BLACKSBURG (BP) -- On a rainy day in Blacksburg, VA the stage was set for an epic battle of American football. The Blacksburg Ballers were hosting the 3rd Canada AAA #2 championship game and squared off against eastern conference champions, the Arctic Bay Yetis. Both teams had a combined 37-1 record between them coming into the game, and both had taken down the competition to solidify their spot in the championship.
The Yetis, known as one of the most potent teams in the league and in all of Goal Line Blitz came out early in dominating form.
They sacked QB Khari Jones twice on the opening drive and then marched down the field with quick deadly passes and hard nosed running, to take an early 7-0 lead. The Ballers answered back though on their first play from scrimmage with an 80 yard Khari Jones to Ryan Betesta bomb that tied the score at 7 all.
Two more touchdowns by both teams and by the end of the first quarter the score was a surprising 14-14 tie.
"We did not expect to be tied with them in that opening quarter," QB Khari Jones said who had an erratic day passing with 3 INT's and 2 TD's. "They came out and really dominated those opening minutes. But we fought back and just stayed in the game. The key to that opening quarter was that we didn't get rattled when they made plays, we took it as a challenge."
A challenge it was for the Ballers to score following the first quarter and stop the Yetis. The Ballers were outscored 20-3 in the second quarter and faced a 34-17 deficit going into halftime.
"The morale during that second quarter dropped and we never recovered it," DE Speed McLovin said who had 2 hurries and a forced fumble in the game. "We didn't respond to those scores like we did in the first quarter. We also couldn't move the ball with any sort of rhythm."
Interceptions by Khari Jones in the 2nd and 3rd quarters disrupted the rhythm, as well as missed field goals by Troy Westwood in the 2nd and 4th quarters. There were also 6 missed tackles by the Ballers during the course of the game.
"It's difficult to do things as a team when you're making ridiculous mistakes," LB Michael Beasley said who had a forced fumble and a hurry. "As a team there was no cohesion after the 2nd quarter and we could not execute anything on offense after that time. It's unfortunate when you're put into short fields like that and expected to stop guys and also forced to play on a short breath."
3 field goals by Yetis kicker Charlie Rice was the only scoring in the second half of the game, as the Ballers were able to stop the Yetis offense. At the final gun the score read 43 Yetis and 17 Ballers something owner Mike still sees some positive in.
"Coming into this game I knew the Yetis outmatched us in a lot of positions. I'm proud of the way our team handled itself and was able to hang in there. I know we had some turnover problems and other mistakes that really hurt our chances, but nevertheless this team did a lot more than what was expected this year."
Yetis owner MiniHusk had some words for the Ballers after the game.
"They are a team that fights and gave us one hell of a fight. On paper you think how could these guys make it this far? You have to credit a lot on their heart and passion for the game. And I give a lot of respect to Mike as an owner and the whole organization. But I'm still glad too that a team from the East was able to win the whole thing for the second straight year."
Moving forward the Ballers and Yetis will both ascend to the ranks of the Canada Pro League. Regarded as one of the top leagues in all of Goal Line Blitz it will be a challenge for both of these newcomers to topple the already established teams waiting for them.
For now though the Yetis and Ballers will evaluate their teams in the off-season and make the necessary moves. And for now the Blacksburg Press will be signing off for the final time. Goodbye Canada AAA #2 and good luck to all its teams next year.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Friday, July 18, 2008
Game Preview: Moose Island Sofa Kings @ Blacksburg Ballers (Conference Finals)
#6 Moose Island Sofa Kings
@
#1 Blacksburg Ballers
Two seasons ago, Troy Westwood was the most hated man in Blacksburg after missing an 18 yard field goal that proved to be fatal in the Ballers first round playoff loss to future league champions Drinkin' Hellraisers but oh how the tide has changed as Troy Westwood is the hero now who saved the Ballers season with an outstanding performance against Forumopolis. Troy went 5 for 5 including a 52 yarder, a 58.5 yarder (a new Ballers record) and a 55.5 yarder in overtime to send the Ballers to the Conference Championship. All this from a guy who missed an 18 yarder just two short seasons ago.
The team as a whole has improved dramatically and is set to host it's first Conference Championship with a shot at joining the Canadian Pro Leagues on the line. The Moose Island Sofa Kings come to town and they are seeing playoff success for the first time as well and both teams are eager to hit the pitch and try to join the ranks of Pro.
2nd Round Rewind
A defensive struggle in Blacksburg almost sent the Ballers packing as they turned the ball over 5 times, 4 interceptions (also a new Ballers record) and 1 fumble. 2 of those were deep in Forumopolis territory and could've swung the game more in favour of the Ballers. The Ballers still managed to put up 358 yards, 261 in the air, but had some key plays go there way in the 4th quarter. Particularly, a 58.5 yard field goal by Troy Westwood followed by a quick 3 and out on an amazing stop by Slasher Evans. A crappy punt would bring the ball into Llamas territory and down by a touchdown, Khari and company went to work. A crucial 4th and 10 conversion would keep the chains moving and on 4th and 1, Khari found BJ in the endzone to tie the game and send it to overtime. The defense would force a quick 3 and out and the Ballers would get close enough for Troy to nail a 55.5 yarder to win the game and keep the Ballers dreams alive.
In Moose Island, they hosted their first home playoff game. Fonz Arelli and Jeremy Outlaw went to work racking up 241.5 yards on the ground but no touchdowns. The only Moose Island touchdown came off a 6.5 yard pass by Jimmy Internet. Really Gangsta added 6 field goals as the Sofa kings won 25-21. Despite the loss, David Riccio had a solid game throwing for 3 TD passes but neither team could create any turnovers as the Sofa Kings barely get the edge.
The History So Far...
The Ballers have seen great success so far allowing only 3 points against the Sofa Kings across two contests.
The Ballers and Sofa Kings met early in season 2 and it was a defensive struggle. The Ballers held the the Sofa Kings to 88 yards in the air and forced 3 interceptions, 2 by Beast Baily, as QB Jimmy Internet completed only 44 percent of his passes. Khari Jones had his share of troubles on the offensive side of the ball throwing 32 incompletions of which 21 were deflected and 9 were dropped but managed to throw 1 touchdown when needed as the Ballers shut out the Sofa Kings 16-0.
The rematch would occur earlier this year with the Ballers cruising to a 27-3 victory. A solid performance by the passing and running game made things easy for the Ballers scoring once on the ground and twice in the air. The Ballers also managed two turnovers and held Fonz Arelli to 38 yards on the ground with no scores. The Ballers did apply a lot of pressure to Jimmy Internet with four hurries and four sacks and that will be the key again.
Regular Season Stats
Blacksburg Ballers
Points Per Game: 42.1
Points Allowed Per Game: 6.1 (1st in League)
Passing Yards Per Game: 273.9
Passing Yards Allowed Per Game: 172.8
Rushing Yards Per Game: 155.4
Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game: 34.6 (No Touchdowns Allowed)
Moose Island Sofa Kings
Points Per Game: 34.3
Points Allowed Per Game: 11.3
Passing Yards Per Game: 237.4
Passing Yards Allowed Per Game: 179.6
Rushing Yards Per Game: 179.3 (3rd in League)
Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game: 69.8
Let the Festivities Begin
Its fan appreciation day in Blacksburg and the Ballers organization has gone all out to show their appreciation to the fans.
- All fans will be given a mini-football as well as an autographed team photo.
- Meet and Greet prior to the game with many Western Conference players including the Ballers and Sofa Kings.
- Pre-game entertainment provided by Daughtry as well as the National Anthems sung by the Virginia Tech Choir.
- Prior to kickoff, the Western Conference Pro Bowl roster will be announced with the Pro Bowl Offense and Defense MVP awards being presented.
- Back by popular demand, the Virginia Tech marching band will perform at half-time with Virginia natives Timbaland and Chris Brown.
- Also at half-time will be the "Troy Westwood Kick to Win" Contest. In honour of Troy's amazing performance in last game, 10 fans will be selected to compete in a "kick-off" for a chance at season tickets for life. Each contestant will start at the 20 and try a field goal. If they make it, they move onto the next round which will be from the 25 and so on. The last remaining contestant will win season tickets for life. The final 5 will receive a pair of season tickets for next season and all 10 contestants will receive autographed Troy Westwood jerseys.
- Post game fireworks will be provided as the Western Conference Championship trophy is presented to the winner of the game.
The fans are certainly in for a treat as the Ballers organization strives to better the experience for all fans.
Summary
The biggest game of the year touches down in Blackburg as the #1 Ballers hope to enter the Pro's and keep the winning streak alive. The Western Conferences best passing game meets the best rushing game. The unfortunate part for Moose Island is that the best running game is also going up against the best rushing defense which hasn't allowed a touchdown all season and held Mr. Arelli to very few yards. The Ballers will need to do that again to ensure victory and when these two forces meet, sparks are going to fly.
@
#1 Blacksburg Ballers
Two seasons ago, Troy Westwood was the most hated man in Blacksburg after missing an 18 yard field goal that proved to be fatal in the Ballers first round playoff loss to future league champions Drinkin' Hellraisers but oh how the tide has changed as Troy Westwood is the hero now who saved the Ballers season with an outstanding performance against Forumopolis. Troy went 5 for 5 including a 52 yarder, a 58.5 yarder (a new Ballers record) and a 55.5 yarder in overtime to send the Ballers to the Conference Championship. All this from a guy who missed an 18 yarder just two short seasons ago.
The team as a whole has improved dramatically and is set to host it's first Conference Championship with a shot at joining the Canadian Pro Leagues on the line. The Moose Island Sofa Kings come to town and they are seeing playoff success for the first time as well and both teams are eager to hit the pitch and try to join the ranks of Pro.
2nd Round Rewind
A defensive struggle in Blacksburg almost sent the Ballers packing as they turned the ball over 5 times, 4 interceptions (also a new Ballers record) and 1 fumble. 2 of those were deep in Forumopolis territory and could've swung the game more in favour of the Ballers. The Ballers still managed to put up 358 yards, 261 in the air, but had some key plays go there way in the 4th quarter. Particularly, a 58.5 yard field goal by Troy Westwood followed by a quick 3 and out on an amazing stop by Slasher Evans. A crappy punt would bring the ball into Llamas territory and down by a touchdown, Khari and company went to work. A crucial 4th and 10 conversion would keep the chains moving and on 4th and 1, Khari found BJ in the endzone to tie the game and send it to overtime. The defense would force a quick 3 and out and the Ballers would get close enough for Troy to nail a 55.5 yarder to win the game and keep the Ballers dreams alive.
In Moose Island, they hosted their first home playoff game. Fonz Arelli and Jeremy Outlaw went to work racking up 241.5 yards on the ground but no touchdowns. The only Moose Island touchdown came off a 6.5 yard pass by Jimmy Internet. Really Gangsta added 6 field goals as the Sofa kings won 25-21. Despite the loss, David Riccio had a solid game throwing for 3 TD passes but neither team could create any turnovers as the Sofa Kings barely get the edge.
The History So Far...
The Ballers have seen great success so far allowing only 3 points against the Sofa Kings across two contests.
The Ballers and Sofa Kings met early in season 2 and it was a defensive struggle. The Ballers held the the Sofa Kings to 88 yards in the air and forced 3 interceptions, 2 by Beast Baily, as QB Jimmy Internet completed only 44 percent of his passes. Khari Jones had his share of troubles on the offensive side of the ball throwing 32 incompletions of which 21 were deflected and 9 were dropped but managed to throw 1 touchdown when needed as the Ballers shut out the Sofa Kings 16-0.
The rematch would occur earlier this year with the Ballers cruising to a 27-3 victory. A solid performance by the passing and running game made things easy for the Ballers scoring once on the ground and twice in the air. The Ballers also managed two turnovers and held Fonz Arelli to 38 yards on the ground with no scores. The Ballers did apply a lot of pressure to Jimmy Internet with four hurries and four sacks and that will be the key again.
