London
tried to get the first down with a screen pass to running back Baron D'Anyangwe
(#30) but Southern linebacker Dale Powell (#47) and leapt over the fullback's
cut block to tackle Anyangwe short. London punter Jacquets (#88) was forced
to punt standing in his own end zone. Southern went after the block and the
pressure resulted in a shanked punt that sailed out of bounds near London's
20 yard line.
The Southern offence took to the field in a good scoring position but
Stalick was unable to connect with his receivers and a sack by Hatega forced
a third and long. Southern decided not to kick the field goal but Stalick's
pass to Clark on 4th down was held short and the Sundevils turned the ball
back to the Olympians inside their red zone.
Again the Olympians failed to move the ball and the ball was returned back
to the Southern offence inside London territory. The Sundevil offence kept
the ball on the ground and sustained a long drive but the London defence
stiffened and forced a 4th down just outside their red zone. Again Southern
elected not to attempt the field goal and some deceiving play-action
confused the London coverage to enable to Stalick to hit Clark on a corner
route at the front of the end zone. Lewis ran in untouched for the extra 2
points and Southern's offensive pressure was finally rewarded.
Neither team could generate any offence on their next two drives and finally
the London side got a break on 4th down with Southern on their own 35 yard
line. Ekwegh blocked his second punt and London recovered the loose ball at
the Sundevil 18 yard line.
With three minutes left in the half Franklin attempted a pass on first down
but was flushed from the pocket by Tovo. His roll left was contained by
Southern linebacker (#54) who flushed Franklin back inside. As Franklin
turned to evade the sack but it brought him directly into the path of
Fedotov and a thunderous hit by the 250lb lineman forced a fumble that
Penfound recovered.
Southern used their running game to move the ball out of their red zone but
London were offered another opportunity before the end of the half when
Lewis was stripped of the ball at his own 42.
London were racing against the clock but two connections between Franklin
and wideout Junior Price (#3) moved the ball to the Southern 12 yard line.
An incomplete pass stopped the clock with time running out in the half then
London's luck deserted them as a muffed snap was covered by Franklin but
time expired before he could recover and call another play.
Southern left the field at half time holding a slim 8-0 lead.
The third quarter began slowly as both offences struggled to get any
momentum. However, the Southern offence finally clicked in to gear on their
third possession. The London defence was starting to tire from the constant
pressure and the offensive line managed to give Stalick some time, an
unusual luxury when facing the Olympians defensive unit. He completed back
to back passes to Lewis and Clark to move the ball to the 13 yard line. The
offence returned to the running game and Lewis punched the ball in from 8
yards out behind some strong blocking from Miller and running back Sam
Ohemeng (#34). The extra point run failed but Southern now had some
breathing room with a 14-0 lead.
Kicker Leo Lindsay put the ball through the end zone and again London stared
with poor field position. The Olympians tried to move the ball on the
ground but the Southern defence held and they were forced to punt. The punt
was miskicked and the London side were nearly gifted with an unforced
turnover. Southern defensive lineman Alex Stupnikov (#54) caught the short
punt with a crowd of London defenders around him. Then as he was being
tackled blindly pitched the ball behind him. Luckily for the Southern side
this ended in the hands of Southern's punt returner Zak Clark.
Lewis and Clark would share carries and then Stalick found receiver Paul
'Toast' Brady (#82) with a diving, third down completion. The quarter ended
as Clark pulled off another impressive run to move the ball to the London 3
yard line.
The Sundevils opened the fourth quarter with a 3 yard run by Miller. The
extra point run failed and Southern now held a convincing 20 point.
Price returned the kick-off out to his 39 from where Franklin hit him with a
spot pass on second down. Price put a great move on the cornerback and
reached the Southern 10 yard line before Powell forced him out of bounds.
The offence seemed to have missed their opportunity as a well-read tackle on
a screen play by linebacker Paul Jenkins (#8) brought up a 4th and goal.
However, Franklin would finally put the London side on the board as he hit
Simms on a slant in the middle of the end zone between two Southern
defenders. The extra point pass fell incomplete and London had reduced the
deficit to 20-6 with nine minutes left in the half.
Southern had been in this situation 2 seasons previously when London
overcame a 12 point deficit to clinch a two point win late in the fourth
quarter. However, the pregame talk had been about maintaining a fight and
the Southern offence were not going to rely on the clock to win the game for
them.
Lewis moved the ball out from the Southern red zone before Clark tore off a
46 yard run to move the ball to the London 27. The offence finally stalled
as a third down pass attempt fell incomplete. Facing a fourth down on the
15 yard line, head coach, Jim Roberson, sent out his young kicker Leo
Lindsay who had missed from the same distance the previous week. The
Southern long-snapper had also been injured in the first half but centre
Keith Langlands (#69) got the ball back perfectly for Lindsay to nail the 32
yard field goal for a 23-6 score line and increase Southern's lead to three
scores with 7 minutes remaining in the game.
London responded immediately, Price had another impressive return moving the
ball to the London 35 on the kick-off. A late hit penalty on Southern moved
the ball into Southern territory and then Franklin then hit Simms on a fade
against the right side line. Simms then outpaced the coverage to add London's
second score. Franklin and Simms combined again on the extra point pass and
the score was narrowed to 23-14.
Things seemed to be slipping for Southern as running back Lewis, tiring
after being called into cornerback duties as the defensive back injuries
continued, was stripped of the ball at his own 34 yard line. Franklin went
straight to the air, hitting Price on a crossing pattern but Zak Clark
forced his second turnover of the day as he clubbed the ball loose for Dale
Powell to recover.
The Olympian defence held firm and forced Southern into a quick three and
out. A punt returned the ball back to Franklin but linebacker Dan Burnett
read Franklin's post pattern and intercepted the play from underneath the
pattern. His return took the ball into London territory with time running
out in the game and London only holding two timeouts.
Lewis and Miller carried the ball to run all but 18 seconds off the clock
before the ball was returned back to the Olympians at their own two yard
line. Franklin took off running on first down and was finally forced out of
bounds at the 26 yard line with 5 seconds remaining. The final pass was
broken up by Clark to round off a sensational win.
Clark finished the game with 9 carries for 81 yards, 4 receptions for 55
yards and 1 touchdown, 6 punt returns for 67 yards, 2 kick-off returns for
24 yards, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble and 1 pass-defenced and deservedly
was honoured with the BAFL Player of the Week award.
Lewis would also prove invaluable totalling 114 yards off 33 carries with 1
touchdown.
London Olympians team captain, linebacker Sacha Conte stated after the game
"We underestimated them . we didn't do our homework . they played their
hearts out and they deserved the win." A point reinforced by Sundevils, head
coach, Jim Roberson who instigated a new team attitude before the game, "We
came here to fight, we came here to battle and when you fight as a team
anything is possible."
Both teams now have a two week rest before they face each other in
Southampton to start what has now become a very interesting second half of
the season in Division I South.
QB Nick Stalick #10 & RB Scott Miller #1
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#54 Alexey Stupnikov & #8 Paul Jenkins close in
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