Regular Season Stats
Blacksburg Ballers
Points Per Game: 42.1
Points Allowed Per Game: 6.1 (1st in League)
Passing Yards Per Game: 273.9
Passing Yards Allowed Per Game: 172.8
Rushing Yards Per Game: 155.4
Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game: 34.6 (No Touchdowns Allowed)
Moose Island Sofa Kings
Points Per Game: 34.3
Points Allowed Per Game: 11.3
Passing Yards Per Game: 237.4
Passing Yards Allowed Per Game: 179.6
Rushing Yards Per Game: 179.3 (3rd in League)
Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game: 69.8
Let the Festivities Begin
Its fan appreciation day in Blacksburg and the Ballers organization has gone all out to show their appreciation to the fans.
- All fans will be given a mini-football as well as an autographed team photo.
- Meet and Greet prior to the game with many Western Conference players including the Ballers and Sofa Kings.
- Pre-game entertainment provided by Daughtry as well as the National Anthems sung by the Virginia Tech Choir.
- Prior to kickoff, the Western Conference Pro Bowl roster will be announced with the Pro Bowl Offense and Defense MVP awards being presented.
- Back by popular demand, the Virginia Tech marching band will perform at half-time with Virginia natives Timbaland and Chris Brown.
- Also at half-time will be the "Troy Westwood Kick to Win" Contest. In honour of Troy's amazing performance in last game, 10 fans will be selected to compete in a "kick-off" for a chance at season tickets for life. Each contestant will start at the 20 and try a field goal. If they make it, they move onto the next round which will be from the 25 and so on. The last remaining contestant will win season tickets for life. The final 5 will receive a pair of season tickets for next season and all 10 contestants will receive autographed Troy Westwood jerseys.
- Post game fireworks will be provided as the Western Conference Championship trophy is presented to the winner of the game.
The fans are certainly in for a treat as the Ballers organization strives to better the experience for all fans.
Summary
The biggest game of the year touches down in Blackburg as the #1 Ballers hope to enter the Pro's and keep the winning streak alive. The Western Conferences best passing game meets the best rushing game. The unfortunate part for Moose Island is that the best running game is also going up against the best rushing defense which hasn't allowed a touchdown all season and held Mr. Arelli to very few yards. The Ballers will need to do that again to ensure victory and when these two forces meet, sparks are going to fly.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Game Preview: Forumopolis Fighting Llamas @ Blacksburg Ballers (Round 2)
#5 Forumopolis Fighting Llamas
@
#1 Blacksburg Ballers
BLACKSBURG - Its hard for a team to continue to impress the critics after posting a 16-0 season but Blacksburg did it After having an incredible regular season, the Ballers hosted their first home playoff game against the Saskatoon Raiders and looked close to perfect, securing a 60-6 victory after only beating Saskatoon 31-3 in the regular season. The Ballers fans will be in for a treat this week as the Ballers get ready to host the 2nd round playoff game between the Ballers and the Fighting Llamas. The Ballers won the matchup earlier in the season 30-10 as Khari Jones had one of the best games of the season, despite an interception returned for a touchdown. The Ballers defense has been unstoppable as of late and have not allowed a touchdown in the past ten games and look to contain TJ Sweetness and the Llamas and move on to the Conference Championship.
The Playoffs
The Blacksburg Ballers opened the playoffs with a bang as Khari Jones had his best game of the season netting 316.5 yards, 3 touchdowns and no interceptions. The running game took off with 155.5 yards and a touchdown for each of the HBs and Russell Roch. The defense was also on fire, picking the ball off 4 times and forcing 1 fumble and holding Eddie King to 15 yards on the ground. The Raiders were hoping for a better result after the last time these two met but the Ballers chanelled the energy of the Ballers fans and delivered a knockout blow to the struggling Raiders.
Forumopolis enter the playoffs as a #5 seed and got the opportunity to play Phoenixville in the first round and won a tight one by a last minute field goal. A strong defensive effort by Forumopolis kept them in the game, forcing 4 fumbles and an interception and the only score of the game for Phoenixville would come from a kick return for a touchdown by Speed Speedy. Forumopolis saw great success running the ball for over 175 yards but had a tough time with the pass, throwing 20 incompletions and less than 200 yards. Its the final score that counts as Forumopolis advances with a 19-16 victory.
Playoff Stats
Forumopolis Fighting Llamas
Points Scored Per Game: 19
Points Allowed Per Game: 16
Passing Yards Per Game: 167.5
Passing Yards Allowed Per Game: 158.5
Rushing Yards Per Game: 178
Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game: 104.5
Blacksburg Ballers
Points Scored Per Game: 60
Points Allowed Per Game: 6
Passing Yards Per Game: 316.5
Passing Yards Allowed Per Game: 179.5
Rushing Yards Per Game: 155.5
Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game: 12
Key Matchups
Khari Jones vs Llamas Secondary
After having two average games against Saskatoon and Mt. Oread in the regular season, Khari Jones returned to his true form against Vancouver and playoff-Saskatoon and has looked spectacular. Last time these two met, Khari lit it up against this secondary for 345.5 yards. They did manage to pick a ball off and return it for a touchdown but that is the last interception Khari has thrown. He also connected for 3 touchdowns in that game. The Ballers receivers have looked better as well and if Forumopolis wants to win, they are going to have to shut down the pass cause Khari is just too good right now.
Gideon Starorzewski vs Ballers offensive line
Gideon is quite possibly the most feared DE in Canada and the likely defensive MVP of the western conference but you wouldn't be able to tell that by his last performance against the Ballers. Gideon amounted 4 tackles and 3 hurries but did not get his hands on Khari at all. He's hoping to improve on those results and force Khari into some bad situations but this offensive line is intent on protecting Khari. After allowing only 5 sacks in the regular season, they allowed Khari to drop twice against Saskatoon and have vowed to not let this happen again against Forumopolis.
The energy in Blacksburg is electrifying as the fans are so excited to be a part of this. They've waited and struggled through two early departure seasons and are being paid in full for their great fan support. The Ballers have used this energy to catapult their game to another level and with Mt. Oread and Thunder Bay out of the way, the Ballers are the clear cut favourite to win the West. The Ballers are looking to not disappoint the fans and pull away with another decisive victory.
@
#1 Blacksburg Ballers
BLACKSBURG - Its hard for a team to continue to impress the critics after posting a 16-0 season but Blacksburg did it After having an incredible regular season, the Ballers hosted their first home playoff game against the Saskatoon Raiders and looked close to perfect, securing a 60-6 victory after only beating Saskatoon 31-3 in the regular season. The Ballers fans will be in for a treat this week as the Ballers get ready to host the 2nd round playoff game between the Ballers and the Fighting Llamas. The Ballers won the matchup earlier in the season 30-10 as Khari Jones had one of the best games of the season, despite an interception returned for a touchdown. The Ballers defense has been unstoppable as of late and have not allowed a touchdown in the past ten games and look to contain TJ Sweetness and the Llamas and move on to the Conference Championship.
The Playoffs
The Blacksburg Ballers opened the playoffs with a bang as Khari Jones had his best game of the season netting 316.5 yards, 3 touchdowns and no interceptions. The running game took off with 155.5 yards and a touchdown for each of the HBs and Russell Roch. The defense was also on fire, picking the ball off 4 times and forcing 1 fumble and holding Eddie King to 15 yards on the ground. The Raiders were hoping for a better result after the last time these two met but the Ballers chanelled the energy of the Ballers fans and delivered a knockout blow to the struggling Raiders.
Forumopolis enter the playoffs as a #5 seed and got the opportunity to play Phoenixville in the first round and won a tight one by a last minute field goal. A strong defensive effort by Forumopolis kept them in the game, forcing 4 fumbles and an interception and the only score of the game for Phoenixville would come from a kick return for a touchdown by Speed Speedy. Forumopolis saw great success running the ball for over 175 yards but had a tough time with the pass, throwing 20 incompletions and less than 200 yards. Its the final score that counts as Forumopolis advances with a 19-16 victory.
Playoff Stats
Forumopolis Fighting Llamas
Points Scored Per Game: 19
Points Allowed Per Game: 16
Passing Yards Per Game: 167.5
Passing Yards Allowed Per Game: 158.5
Rushing Yards Per Game: 178
Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game: 104.5
Blacksburg Ballers
Points Scored Per Game: 60
Points Allowed Per Game: 6
Passing Yards Per Game: 316.5
Passing Yards Allowed Per Game: 179.5
Rushing Yards Per Game: 155.5
Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game: 12
Key Matchups
Khari Jones vs Llamas Secondary
After having two average games against Saskatoon and Mt. Oread in the regular season, Khari Jones returned to his true form against Vancouver and playoff-Saskatoon and has looked spectacular. Last time these two met, Khari lit it up against this secondary for 345.5 yards. They did manage to pick a ball off and return it for a touchdown but that is the last interception Khari has thrown. He also connected for 3 touchdowns in that game. The Ballers receivers have looked better as well and if Forumopolis wants to win, they are going to have to shut down the pass cause Khari is just too good right now.
Gideon Starorzewski vs Ballers offensive line
Gideon is quite possibly the most feared DE in Canada and the likely defensive MVP of the western conference but you wouldn't be able to tell that by his last performance against the Ballers. Gideon amounted 4 tackles and 3 hurries but did not get his hands on Khari at all. He's hoping to improve on those results and force Khari into some bad situations but this offensive line is intent on protecting Khari. After allowing only 5 sacks in the regular season, they allowed Khari to drop twice against Saskatoon and have vowed to not let this happen again against Forumopolis.
The energy in Blacksburg is electrifying as the fans are so excited to be a part of this. They've waited and struggled through two early departure seasons and are being paid in full for their great fan support. The Ballers have used this energy to catapult their game to another level and with Mt. Oread and Thunder Bay out of the way, the Ballers are the clear cut favourite to win the West. The Ballers are looking to not disappoint the fans and pull away with another decisive victory.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
The Streak Continues, 15 and Counting
BLACKSBURG (BP) -- The Blacksburg Ballers added to their growing win streak today with a 60-6 thrashing of the Saskatoon Raiders in the first round of the Canadian AAA #2 playoffs. The victory was Blacksburg's 17th straight this season and also signifies the first playoff victory by the team, ever.
Despite a second straight early playoff exit after a 28-13 loss to Thunder Bay in season 2, the Ballers had high hopes coming into season 3. They acquired new talent on the team and filled key voids with some shrew off season maneuvers.
However, the Ballers had no idea that they would be a part of history eventually reeling off now 17 straight victories.
"This was in nobody's mind coming into the season," Mike said whose team will face Forumopolis in the second round of the playoffs. "Winning this many games is just mind-boggling and I'm proud of the entire team. Just shows the heart and will to win we have."
That heart was carried over into today's game against Saskatoon which was over before even half the game was played.
QB Khari Jones was on target with his aerial assault, riddling the defense by hitting his receivers with deadly accuracy in spite of the blitz. With short bullet passes and long bombs, Jones marched his troops into enemy territory, balancing this aerial assault with a sustained ground attack that punched holes in the forward wall of Saskatoon's defensive line.
Jones finished the game with 3 TD's and 316.5 yds passing. WR John Wilson caught 2 of those touchdown balls and finished the contest with 8 catches for 104 yds.
Along with the vicious aerial assault, the Ballers maintained a steady ground game slowly wearing down the Raiders defense. RB's Jesse Lumsden and Pinchthat Nuggetout combined for 153 yds and 2 rushing TD's. The Ballers as a team finished with 472 yds of total offense.
"The offense was absolutely terrific tonight," RB Jesse Lumsden said who anchored the Ballers rushing attack with 106.5 yds and a score. "We passed effectively and were able to move the ball on the ground. The defense also did a tremendous job and stopped the Raiders from getting back into the game."
The Ballers defense held Saskatoon to 191.5 total yds. They also forced the Raiders into 5 turnovers including 4 int's and 1 fumble.
The defensive line added intense pressure on Raiders QB Willie Beamon, hurrying him 9 times and sacking him twice. 3 of those hurries came from defensive end Speed McLovin, who had a few words after the game.
"The entire defense stepped up to the plate. This was a huge confidence boost for us because I wasn't sure if we were going to be able to translate our regular season success to the playoffs. We lost 2 straight playoff games coming into today's, but I think we realized what was at stake and just made the plays we needed."
The Ballers next week will face a familiar foe in the Forumopolis Fighting Llamas. The Llamas and Ballers met earlier this season, and the outcome was not pretty for the Llamas as Blacksburg managed to cruise to a 30-10 victory. The outcome however will be different Forumopolis owner Rabid Squirrel said.
"They are an excellent team, there is no doubt about that." Squirrel said whose team managed the 5th seed in the playoffs and a first round victory over Phoenixville to advance to the game against Blacksburg. "Our team is much more prepared and we have a better understanding of what we need to do as a team to win. I think last time we just panicked and were unable to recover. This time I can assure everyone that we are coming ready to play."
Despite a second straight early playoff exit after a 28-13 loss to Thunder Bay in season 2, the Ballers had high hopes coming into season 3. They acquired new talent on the team and filled key voids with some shrew off season maneuvers.
However, the Ballers had no idea that they would be a part of history eventually reeling off now 17 straight victories.
"This was in nobody's mind coming into the season," Mike said whose team will face Forumopolis in the second round of the playoffs. "Winning this many games is just mind-boggling and I'm proud of the entire team. Just shows the heart and will to win we have."
That heart was carried over into today's game against Saskatoon which was over before even half the game was played.
QB Khari Jones was on target with his aerial assault, riddling the defense by hitting his receivers with deadly accuracy in spite of the blitz. With short bullet passes and long bombs, Jones marched his troops into enemy territory, balancing this aerial assault with a sustained ground attack that punched holes in the forward wall of Saskatoon's defensive line.
Jones finished the game with 3 TD's and 316.5 yds passing. WR John Wilson caught 2 of those touchdown balls and finished the contest with 8 catches for 104 yds.
Along with the vicious aerial assault, the Ballers maintained a steady ground game slowly wearing down the Raiders defense. RB's Jesse Lumsden and Pinchthat Nuggetout combined for 153 yds and 2 rushing TD's. The Ballers as a team finished with 472 yds of total offense.
"The offense was absolutely terrific tonight," RB Jesse Lumsden said who anchored the Ballers rushing attack with 106.5 yds and a score. "We passed effectively and were able to move the ball on the ground. The defense also did a tremendous job and stopped the Raiders from getting back into the game."
The Ballers defense held Saskatoon to 191.5 total yds. They also forced the Raiders into 5 turnovers including 4 int's and 1 fumble.
The defensive line added intense pressure on Raiders QB Willie Beamon, hurrying him 9 times and sacking him twice. 3 of those hurries came from defensive end Speed McLovin, who had a few words after the game.
"The entire defense stepped up to the plate. This was a huge confidence boost for us because I wasn't sure if we were going to be able to translate our regular season success to the playoffs. We lost 2 straight playoff games coming into today's, but I think we realized what was at stake and just made the plays we needed."
The Ballers next week will face a familiar foe in the Forumopolis Fighting Llamas. The Llamas and Ballers met earlier this season, and the outcome was not pretty for the Llamas as Blacksburg managed to cruise to a 30-10 victory. The outcome however will be different Forumopolis owner Rabid Squirrel said.
"They are an excellent team, there is no doubt about that." Squirrel said whose team managed the 5th seed in the playoffs and a first round victory over Phoenixville to advance to the game against Blacksburg. "Our team is much more prepared and we have a better understanding of what we need to do as a team to win. I think last time we just panicked and were unable to recover. This time I can assure everyone that we are coming ready to play."
Game Preview: Saskatoon Raiders @ Blacksburg Ballers (Round 1)
#8 Saskatoon Raiders (9-7)
@ #1 Blacksburg Ballers (16-0)
BLACKSBURG, VA - There is a mighty buzz in Blacksburg as the Ballers prepare for the first home playoff game in team history. The fans are very excited and jumped on the chance to pick up tickets for this momentous event. The Blacksburg Ballers cruised through the regular season with a perfect 16-0 record and earned themselves top spot in the Western Conference with a 3 game cushion over Thunder Bay and Mt. Oread. My how the tables have turned this season as the preseason power rankings placed Blacksburg at #6 and Saskatoon at #1 and now Blacksburg sits at #1 and Saskatoon, having a rough season and barely sneaking into the playoffs, snatched up the #8 seed. A rematch from week #13 will have the crowd hoping for some deja vu as the Ballers look to advance deep in the playoffs.
Let the Festivities Begin
The Blacksburg Ballers have gone all out this week to show their appreciation for the great fans of Blacksburg and celebrate this historic event. A 16-0 regular season and the first home playoff game doesn't come very often and this is definitely a moment to celebrate. Here are a list of the events planned for tomorrows game:
- Pre-game tailgate party with a local battle of the bands.
- The release of special "perfect season" collector's editions jerseys for sale. Many Ballers will be on hand for autograph signings including Khari Jones, Ryan Betesta, Speed McLovin', Beast Baily and Aaron Wilson to name a few.
- The Ballers will also unveil their special home playoff jerseys and will be giving an honorary jersey to team owner Mike, Offensive Co-ordinator rbetesta and Defensive Co-ordinator kb2120 for their accomplishments this season.
- Prior to the game, there will be a video montage showcasing the highlights of the season on the road to the undefeated season set to Bon Jovi's "We've Got It Going On".
- At Half-Time, there will be a special awards presentation to quarterback Khari Jones and kicker Troy Westwood for their individual league awards.
- There will also be a half-time performance by the Viriginia Tech marching band.
- The after-party will be hosted at the Viriginia Tech campus's gymnasium with all proceeds from ticket sales going towards local amateur football clubs.
There have also been talks in bringing in some more local musical talent as the Ballers go further into the playoffs. Springfield-raised Dave Grohl has been contacted and this could bring the Foo Fighters in for a half-time show. Hip-hop stars Timbaland and Chris Brown have also been noted as possiblities as Timbaland is a Virginia Beach native and Chris Brown hailing from Tappahannock. The Ballers are willing to go out for their fans who have shown them great support in the 3 seasons so far.
The History
The Ballers had a tough time when these two teams met for the first time in week 12 of season 2. The Ballers were held to 226 yards, only 46 on the ground, while giving up 324 yards in total and 111 on the ground. The key to the game was 3 interceptions thrown by Khari Jones and a fumble lost. Willie Beamon kicked off the scoring with a 6 yard score to Deacon Moss. Eddie King ran the ball in 6 yard score to extend the lead. The Ballers would get a boost by a TouchdownsOnly Owens score from Khari Jones but that would be the only points they would score as the Raiders would cruise to a 24-6 victory.
The Ballers would return the favour in week 13 of season 3 shutting the Raiders down in a decisive 31-3. The Ballers defense would show up to play and held the Raiders to 165 yards total and only 33.5 yards on the ground. Forcing two fumbles and picking off the ball twice, the Ballers offense would be given plenty of opportunities to score. The offense would have trouble punching the ball in having to settle for 5 field goals before Russell Roch punched it in the third. He would add a second score in the 4th and Troy would add on his 6th field goal of the game after missing his first extra point of the season.
Playoff History
The Ballers have not had very much success in the playoffs and Khari Jones in particular. This is the 3rd time coming into the playoffs and the first home game (#8 seed in season 1, #6 seed in season 2). Season 1 would see Khari go pass wild on the Drinkin Hellraisers throwing for over 328 yards but only scoring once. A missed 18 yard field goal would be the difference as the Hellraisers would win 17-16. Season 2 would spell even worse trouble for the Ballers after finishing up with a better record, a rivalry match against Thunder Bay would prove to be too difficult for the Ballers. Khari had his worst performance of the season completing 50% of his passes and throwing a career high 3 interceptions. The Ballers defense would give up 28 points, a team record, as Thunder Bay scored 4 times on the ground. A late passing touchdown would be the only touchdown for the Ballers as they fell 28-13. Could the third time be the charm?
Saskatoon is no stranger to the playoffs having returned here for the 3rd time as well. They do have a playoff win under their belts but were upset in the first round of season 2. After having an excellent season and finishing 12-4, the Raiders would find more than they could handle in the Mt. Oread Hawk Stars as the Stars sent them home packing early with a 20-16 victory. In the first season, the Raiders defeated Phoenixville in the first round before being dominated by the Yukon Gold Rush in the second round 23-7.
Team Stats
Blacksburg Ballers
Points Per Game: 44
Points Allowed Per Game: 5.9 (1st in League)
Passing Yards Per Game: 281.9
Passing Yards Allowed Per Game: 168.7
Rushing Yards Per Game: 158.4
Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game: 31.8 (No Touchdowns Allowed)
Saskatoon Raiders
Points Per Game: 27.3
Points Allowed Per Game: 13.5
Passing Yards Per Game: 204.8
Passing Yards Allowed Per Game: 223.8
Rushing Yards Per Game: 151.9
Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game: 68.9
Key Ballers
Khari Jones
After putting up monster numbers this season, including 2nd place in the league for passing yards and third in touchdowns, the pressure is on for Khari to lead this team to the promised land. The signing of John Wilson, BJ and Ryan Betesta have catapaulted Khari's game to another level. Khari's been here before and hopefully now, the playoff jitters are gone because Khari needs to be on his game for this team to go deep in the playoffs. His last playoff game was arguably one of the worst games of his career against a very tough Thunder Bay team. Khari will look to use the home-field advantage to his favour. After posting big numbers last week against Vancouver, Khari looks in prime form to start the playoffs.
Troy Westwood
Troy's also had a tough time in the post-season, missing a crucial field goal in season #1. Troy has rebounded and led the league in field goals this year with 67. Last time these two met, Troy was 6 for 6 and the Raiders defense will try to hold the Ballers to field goals which puts the pressure on Troy to be absolutely perfect once again.
Aaron Wilson
An integral part of the last victory over Saskatoon, Aaron Wilson contained Eddie King like no one else has done before. Aaron was all over the field for 9 tackles and he will definitely be keeping an eye on Eddie King once again and try to hold him to as few yards as possible.
Beast Baily
The Ballers record holder for pass deflections and interceptions gave Willie Beamon a tough time the last time these two teams met and Baily looks on his game once again and could be adding a few more interceptions into his totals column.
The Ballers players and fans are more fired up than ever and after going 16-0 in the regular season, no one is even thinking about the possibility of a Raiders upset victory. The Ballers will look to channel this energy and reward the fans with an explosive game with the hopes of many more playoff games down the line.
@ #1 Blacksburg Ballers (16-0)
BLACKSBURG, VA - There is a mighty buzz in Blacksburg as the Ballers prepare for the first home playoff game in team history. The fans are very excited and jumped on the chance to pick up tickets for this momentous event. The Blacksburg Ballers cruised through the regular season with a perfect 16-0 record and earned themselves top spot in the Western Conference with a 3 game cushion over Thunder Bay and Mt. Oread. My how the tables have turned this season as the preseason power rankings placed Blacksburg at #6 and Saskatoon at #1 and now Blacksburg sits at #1 and Saskatoon, having a rough season and barely sneaking into the playoffs, snatched up the #8 seed. A rematch from week #13 will have the crowd hoping for some deja vu as the Ballers look to advance deep in the playoffs.
Let the Festivities Begin
The Blacksburg Ballers have gone all out this week to show their appreciation for the great fans of Blacksburg and celebrate this historic event. A 16-0 regular season and the first home playoff game doesn't come very often and this is definitely a moment to celebrate. Here are a list of the events planned for tomorrows game:
- Pre-game tailgate party with a local battle of the bands.
- The release of special "perfect season" collector's editions jerseys for sale. Many Ballers will be on hand for autograph signings including Khari Jones, Ryan Betesta, Speed McLovin', Beast Baily and Aaron Wilson to name a few.
- The Ballers will also unveil their special home playoff jerseys and will be giving an honorary jersey to team owner Mike, Offensive Co-ordinator rbetesta and Defensive Co-ordinator kb2120 for their accomplishments this season.
- Prior to the game, there will be a video montage showcasing the highlights of the season on the road to the undefeated season set to Bon Jovi's "We've Got It Going On".
- At Half-Time, there will be a special awards presentation to quarterback Khari Jones and kicker Troy Westwood for their individual league awards.
- There will also be a half-time performance by the Viriginia Tech marching band.
- The after-party will be hosted at the Viriginia Tech campus's gymnasium with all proceeds from ticket sales going towards local amateur football clubs.
There have also been talks in bringing in some more local musical talent as the Ballers go further into the playoffs. Springfield-raised Dave Grohl has been contacted and this could bring the Foo Fighters in for a half-time show. Hip-hop stars Timbaland and Chris Brown have also been noted as possiblities as Timbaland is a Virginia Beach native and Chris Brown hailing from Tappahannock. The Ballers are willing to go out for their fans who have shown them great support in the 3 seasons so far.
The History
The Ballers had a tough time when these two teams met for the first time in week 12 of season 2. The Ballers were held to 226 yards, only 46 on the ground, while giving up 324 yards in total and 111 on the ground. The key to the game was 3 interceptions thrown by Khari Jones and a fumble lost. Willie Beamon kicked off the scoring with a 6 yard score to Deacon Moss. Eddie King ran the ball in 6 yard score to extend the lead. The Ballers would get a boost by a TouchdownsOnly Owens score from Khari Jones but that would be the only points they would score as the Raiders would cruise to a 24-6 victory.
The Ballers would return the favour in week 13 of season 3 shutting the Raiders down in a decisive 31-3. The Ballers defense would show up to play and held the Raiders to 165 yards total and only 33.5 yards on the ground. Forcing two fumbles and picking off the ball twice, the Ballers offense would be given plenty of opportunities to score. The offense would have trouble punching the ball in having to settle for 5 field goals before Russell Roch punched it in the third. He would add a second score in the 4th and Troy would add on his 6th field goal of the game after missing his first extra point of the season.
Playoff History
The Ballers have not had very much success in the playoffs and Khari Jones in particular. This is the 3rd time coming into the playoffs and the first home game (#8 seed in season 1, #6 seed in season 2). Season 1 would see Khari go pass wild on the Drinkin Hellraisers throwing for over 328 yards but only scoring once. A missed 18 yard field goal would be the difference as the Hellraisers would win 17-16. Season 2 would spell even worse trouble for the Ballers after finishing up with a better record, a rivalry match against Thunder Bay would prove to be too difficult for the Ballers. Khari had his worst performance of the season completing 50% of his passes and throwing a career high 3 interceptions. The Ballers defense would give up 28 points, a team record, as Thunder Bay scored 4 times on the ground. A late passing touchdown would be the only touchdown for the Ballers as they fell 28-13. Could the third time be the charm?
Saskatoon is no stranger to the playoffs having returned here for the 3rd time as well. They do have a playoff win under their belts but were upset in the first round of season 2. After having an excellent season and finishing 12-4, the Raiders would find more than they could handle in the Mt. Oread Hawk Stars as the Stars sent them home packing early with a 20-16 victory. In the first season, the Raiders defeated Phoenixville in the first round before being dominated by the Yukon Gold Rush in the second round 23-7.
Team Stats
Blacksburg Ballers
Points Per Game: 44
Points Allowed Per Game: 5.9 (1st in League)
Passing Yards Per Game: 281.9
Passing Yards Allowed Per Game: 168.7
Rushing Yards Per Game: 158.4
Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game: 31.8 (No Touchdowns Allowed)
Saskatoon Raiders
Points Per Game: 27.3
Points Allowed Per Game: 13.5
Passing Yards Per Game: 204.8
Passing Yards Allowed Per Game: 223.8
Rushing Yards Per Game: 151.9
Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game: 68.9
Key Ballers
Khari Jones
After putting up monster numbers this season, including 2nd place in the league for passing yards and third in touchdowns, the pressure is on for Khari to lead this team to the promised land. The signing of John Wilson, BJ and Ryan Betesta have catapaulted Khari's game to another level. Khari's been here before and hopefully now, the playoff jitters are gone because Khari needs to be on his game for this team to go deep in the playoffs. His last playoff game was arguably one of the worst games of his career against a very tough Thunder Bay team. Khari will look to use the home-field advantage to his favour. After posting big numbers last week against Vancouver, Khari looks in prime form to start the playoffs.
Troy Westwood
Troy's also had a tough time in the post-season, missing a crucial field goal in season #1. Troy has rebounded and led the league in field goals this year with 67. Last time these two met, Troy was 6 for 6 and the Raiders defense will try to hold the Ballers to field goals which puts the pressure on Troy to be absolutely perfect once again.
Aaron Wilson
An integral part of the last victory over Saskatoon, Aaron Wilson contained Eddie King like no one else has done before. Aaron was all over the field for 9 tackles and he will definitely be keeping an eye on Eddie King once again and try to hold him to as few yards as possible.
Beast Baily
The Ballers record holder for pass deflections and interceptions gave Willie Beamon a tough time the last time these two teams met and Baily looks on his game once again and could be adding a few more interceptions into his totals column.
The Ballers players and fans are more fired up than ever and after going 16-0 in the regular season, no one is even thinking about the possibility of a Raiders upset victory. The Ballers will look to channel this energy and reward the fans with an explosive game with the hopes of many more playoff games down the line.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Game Preview: Week 16 Blackburg Ballers @ Vancouver Darksiders
Blacksburg Ballers (15-0)
@
Vancouver Darksiders (3-12)
4 quarters, 60 minutes, 1 game, it all comes down to this and a shot at perfection. The Ballers are one game away from completing the perfect 16-0 regular season and as they head to the west coast for a date with Vancouver, history is looking at them in the mirror. The 3-11 Darksiders have had a rough season and its only going to get rougher as the explosive Ballers look to prime themselves for the playoffs and write their own page in the record books.
The Season So Far...
The Ballers have proven all the critics wrong and the oddsmakers right by coming out and dominating for the first half of the season. They then went on and surprised even more with a perfect second half so far posting victories over Forumopolis, Thunder Bay and Mt. Oread. The dream season has seen the emmergence of Khari Jones as a premier quarterback leading this high scoring team to 65 touchdowns and a league high 59 field goals. The defense has come to play allowing only 5 passing touchdowns and 0 (zero, nada, zilch) rushing touchdowns as the Ballers have outscored opponents 631 to 92, all this while scoring 60 more touchdowns than their opponents. Defense wins championships and when you have an offense this good to back it up, the Ballers could be hoisting the trophy in a few weeks times.
The Darksiders have seen a completely opposite season allowing 100 more points than they've scored and have only picked up victories over the bottom-dwelling Jeanland Jeaniacs and West Texas Lawmen and a surprising victory against the Ottawa Rapids. All chance of relegation has gone out the window so the Darksiders will have to be looking at rebuilding for next season and this game could put a real sour taste in their mouths.
Team Stats
Blacksburg Ballers
Points Per Game: 42.1
Points Allowed Per Game: 6.1 (1st in League)
Passing Yards Per Game: 273.9
Passing Yards Allowed Per Game: 172.8
Rushing Yards Per Game: 155.4
Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game: 34.6 (No Touchdowns Allowed)
Vancouver Darksiders
Points Per Game: 17.5
Points Allowed Per Game: 24.1
Passing Yards Per Game: 173.5
Passing Yards Allowed Per Game: 217.3
Rushing Yards Per Game: 93.7
Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game: 123.6
The Ballers have benefitted quite well from the luck of the draw and have one of the best possible matchups to finish off a perfect season. The Ballers were initially hoping with a showdown against the Arctic Bay Yetis but will have to wait til the championship or further for that to happen. With a perfect season on the line, I think they can get by with having to wait to play the Yetis. Look for the Ballers to bring the heat and settle the tactics needed to get them deep in the playoffs as the Darksiders are in a whole other league than the Ballers. The Darksiders have a chance alright but there are better odds for snow in Florida in July than a Vancouver victory today.
@
Vancouver Darksiders (3-12)
4 quarters, 60 minutes, 1 game, it all comes down to this and a shot at perfection. The Ballers are one game away from completing the perfect 16-0 regular season and as they head to the west coast for a date with Vancouver, history is looking at them in the mirror. The 3-11 Darksiders have had a rough season and its only going to get rougher as the explosive Ballers look to prime themselves for the playoffs and write their own page in the record books.
The Season So Far...
The Ballers have proven all the critics wrong and the oddsmakers right by coming out and dominating for the first half of the season. They then went on and surprised even more with a perfect second half so far posting victories over Forumopolis, Thunder Bay and Mt. Oread. The dream season has seen the emmergence of Khari Jones as a premier quarterback leading this high scoring team to 65 touchdowns and a league high 59 field goals. The defense has come to play allowing only 5 passing touchdowns and 0 (zero, nada, zilch) rushing touchdowns as the Ballers have outscored opponents 631 to 92, all this while scoring 60 more touchdowns than their opponents. Defense wins championships and when you have an offense this good to back it up, the Ballers could be hoisting the trophy in a few weeks times.
The Darksiders have seen a completely opposite season allowing 100 more points than they've scored and have only picked up victories over the bottom-dwelling Jeanland Jeaniacs and West Texas Lawmen and a surprising victory against the Ottawa Rapids. All chance of relegation has gone out the window so the Darksiders will have to be looking at rebuilding for next season and this game could put a real sour taste in their mouths.
Team Stats
Blacksburg Ballers
Points Per Game: 42.1
Points Allowed Per Game: 6.1 (1st in League)
Passing Yards Per Game: 273.9
Passing Yards Allowed Per Game: 172.8
Rushing Yards Per Game: 155.4
Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game: 34.6 (No Touchdowns Allowed)
Vancouver Darksiders
Points Per Game: 17.5
Points Allowed Per Game: 24.1
Passing Yards Per Game: 173.5
Passing Yards Allowed Per Game: 217.3
Rushing Yards Per Game: 93.7
Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game: 123.6
The Ballers have benefitted quite well from the luck of the draw and have one of the best possible matchups to finish off a perfect season. The Ballers were initially hoping with a showdown against the Arctic Bay Yetis but will have to wait til the championship or further for that to happen. With a perfect season on the line, I think they can get by with having to wait to play the Yetis. Look for the Ballers to bring the heat and settle the tactics needed to get them deep in the playoffs as the Darksiders are in a whole other league than the Ballers. The Darksiders have a chance alright but there are better odds for snow in Florida in July than a Vancouver victory today.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Ballers Improve to 15-0, 1 Game From Perfection
BLACKSBURG (BP) -- After 60 minutes of hard fought football, the Blacksburg Ballers once again reiterated why they are number one in the Canadian AAA #2. A 40-0 thrashing of the Ottawa Chiefs kept the Ballers hopes alive for a shot at perfection.
"It's surreal at this point," QB Khari Jones said who broke his streak of 0 passing touchdowns in the past 2 weeks, with a 347.5 yd 2 TD performance today. "The team is coming together and everything is clicking. But we still need to stay focused for our game next week and the playoffs."
The Ballers certainly stayed focused today. They amassed 484.5 yds of total offense and held the Chiefs to 112.5 yds. The Ballers were also able to dominate the line of scrimmage and OT Fatty McMuffin added 5 pancakes to lead the offensive line.
"We paved the way for Jesse and just kept Khari on his feet," McMuffin said who is looking to go to his first Pro Bowl as a Baller. "I'm happy that everything is going well for us and I think we'll carry this momentum for next week's game and the playoffs."
The Ballers will look to complete their perfect season next week against the Vancouver Darksiders in their only game against an Eastern conference opponent. The Darksiders have lost 7 straight games and are under new ownership so the Ballers should have an easier time against them.
"It's surreal at this point," QB Khari Jones said who broke his streak of 0 passing touchdowns in the past 2 weeks, with a 347.5 yd 2 TD performance today. "The team is coming together and everything is clicking. But we still need to stay focused for our game next week and the playoffs."
The Ballers certainly stayed focused today. They amassed 484.5 yds of total offense and held the Chiefs to 112.5 yds. The Ballers were also able to dominate the line of scrimmage and OT Fatty McMuffin added 5 pancakes to lead the offensive line.
"We paved the way for Jesse and just kept Khari on his feet," McMuffin said who is looking to go to his first Pro Bowl as a Baller. "I'm happy that everything is going well for us and I think we'll carry this momentum for next week's game and the playoffs."
The Ballers will look to complete their perfect season next week against the Vancouver Darksiders in their only game against an Eastern conference opponent. The Darksiders have lost 7 straight games and are under new ownership so the Ballers should have an easier time against them.
Game Preview: Week 15 Ottawa Chiefs @ Blacksburg Ballers
Ottawa Chiefs (3-11)
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Blacksburg Ballers (14-0)
BLACKSBURG, VA - The Ballers return home for the last time this regular season but the fans in Blacksburg will be treated to at least one home playoff game as the team prepares for a likely rematch with the Saskatoon Raiders. The Raiders are currently in 9th place but hold the tiebreaker over Mooresville and have a much easier schedule than the Anglers. The Ballers are looking ahead to the playoffs but can't look too far ahead as they still have two games to go and a perfect season on the line. The Ottawa Chiefs are in town this week and with them, comes a dreadful 3-11 record with victories over the winless Boston Barbarians and Los Angeles Trojans as well as a tough victory over the Sudbury Spurs. The Chiefs losing streak should be firmly in tact for atleast one more week as Blacksburg looks to make quick work of these guys.
The History So Far...
Ottawa and Blacksburg would meet in week 6 of season with a complete Blacksburg blowout. The defense held Ottawa to 14 yards rushing 100 yards passing while intercepting two balls. Khari was on fire for 233 yards and 3 touchdowns, 2 to Mark Byrne, but was plagued by 2 interceptions. Alex Casino would add a rushing touchdown and Troy Westwood added 4 field goals as the Ballers would reign supreme with a 38-3 victory
Team Stats
Blacksburg Ballers
Points Per Game: 42.2
Points Allowed Per Game: 6.6 (1st in League)
Passing Yards Per Game: 268.6
Passing Yards Allowed Per Game: 179.5
Rushing Yards Per Game: 156.8
Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game: 34.7 (No Touchdowns Allowed)
Ottawa Chiefs
Points Per Game: 14.1
Points Allowed Per Game: 22.5
Passing Yards Per Game: 184
Passing Yards Allowed Per Game: 222.6
Rushing Yards Per Game: 102.4
Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game: 96.4
The Ballers are set on cruise control heading into the playoffs and this should be an easy victory as the 16-0 seems in reach with very little struggle coming from their last two opponents.
@
Blacksburg Ballers (14-0)
BLACKSBURG, VA - The Ballers return home for the last time this regular season but the fans in Blacksburg will be treated to at least one home playoff game as the team prepares for a likely rematch with the Saskatoon Raiders. The Raiders are currently in 9th place but hold the tiebreaker over Mooresville and have a much easier schedule than the Anglers. The Ballers are looking ahead to the playoffs but can't look too far ahead as they still have two games to go and a perfect season on the line. The Ottawa Chiefs are in town this week and with them, comes a dreadful 3-11 record with victories over the winless Boston Barbarians and Los Angeles Trojans as well as a tough victory over the Sudbury Spurs. The Chiefs losing streak should be firmly in tact for atleast one more week as Blacksburg looks to make quick work of these guys.
The History So Far...
Ottawa and Blacksburg would meet in week 6 of season with a complete Blacksburg blowout. The defense held Ottawa to 14 yards rushing 100 yards passing while intercepting two balls. Khari was on fire for 233 yards and 3 touchdowns, 2 to Mark Byrne, but was plagued by 2 interceptions. Alex Casino would add a rushing touchdown and Troy Westwood added 4 field goals as the Ballers would reign supreme with a 38-3 victory
Team Stats
Blacksburg Ballers
Points Per Game: 42.2
Points Allowed Per Game: 6.6 (1st in League)
Passing Yards Per Game: 268.6
Passing Yards Allowed Per Game: 179.5
Rushing Yards Per Game: 156.8
Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game: 34.7 (No Touchdowns Allowed)
Ottawa Chiefs
Points Per Game: 14.1
Points Allowed Per Game: 22.5
Passing Yards Per Game: 184
Passing Yards Allowed Per Game: 222.6
Rushing Yards Per Game: 102.4
Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game: 96.4
The Ballers are set on cruise control heading into the playoffs and this should be an easy victory as the 16-0 seems in reach with very little struggle coming from their last two opponents.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Playoffs Loom Ahead as Ballers look for Perfect Season
BLACKSBURG (BP) -- 5:00 P.M. Blacksburg Ballers owner, Mike, boards the team jet after the team's victory over the Mt. Oread Hawk Stars, 25-9. He sits on the plane with his coaching staff contemplating next week's gameplan versus the Ottawa Chiefs.
But this is no ordinary team that just came back from an ordinary football game.
The Blacksburg Ballers are trying to complete a perfect season and after the Mt. Oread victory, are only 2 wins away from attaining that milestone. They beat teams that experts said they shouldn't beat. They managed to come out from the veil of mediocrity that had plagued them the last 2 seasons and come full force.
But how could an unknown team from a rural town in Virginia do such a thing?
"It's simple really," Ballers owner Mike said who sat down with the Blacksburg Press for a one on one interview. "I just tell my guys what you put in as far as work ethic, you get out in success. And a lot of people overlook this very simple concept and think they have to have the flashiest players and the most seasoned coaching staff. This has complicated the game to the point that they don't understand what determines a great team, and in my opinion that's commitment and work ethic."
The Ballers have certainly not been one of the most talented or flashiest teams in the Canadian leagues. When owner Mike bought the Blacksburg Ballers in early season 1 of the inaugural Goal Line Blitz Football League, he had a team that was in shambles.
"The stadium was falling apart, we had no coaching staff, and we had guys on the team who just did not want to put forth the effort in order to become better players," Mike said.
But after making a bold trade that brought over an unproven backup, Khari Jones, things started to click. Jones came over from the Mexican Hitmen of the USA AA League. He was involved in a 2 QB system that the Hitmen were trying out, however it was not what Jones wanted so he requested a trade. Mike immediately jumped on the opportunity to get a solid QB in Jones that he knew thru some dealings as an agent with the Hitmen.
"It wasn't pure chance like some think," Mike said. "Khari was on the same team as a client I had and I thought the guy was terrific. I don't know why the Hitmen decided to go with the other guy as I didn't think he was a long-term solution, and even though he was still very raw I saw potential in him [Khari Jones]."
And Mike grabbed up some other players that had potential as well in the free agent market and thru trades, eventually filling out the entire squad with hand-picked players. The team then went a surprising 9-7 in their first season and made the playoffs. But they lost to the Drinkin Hellraisers by a narrow margin in the first round.
The next season the Ballers improved upon their previous record and went 10-6 making the playoffs for the second straight year. But were ousted in the first round again, this time by arch-rival Thunder Bay.
"Those first 2 seasons really taught me alot about managing a team," Mike said who now has a cumulative 29-11 record as the Ballers owner not including scrimmage games that took place during season 2. "I started out with a lot of guys I didn't know and I was essentially on my own. I did all the signings, trades, and game planning by myself which was obviously very time-consuming. After working 21 hour days I said to myself that I needed some guys to help me out so I got a few people I knew to help me manage this team. Now they make up a great core of personnel that I have and help me immensely with doing a lot of work with the team."
And those core personnel would be his right hand man rbetesta and key advisor kb. Both helped Mike transform the team from a slew of misfits to a 14-0 team looking at its first perfect season.
"It's amazing to see the drastic improvement," Mike explained. "The progress this team has made is far beyond my expectations and we just keep getting better. I attribute a lot of that to my coaching staff, but certainly the majority falls on the great group of players I have."
Despite the major strides Blacksburg has made and its dominance this year, other teams and experts around the league have yet to fully recognize Blacksburg as a contender.
The weariness stems from the East/West division of the league the Ballers are in. It is commonly believed among scouts and owners that the West is almost "JV" in comparison to the East. One scout even going so far as to say that all the teams in the West should be "demoted back down to Canadian AA". As a team in the West this has hampered the credibility of the Ballers season.
Another criticism is that of the playoff drought the Ballers are in. The Blacksburg curse has caused concern among many experts who claim this is more than a fluke and is attributed to the coaching staff paralleling that of "Marty ball". In essence they would do things in the playoffs that they would not normally do during the regular season and thus mess up their rhythm.
Despite these criticisms, Mike is still confident in his team's chances to go far this year.
"I look at the squad right now and we've got some of the hardest working guys in the league, we've got a great coaching staff who gameplans as good as any team in the league, and we've got a desire to win that's huge right now. I just can't see us repeating another great season with another disappointing early playoff exit."
Whatever the case may be, the Ballers are close to history and the next 2 games will determine whether or not that will happen. The playoffs will also determine if the Ballers can survive the first round and are not just a regular season juggernaut who shrivels up during the playoffs.
***********************
Game Ball
DE, Speed McLovin
Speed had a tremendous game racking up 9 tackles, 3 sacks, and 2 tackles for loss. This certainly returns Speed back to his season 2 form in which he accumulated 11 sacks for the season. Great job Speed and the rest of the team!
But this is no ordinary team that just came back from an ordinary football game.
The Blacksburg Ballers are trying to complete a perfect season and after the Mt. Oread victory, are only 2 wins away from attaining that milestone. They beat teams that experts said they shouldn't beat. They managed to come out from the veil of mediocrity that had plagued them the last 2 seasons and come full force.
But how could an unknown team from a rural town in Virginia do such a thing?
"It's simple really," Ballers owner Mike said who sat down with the Blacksburg Press for a one on one interview. "I just tell my guys what you put in as far as work ethic, you get out in success. And a lot of people overlook this very simple concept and think they have to have the flashiest players and the most seasoned coaching staff. This has complicated the game to the point that they don't understand what determines a great team, and in my opinion that's commitment and work ethic."
The Ballers have certainly not been one of the most talented or flashiest teams in the Canadian leagues. When owner Mike bought the Blacksburg Ballers in early season 1 of the inaugural Goal Line Blitz Football League, he had a team that was in shambles.
"The stadium was falling apart, we had no coaching staff, and we had guys on the team who just did not want to put forth the effort in order to become better players," Mike said.
But after making a bold trade that brought over an unproven backup, Khari Jones, things started to click. Jones came over from the Mexican Hitmen of the USA AA League. He was involved in a 2 QB system that the Hitmen were trying out, however it was not what Jones wanted so he requested a trade. Mike immediately jumped on the opportunity to get a solid QB in Jones that he knew thru some dealings as an agent with the Hitmen.
"It wasn't pure chance like some think," Mike said. "Khari was on the same team as a client I had and I thought the guy was terrific. I don't know why the Hitmen decided to go with the other guy as I didn't think he was a long-term solution, and even though he was still very raw I saw potential in him [Khari Jones]."
And Mike grabbed up some other players that had potential as well in the free agent market and thru trades, eventually filling out the entire squad with hand-picked players. The team then went a surprising 9-7 in their first season and made the playoffs. But they lost to the Drinkin Hellraisers by a narrow margin in the first round.
The next season the Ballers improved upon their previous record and went 10-6 making the playoffs for the second straight year. But were ousted in the first round again, this time by arch-rival Thunder Bay.
"Those first 2 seasons really taught me alot about managing a team," Mike said who now has a cumulative 29-11 record as the Ballers owner not including scrimmage games that took place during season 2. "I started out with a lot of guys I didn't know and I was essentially on my own. I did all the signings, trades, and game planning by myself which was obviously very time-consuming. After working 21 hour days I said to myself that I needed some guys to help me out so I got a few people I knew to help me manage this team. Now they make up a great core of personnel that I have and help me immensely with doing a lot of work with the team."
And those core personnel would be his right hand man rbetesta and key advisor kb. Both helped Mike transform the team from a slew of misfits to a 14-0 team looking at its first perfect season.
"It's amazing to see the drastic improvement," Mike explained. "The progress this team has made is far beyond my expectations and we just keep getting better. I attribute a lot of that to my coaching staff, but certainly the majority falls on the great group of players I have."
Despite the major strides Blacksburg has made and its dominance this year, other teams and experts around the league have yet to fully recognize Blacksburg as a contender.
The weariness stems from the East/West division of the league the Ballers are in. It is commonly believed among scouts and owners that the West is almost "JV" in comparison to the East. One scout even going so far as to say that all the teams in the West should be "demoted back down to Canadian AA". As a team in the West this has hampered the credibility of the Ballers season.
Another criticism is that of the playoff drought the Ballers are in. The Blacksburg curse has caused concern among many experts who claim this is more than a fluke and is attributed to the coaching staff paralleling that of "Marty ball". In essence they would do things in the playoffs that they would not normally do during the regular season and thus mess up their rhythm.
Despite these criticisms, Mike is still confident in his team's chances to go far this year.
"I look at the squad right now and we've got some of the hardest working guys in the league, we've got a great coaching staff who gameplans as good as any team in the league, and we've got a desire to win that's huge right now. I just can't see us repeating another great season with another disappointing early playoff exit."
Whatever the case may be, the Ballers are close to history and the next 2 games will determine whether or not that will happen. The playoffs will also determine if the Ballers can survive the first round and are not just a regular season juggernaut who shrivels up during the playoffs.
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Game Ball
DE, Speed McLovin
Speed had a tremendous game racking up 9 tackles, 3 sacks, and 2 tackles for loss. This certainly returns Speed back to his season 2 form in which he accumulated 11 sacks for the season. Great job Speed and the rest of the team!
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Game Preview: Hawk Stars Look to Spoil Ballers Season
Blacksburg Ballers (13-0)
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Mt. Oread Hawk Stars (11-2)
BLACKSBURG, VA - When the teams hit the field in Mt. Oread on Wednesday, one of the most heated rivalries in AAA will be re-ignited in what many players are proclaiming as the game of the year. The Blacksburg Ballers will put their winning streak on the line for a chance to clinch 1st place in the Western Conference against the Mt. Oread Hawk Stars. The Ballers have wins over Forumopolis and Thunder Bay; a win over Mt. Oread will lock up 1st and home field advantage throughout the Western Conference playoffs.
"This is huge, this is the game of the year! This date has been circled on our calendar since the preseason because the rivalry between our teams is so intense. Now that so much is on the line, its going to heat it up even more because our boys are fired up and can't wait to get to Mt. Oread," Ballers Owner Mike.
The Hawk Stars are looking to throw a wrench in the Ballers plans as they are fighting for the best playoff position possible. The Hawk Stars are coming off a 26-0 shutout win over Sudbury after dropping back-to-back games against Forumopolis and Thunder Bay. A Hawk Stars victory would be a poetic finish to the Ballers winning ways; after all, Mt. Oread, Thunder Bay and Blacksburg all started the season at 7-0 before Blacksburg defeated Thunder Bay to end their streak. 4 games later, Thunder Bay ended Mt. Oread's undefeated season so it would only be fitting for Mt. Oread to end Blacksburg's streak.
"People always want to talk about the streak and its alot of pressure, but there's always pressure for us every time we step out there. We're just going to do what we do best, we'll go out there and lay it all on the line. The streak is awesome but we can't let it play mind games with us because if it does, Mt. Oread will definitely take advantage of it. Their guys are intent on giving us our first loss and we're going to give them the fight of their lives," Quarterback Khari Jones.
The Ballers are living the dream season and a victory over Mt. Oread will help them cruise into the playoffs. They bring an explosive offense and one of the league's best defenses to the table and is a tough matchup for any team. The Hawk Stars are no pushovers either. The Hawk Stars have another of the league's best defenses, allowing only 9.8 points per game and holding teams to an average of under 50 rushing yards per game. This will be a tough challenge for the Ballers offense who have outscored their opponents 566-83 with 54 more touchdowns than their opponents. As good as this offense is, this will be a defensive struggle and every point will be very well earned.
The History So Far...
The rivalry started exactly two seasons ago in week 14 of Season 1. This turned into a defensive struggle with each team punting 12 times and each losing a fumble. Khari Jones would strike first in the 2nd quarter with a 7 yard touchdown pass to Joe Pascone; Khari would finish the game 27 of 46 for 207.5 yards and the 1 score. Bill Whittmore would tie the game up in the 3rd quarter with a 6 yard pass to Gordon Charles. Whittmore would finish the game 39 of 63 for 247 yards and a touchdown. The Hawk Stars running game was held to 42 yards on 23 carries. This game would remain tied at the end of regulation and head to overtime. Both teams would exchange punts before the Hawk Stars would press into Ballers territory but a missed 41 yard field goal would give Blacksburg the opportunity they needed to march down the field with backup QB Tom Mason and a 36.5 yard field goal by Troy Westwood would seal the deal and give Blacksburg a 10-7 victory.
The two teams would meet again in week 13 of season 2 with another defensive battle that swayed in the Hawk Stars favour. Blacksburg would be held to 130.5 yards overall, 32 rushing and 98.5 in the air including an interception while Mt. Oread would total 299.5 yards, 97.5 yards on the ground and 202.5 in the air with one turnover. The Hawk Stars would have to settle for 4 field goals but did manage a 1.5 yard rushing TD by McAnderson Brandon in the 2nd quarter. The Ballers only score would come from a 23 yard field goal by Troy Westwood. Bill Whittmore finished the game 32 of 44 while Khari only managed 18 of 35.
Team Stats
Blacksburg Ballers
Points Per Game: 43.5
Points Allowed Per Game: 6.5 (1st in League)
Passing Yards Per Game: 275.7
Passing Yards Allowed Per Game: 181.9
Rushing Yards Per Game: 160.2
Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game: 34.3 (No Touchdowns Allowed)
Mt. Oread Hawk Stars
Points Per Game: 22.6
Points Allowed Per Game: 9.8
Passing Yards Per Game: 216.1
Passing Yards Allowed Per Game: 189.3
Rushing Yards Per Game: 127
Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game: 48.7
Key Players
Khari Jones, Quarterback, Blacksburg Ballers
The lifeblood of the Ballers offense has never looked great against the Mt. Oread Hawk Stars and is coming off back-to-back average games including his first game of the season without a TD. Khari will need to be perfect if this offense is going to score and he will need to get back to the playing form that he was in a few weeks back when he was playing against Forumopolis and Moose Island. Khari has certainly improved since the last time these two teams met and is now third in the league for passing yards while scoring 29 TD's and only throwing 13 picks. The new additions to the Ballers receiving corps have certainly helped Khari become a marquee QB in the Western Conference.
Beast Baily, Cornerback, Blacksburg Ballers
The Ballers defense will need to be hot against this tough team and it all starts with the secondary. Beast Baily leads the team in interceptions with 9 and pass deflections with 39. The team as a whole leads the league in interceptions with 38 and this could spell trouble for QB Bill Whittmore. Beast is a ballhawk of a corner that has the potential to make a game-changing play. This game could come down to a battle of turnovers and Baily is ready to get his share.
Bill Whittmore, Quarterback, Mt. Oread Hawk Stars
Although seeing a dropoff in performance from last season, Bill Whittmore is still one of the best QB's in the Western Conference and has averaged 203.3 yards per game. Whittmore has thrown 14 touchdowns but has thrown 15 interceptions with 4 of those coming in the loss to Forumopolis. Whittmores got the stars and the skill to get it done and has seen previous success against the Ballers secondary. If they can't stop him, Whittmore could have a very big game.
Phuck Mizzou, Defensive End, Mt. Oread Hawk Stars
The key to the Hawk Stars defense is the front line and these guys are fantastic, especially Phuck Mizzou who has 35 tackles, 2 sacks, 16 hurries, an interception, 9 pass deflectiosn and 3 forced fumbles. Mizzou is a threat to every QB not only in the backfield but also downfield as well as he is a great coverage DE as well. Khari would like nothing more than to not have to meet Mizzou who can deliver quite a punishing blow.
It's a rivalry showdown that has gotten more intense every year and this will definitely be the biggest matchup of the year for both teams as fans have flocked to Memorial Stadium for a game that they will never forget.
Ballers DE Speed McLovin' - "It's time to show them how the West was won."
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Mt. Oread Hawk Stars (11-2)
BLACKSBURG, VA - When the teams hit the field in Mt. Oread on Wednesday, one of the most heated rivalries in AAA will be re-ignited in what many players are proclaiming as the game of the year. The Blacksburg Ballers will put their winning streak on the line for a chance to clinch 1st place in the Western Conference against the Mt. Oread Hawk Stars. The Ballers have wins over Forumopolis and Thunder Bay; a win over Mt. Oread will lock up 1st and home field advantage throughout the Western Conference playoffs.
"This is huge, this is the game of the year! This date has been circled on our calendar since the preseason because the rivalry between our teams is so intense. Now that so much is on the line, its going to heat it up even more because our boys are fired up and can't wait to get to Mt. Oread," Ballers Owner Mike.
The Hawk Stars are looking to throw a wrench in the Ballers plans as they are fighting for the best playoff position possible. The Hawk Stars are coming off a 26-0 shutout win over Sudbury after dropping back-to-back games against Forumopolis and Thunder Bay. A Hawk Stars victory would be a poetic finish to the Ballers winning ways; after all, Mt. Oread, Thunder Bay and Blacksburg all started the season at 7-0 before Blacksburg defeated Thunder Bay to end their streak. 4 games later, Thunder Bay ended Mt. Oread's undefeated season so it would only be fitting for Mt. Oread to end Blacksburg's streak.
"People always want to talk about the streak and its alot of pressure, but there's always pressure for us every time we step out there. We're just going to do what we do best, we'll go out there and lay it all on the line. The streak is awesome but we can't let it play mind games with us because if it does, Mt. Oread will definitely take advantage of it. Their guys are intent on giving us our first loss and we're going to give them the fight of their lives," Quarterback Khari Jones.
The Ballers are living the dream season and a victory over Mt. Oread will help them cruise into the playoffs. They bring an explosive offense and one of the league's best defenses to the table and is a tough matchup for any team. The Hawk Stars are no pushovers either. The Hawk Stars have another of the league's best defenses, allowing only 9.8 points per game and holding teams to an average of under 50 rushing yards per game. This will be a tough challenge for the Ballers offense who have outscored their opponents 566-83 with 54 more touchdowns than their opponents. As good as this offense is, this will be a defensive struggle and every point will be very well earned.
The History So Far...
The rivalry started exactly two seasons ago in week 14 of Season 1. This turned into a defensive struggle with each team punting 12 times and each losing a fumble. Khari Jones would strike first in the 2nd quarter with a 7 yard touchdown pass to Joe Pascone; Khari would finish the game 27 of 46 for 207.5 yards and the 1 score. Bill Whittmore would tie the game up in the 3rd quarter with a 6 yard pass to Gordon Charles. Whittmore would finish the game 39 of 63 for 247 yards and a touchdown. The Hawk Stars running game was held to 42 yards on 23 carries. This game would remain tied at the end of regulation and head to overtime. Both teams would exchange punts before the Hawk Stars would press into Ballers territory but a missed 41 yard field goal would give Blacksburg the opportunity they needed to march down the field with backup QB Tom Mason and a 36.5 yard field goal by Troy Westwood would seal the deal and give Blacksburg a 10-7 victory.
The two teams would meet again in week 13 of season 2 with another defensive battle that swayed in the Hawk Stars favour. Blacksburg would be held to 130.5 yards overall, 32 rushing and 98.5 in the air including an interception while Mt. Oread would total 299.5 yards, 97.5 yards on the ground and 202.5 in the air with one turnover. The Hawk Stars would have to settle for 4 field goals but did manage a 1.5 yard rushing TD by McAnderson Brandon in the 2nd quarter. The Ballers only score would come from a 23 yard field goal by Troy Westwood. Bill Whittmore finished the game 32 of 44 while Khari only managed 18 of 35.
Team Stats
Blacksburg Ballers
Points Per Game: 43.5
Points Allowed Per Game: 6.5 (1st in League)
Passing Yards Per Game: 275.7
Passing Yards Allowed Per Game: 181.9
Rushing Yards Per Game: 160.2
Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game: 34.3 (No Touchdowns Allowed)
Mt. Oread Hawk Stars
Points Per Game: 22.6
Points Allowed Per Game: 9.8
Passing Yards Per Game: 216.1
Passing Yards Allowed Per Game: 189.3
Rushing Yards Per Game: 127
Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game: 48.7
Key Players
Khari Jones, Quarterback, Blacksburg Ballers
The lifeblood of the Ballers offense has never looked great against the Mt. Oread Hawk Stars and is coming off back-to-back average games including his first game of the season without a TD. Khari will need to be perfect if this offense is going to score and he will need to get back to the playing form that he was in a few weeks back when he was playing against Forumopolis and Moose Island. Khari has certainly improved since the last time these two teams met and is now third in the league for passing yards while scoring 29 TD's and only throwing 13 picks. The new additions to the Ballers receiving corps have certainly helped Khari become a marquee QB in the Western Conference.
Beast Baily, Cornerback, Blacksburg Ballers
The Ballers defense will need to be hot against this tough team and it all starts with the secondary. Beast Baily leads the team in interceptions with 9 and pass deflections with 39. The team as a whole leads the league in interceptions with 38 and this could spell trouble for QB Bill Whittmore. Beast is a ballhawk of a corner that has the potential to make a game-changing play. This game could come down to a battle of turnovers and Baily is ready to get his share.
Bill Whittmore, Quarterback, Mt. Oread Hawk Stars
Although seeing a dropoff in performance from last season, Bill Whittmore is still one of the best QB's in the Western Conference and has averaged 203.3 yards per game. Whittmore has thrown 14 touchdowns but has thrown 15 interceptions with 4 of those coming in the loss to Forumopolis. Whittmores got the stars and the skill to get it done and has seen previous success against the Ballers secondary. If they can't stop him, Whittmore could have a very big game.
Phuck Mizzou, Defensive End, Mt. Oread Hawk Stars
The key to the Hawk Stars defense is the front line and these guys are fantastic, especially Phuck Mizzou who has 35 tackles, 2 sacks, 16 hurries, an interception, 9 pass deflectiosn and 3 forced fumbles. Mizzou is a threat to every QB not only in the backfield but also downfield as well as he is a great coverage DE as well. Khari would like nothing more than to not have to meet Mizzou who can deliver quite a punishing blow.
It's a rivalry showdown that has gotten more intense every year and this will definitely be the biggest matchup of the year for both teams as fans have flocked to Memorial Stadium for a game that they will never forget.
Ballers DE Speed McLovin' - "It's time to show them how the West was won."
Monday, July 7, 2008
Game Preview: Week #13 Saskatoon Raiders @ Blacksburg Ballers
Saskatoon Raiders (6-6)
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Blacksburg Ballers (12-0)
BLACKSBURG, VA – With a home playoff game locked, the Ballers look to continue their winning ways and extend the streak to 13 straight victories against the Saskatoon Raiders. The Raiders are coming off a loss against the Moose Island Sofa Kings and will have a very difficult time against the explosive offense and killer defense that is the Blacksburg Ballers. The Ballers currently have a 2 game lead on first and a victory against Saskatoon and Mt. Oread in the following week, Blacksburg can clinch 1st place in the Western Conference with 2 games still remaining in the regular season.
The History So Far…
The Ballers had a very tough time the last time these two teams met in week 12 of season 2. The Ballers were held to 226 yards, only 46 on the ground, while giving up 324 yards in total and 111 on the ground. The key to the game was 3 interceptions thrown by Khari Jones and a fumble lost. Willie Beamon kicked off the scoring with a 6 yard score to Deacon Moss. Eddie King ran the ball in 6 yard score to extend the lead. The Ballers would get a boost by a TouchdownsOnly Owens score from Khari Jones but that would be the only points they would score as the Raiders would cruise to a 24-6 victory.
Team Stats
Blacksburg Ballers
Points Per Game: 44.6 (3rd in League)
Points Allowed Per Game: 6.7 (1st in League)
Passing Yards Per Game: 279.8
Passing Yards Allowed Per Game: 186.1
Rushing Yards Per Game: 160
Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game: 34.4 (No Touchdowns Allowed)
Saskatoon Raiders
Points Per Game: 29.2
Points Allowed Per Game: 13.5
Passing Yards Per Game: 209.1
Passing Yards Allowed Per Game: 225.8
Rushing Yards Per Game: 148
Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game: 66.6
Key Ballers
Khari Jones
Khari is coming off an off week that saw him throw too many incompletions. Last time these two teams met, Khari threw 3 interceptions and will definitely need to step up his game in order for the team to pull through today. Khari also has the additions of Ryan Betesta and John Wilson who have been an integral part of the Ballers passing success.
BJ
If its one thing that the Raiders can’t do, its stop the tight end and BJ is one of the best TE’s in the league. BJ has 41 catches for 358.5 yards this season including 4 touchdowns.
Michael Beasley
The Raiders have a balanced offense that can go either way. Its going to be up to MLB Michael Beasley to lead the charge against Eddie King who is a powerful running back that loves to plow over defenses. Beasley is having one of his best seasons amounting 44 tackles, a sack, an interception and a forced fumble.
Aaron Wilson
The Raiders have 19 touchdowns on the ground while the Ballers have allowed none. Wilson will have his eye on the prize all game long and has the ability to be a big playmaker at any moment. King loves to run to the right side and Wilson be there to meet him head on.
Record Watch
Jesse Lumsden is 1 touchdown away from tying another of Alex Casino's records, this one for rushing touchdowns. The Ballers have proven their dominance as a pass first offense but in Lumsden could break out for a long one or could take advantage of the redzone to bring in the scores and the record.
Beast Baily is one interception away from tying his single season interception record. Slasher Evans is also two interceptions away from tying the record.
Khari Jones is just 91 yards away from breaking his single season record for passing yards and should have this record broken easily in the first quarter.
Interesting Notes
- The Ballers defense has allowed no rushing touchdowns and only 4 passing touchdowns. Of the 4, only one has been over 6 yards and that was the 73.5 yard score by Phoenixville at the end of the game. The only other touchdown allowed by the Ballers was an interception returned for a touchdown against Forumopolis.
- The Ballers defense leads the league in interceptions with 36.
- The Ballers are tied for the fewest amounts of field goals allowed with 13.
- Khari Jones leads the conference in passing yards and touchdowns.
- Ryan Betesta is currently third in the league for receiving yards and leads the conference in receiving yards. John Wilson is tied for 1st in receiving touchdowns for the Western Conference with 8.
- Troy Westwood leads the conference in field goals made and extra points made. Mr. Man is second in the conference for punt average.
Las Vegas Projections
The odds are definitely in the Ballers favor with a projected score of 35-8 for the Ballers. In all other games this week, the favorites are slated to win outright with the closest game being Forumopolis against the North American NDLers with Forumopolis to win 28-16.
The Raiders had a great season in season 2 with a 12-4 record before losing to Mt. Oread in the first round of the playoffs. Things have changed dramatically since then as the struggling team has only won 6 games so far this year with their only victory with substance against the Mooresville Anglers. This is almost an entirely different Ballers team that takes the field with many new additions to the team that should spell doom for the Raiders who are fighting to make the playoffs.
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Blacksburg Ballers (12-0)
BLACKSBURG, VA – With a home playoff game locked, the Ballers look to continue their winning ways and extend the streak to 13 straight victories against the Saskatoon Raiders. The Raiders are coming off a loss against the Moose Island Sofa Kings and will have a very difficult time against the explosive offense and killer defense that is the Blacksburg Ballers. The Ballers currently have a 2 game lead on first and a victory against Saskatoon and Mt. Oread in the following week, Blacksburg can clinch 1st place in the Western Conference with 2 games still remaining in the regular season.
The History So Far…
The Ballers had a very tough time the last time these two teams met in week 12 of season 2. The Ballers were held to 226 yards, only 46 on the ground, while giving up 324 yards in total and 111 on the ground. The key to the game was 3 interceptions thrown by Khari Jones and a fumble lost. Willie Beamon kicked off the scoring with a 6 yard score to Deacon Moss. Eddie King ran the ball in 6 yard score to extend the lead. The Ballers would get a boost by a TouchdownsOnly Owens score from Khari Jones but that would be the only points they would score as the Raiders would cruise to a 24-6 victory.
Team Stats
Blacksburg Ballers
Points Per Game: 44.6 (3rd in League)
Points Allowed Per Game: 6.7 (1st in League)
Passing Yards Per Game: 279.8
Passing Yards Allowed Per Game: 186.1
Rushing Yards Per Game: 160
Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game: 34.4 (No Touchdowns Allowed)
Saskatoon Raiders
Points Per Game: 29.2
Points Allowed Per Game: 13.5
Passing Yards Per Game: 209.1
Passing Yards Allowed Per Game: 225.8
Rushing Yards Per Game: 148
Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game: 66.6
Key Ballers
Khari Jones
Khari is coming off an off week that saw him throw too many incompletions. Last time these two teams met, Khari threw 3 interceptions and will definitely need to step up his game in order for the team to pull through today. Khari also has the additions of Ryan Betesta and John Wilson who have been an integral part of the Ballers passing success.
BJ
If its one thing that the Raiders can’t do, its stop the tight end and BJ is one of the best TE’s in the league. BJ has 41 catches for 358.5 yards this season including 4 touchdowns.
Michael Beasley
The Raiders have a balanced offense that can go either way. Its going to be up to MLB Michael Beasley to lead the charge against Eddie King who is a powerful running back that loves to plow over defenses. Beasley is having one of his best seasons amounting 44 tackles, a sack, an interception and a forced fumble.
Aaron Wilson
The Raiders have 19 touchdowns on the ground while the Ballers have allowed none. Wilson will have his eye on the prize all game long and has the ability to be a big playmaker at any moment. King loves to run to the right side and Wilson be there to meet him head on.
Record Watch
Jesse Lumsden is 1 touchdown away from tying another of Alex Casino's records, this one for rushing touchdowns. The Ballers have proven their dominance as a pass first offense but in Lumsden could break out for a long one or could take advantage of the redzone to bring in the scores and the record.
Beast Baily is one interception away from tying his single season interception record. Slasher Evans is also two interceptions away from tying the record.
Khari Jones is just 91 yards away from breaking his single season record for passing yards and should have this record broken easily in the first quarter.
Interesting Notes
- The Ballers defense has allowed no rushing touchdowns and only 4 passing touchdowns. Of the 4, only one has been over 6 yards and that was the 73.5 yard score by Phoenixville at the end of the game. The only other touchdown allowed by the Ballers was an interception returned for a touchdown against Forumopolis.
- The Ballers defense leads the league in interceptions with 36.
- The Ballers are tied for the fewest amounts of field goals allowed with 13.
- Khari Jones leads the conference in passing yards and touchdowns.
- Ryan Betesta is currently third in the league for receiving yards and leads the conference in receiving yards. John Wilson is tied for 1st in receiving touchdowns for the Western Conference with 8.
- Troy Westwood leads the conference in field goals made and extra points made. Mr. Man is second in the conference for punt average.
Las Vegas Projections
The odds are definitely in the Ballers favor with a projected score of 35-8 for the Ballers. In all other games this week, the favorites are slated to win outright with the closest game being Forumopolis against the North American NDLers with Forumopolis to win 28-16.
The Raiders had a great season in season 2 with a 12-4 record before losing to Mt. Oread in the first round of the playoffs. Things have changed dramatically since then as the struggling team has only won 6 games so far this year with their only victory with substance against the Mooresville Anglers. This is almost an entirely different Ballers team that takes the field with many new additions to the team that should spell doom for the Raiders who are fighting to make the playoffs.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Ballers lock Playoff Spot with Shut-Out
SUDBURY, ON - The Blacksburg Ballers successfully locked up a playoff berth for the 3rd straight season this afternoon with a dominating 32-0 victory over the Sudbury Spurs. Not just a playoff berth, a home field playoff berth and fans in Blacksburg will be treated to a home playoff game for the very first time. The worst the Ballers can finish is 4th place because they hold tiebreakers over Phoenixville and the North American NDLers. For this to happen, Blacksburg would need to drop all 4 of their remaining games. With Mt. Oread's loss this afternoon to Forumopolis, the Ballers now have a 2 game lead on first place and could lock up first place in the Western Conference with either 3 victories or 2 victories as long as one of them is a victory over the Hawk Stars in week 14.
"This is huge! Tickets should be going on sale shortly and the fans of Blacksburg will definitely be in for a treat. We came into this season, after a long offseason of recruiting, destined to make it to the playoffs and be a
championship contender and if we finish first, this will be a dream come true for many of the players on the team," Team Owner Mike.
The Ballers offense had a tough time this afternoon despite putting 32 points on the board. Khari Jones, in particular, had an off day throwing 24 incompletions which included 1 interception, 4 drops and 13 pass deflections. Despite that, Khari still managed to throw for 285 yards and a 54.5 yard score to John Wilson.
"I'm pissed at myself! This wasn't the game I expected to play. Sure we won but I looked sloppy and at this point in the season, I can't be doing that. There were so many passes that I overthrew and it just snowballed into an off day. The offensive line did their job and I was still making mistakes. There is no excuse for what happened out there, I just need to shake it off and come out strong next game against Saskatoon," QB Khari Jones.
The Ballers running game got going once again amounting to 128 yards, 99 of which belonged to Jesse Lumsden and 1 touchdown score. Despite having success, the Ballers failed miserably once again in the redzone having to settle for 4 field goals within the 25 yard line and another two from 38 and 46 outs.
"It's frustrating because we work so hard to get down there and not be able to convert really changes the tone of the game. Its my job to punch it in and I wasn't able to and this isn't like its the first time, this has happened several times this season and its something we are going to have to work hard during practice on," HB Jesse Lumsden.
"It definitely changes the feel of the game. We lost out on the opportunity for another 24 points but more importantly, it gives their defense a boost knowing that they can stop us. If we put those touchdowns in, it's very demoralizing for their defense and it raises the confidence of our games. I'm working on some schemes right now and hopefully we can turn this around before it starts to hurt us," Offensive Co-Ordinator Ryan Betesta Sr.
While the offense struggled, the defense did what they do best - shut teams down! This is the 4th shutout by the stingy defense who only gave up 87 yards, 22 on the ground and 65 in the air, while picking off two passes and forcing two fumbles. The most important stat is the fact that the Ballers defense only allowed 3 first downs, forcing 14 punts and keeping the Spurs defense on the field.
"We did what we had to do and got the job done. This is nothing out of the ordinary. We average 7 points scored on a game and 35 yards rushing so its not unheard of us to go out there and kick some ass but it still feels great every time we do it," DE Speed McLovin'.
The red-hot Ballers head home to Blacksburg in hopes of continuing their winning ways against the Saskatoon Raiders who are coming off of a 26-23 loss against the Moose Island Sofa Kings. The Raiders have been having a tough time this season with a 6-6 record and will not be well received in the Ballers Bowl where the fans are as pumped up as ever. A date with Mt. Oread is on the horizon and the Ballers will need this extra game to work out any kinks before going into the rivalry game of the year.
Game Ball
It was a tough time deciding the game ball so the game ball for this game is awarded to the entire Ballers Defense. Allowing only 3 first downs and forcing 14 punts is not an easy feat. The team also combined for 1 sack, 5 hurries, 10 tackles for losses, 2 forced fumbles, 2 interceptions and 15 pass deflections. Way to go D!
"This is huge! Tickets should be going on sale shortly and the fans of Blacksburg will definitely be in for a treat. We came into this season, after a long offseason of recruiting, destined to make it to the playoffs and be a
championship contender and if we finish first, this will be a dream come true for many of the players on the team," Team Owner Mike.
The Ballers offense had a tough time this afternoon despite putting 32 points on the board. Khari Jones, in particular, had an off day throwing 24 incompletions which included 1 interception, 4 drops and 13 pass deflections. Despite that, Khari still managed to throw for 285 yards and a 54.5 yard score to John Wilson.
"I'm pissed at myself! This wasn't the game I expected to play. Sure we won but I looked sloppy and at this point in the season, I can't be doing that. There were so many passes that I overthrew and it just snowballed into an off day. The offensive line did their job and I was still making mistakes. There is no excuse for what happened out there, I just need to shake it off and come out strong next game against Saskatoon," QB Khari Jones.
The Ballers running game got going once again amounting to 128 yards, 99 of which belonged to Jesse Lumsden and 1 touchdown score. Despite having success, the Ballers failed miserably once again in the redzone having to settle for 4 field goals within the 25 yard line and another two from 38 and 46 outs.
"It's frustrating because we work so hard to get down there and not be able to convert really changes the tone of the game. Its my job to punch it in and I wasn't able to and this isn't like its the first time, this has happened several times this season and its something we are going to have to work hard during practice on," HB Jesse Lumsden.
"It definitely changes the feel of the game. We lost out on the opportunity for another 24 points but more importantly, it gives their defense a boost knowing that they can stop us. If we put those touchdowns in, it's very demoralizing for their defense and it raises the confidence of our games. I'm working on some schemes right now and hopefully we can turn this around before it starts to hurt us," Offensive Co-Ordinator Ryan Betesta Sr.
While the offense struggled, the defense did what they do best - shut teams down! This is the 4th shutout by the stingy defense who only gave up 87 yards, 22 on the ground and 65 in the air, while picking off two passes and forcing two fumbles. The most important stat is the fact that the Ballers defense only allowed 3 first downs, forcing 14 punts and keeping the Spurs defense on the field.
"We did what we had to do and got the job done. This is nothing out of the ordinary. We average 7 points scored on a game and 35 yards rushing so its not unheard of us to go out there and kick some ass but it still feels great every time we do it," DE Speed McLovin'.
The red-hot Ballers head home to Blacksburg in hopes of continuing their winning ways against the Saskatoon Raiders who are coming off of a 26-23 loss against the Moose Island Sofa Kings. The Raiders have been having a tough time this season with a 6-6 record and will not be well received in the Ballers Bowl where the fans are as pumped up as ever. A date with Mt. Oread is on the horizon and the Ballers will need this extra game to work out any kinks before going into the rivalry game of the year.
Game Ball
It was a tough time deciding the game ball so the game ball for this game is awarded to the entire Ballers Defense. Allowing only 3 first downs and forcing 14 punts is not an easy feat. The team also combined for 1 sack, 5 hurries, 10 tackles for losses, 2 forced fumbles, 2 interceptions and 15 pass deflections. Way to go D!
Friday, July 4, 2008
Game Preview: Week #12 Sudbury Spurs @ Blacksburg Ballers
Blacksburg Ballers (11-0)
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Sudbury Spurs (2-9)
It’s time for a Wild West shootout in Sudbury as the undefeated Ballers hope to lock up a playoff spot with a victory over the 2-9 Spurs. The Spurs are once again in the middle of a struggling season after going 5-10-1 last season and have only managed 2 victories, over the winless Boston Barbarians and Los Angeles Trojans. Not exactly the momentum that they would hope for going up against the red-hot Ballers who have looked unstoppable in the past eleven weeks posting victories over Thunder Bay, Mooresville, Forumopolis, Phoenixville and the latest casualty, the Sofa Kings. With a date with the Hawk Stars on the horizon, the Ballers need to keep the fire burning and shoot the lights out against the Spurs.
The History…
The Ballers and Spurs met in season 1 and the Spurs had a tough time containing the Ballers. Evenly matched in yardage statistics, turnovers would prove to be the decisive factor as the Ballers would force two interceptions and two fumbles, one recovered by kicker Troy Westwood (http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?pbp_id=804855 ) . Dan Etheridge and Alex Casino each put in a rushing touchdown and Khari went 22 for 44 and connected with Joe Pascone for a score as the Ballers won 26-7.
Next season, similar to the first as the Ballers walked over the Spurs again, this time winning 27-6. Khari would see little success in the air going 18 of 28 for 150 yards with 0 TDs and an interception. The Ballers rushing game would take off with 160 yards on the ground including 2 scores by Alex Casino. A turnover would be costly for the Spurs as Sargent Pepper would return an interception all the way for a touchdown as the Ballers cruised to victory.
Team Stats
Blacksburg Ballers
Points Per Game: 45.7 (3rd in League)
Points Allowed Per Game: 7.3 (2nd in League)
Passing Yards Per Game: 279.4
Passing Yards Allowed Per Game: 197.1
Rushing Yards Per Game: 162.9
Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game: 35.5 (No Touchdowns Allowed)
Sudbury Spurs
Points Per Game: 8.9
Points Allowed Per Game: 28.6
Passing Yards Per Game: 152.5
Passing Yards Allowed Per Game: 200.8
Rushing Yards Per Game: 67.9
Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game: 159
Key Ballers
John Wilson
The first year Baller has been quite awesome so far this season after leaving the Moose Island Sofa Kings last season. He just finished playing against his former team and brought in 6 catches for 68 yards. This brings his total on the year to 551 yards, 1 shy of his last year total, with 7 touchdowns and has been a huge factor in the success of Khari Jones. Wilson will be looking to create some mismatches against a very shallow secondary that could see him take a few long balls all the way.
Von Tierre
Another first year Baller has played an integral part in the success of the passing game. The left offensive tackle has protected Khari’s weak side and has done a phenomenal job doing it. Tierre has recorded 73 pancakes and has barely let anyone get past him. The Spurs right defensive end is a joke and Tierre should man handle him all day long.
Speed McLovin’
The dominant defensive end has been relatively quiet this season after having a MVP season last year. This week though, he has the mismatch of the century and could be having a monster game with a few sacks.
Silent Earth
The former Gilroy Devil has been anything but silent this year recording 46 tackles, a forced fumble and 23 pass deflections. The Spurs have tried to throw the ball this season and have seen little success and Earth has the abilities to make it a very painful day for QB Scotty Snakes.
Record Watch
Jesse Lumsden is two touchdowns away from tying another of Alex Casino's records, this one for rushing touchdowns. The Ballers have proven their dominance as a pass first offense but in Lumsden could break out for a long one or could take advantage of the redzone to bring in the scores and the record.
Beast Baily is just a pass deflection away from breaking his record for pass deflections in a season but could see it happen in this game or the next. Beast is also 2 away from tying his single season interception record. Slasher Evans is also two interceptions away from tying the record.
Khari Jones is 380 yards away from breaking his single season record for passing yards and will no doubt break it this season. He could rack up 380 against the Spurs defense but the CBs are probably the only bright spot in the Spurs defense and could have something to say about this.
Las Vegas Projections
The oddmakers are calling for a blowout of epic proportions! The Ballers are slated to win this game 72-3. It is important to note that the oddsmakers called for a 26-12 Ballers victory over the Sofa Kings and was very accurate in that. The Ballers could see this kind of success but it is less likely. The oddsmakers are also calling for a rebound for Mt. Oread with a 15-12 victory over Forumopolis, and a rebound for the Sofa Kings to beat Saskatoon 24-16.
The Spurs are definitely in for the toughest challenge of the season and they need a miracle as the Ballers are too fired up for the playoffs and on track to show everyone how the west was won.
@
Sudbury Spurs (2-9)
It’s time for a Wild West shootout in Sudbury as the undefeated Ballers hope to lock up a playoff spot with a victory over the 2-9 Spurs. The Spurs are once again in the middle of a struggling season after going 5-10-1 last season and have only managed 2 victories, over the winless Boston Barbarians and Los Angeles Trojans. Not exactly the momentum that they would hope for going up against the red-hot Ballers who have looked unstoppable in the past eleven weeks posting victories over Thunder Bay, Mooresville, Forumopolis, Phoenixville and the latest casualty, the Sofa Kings. With a date with the Hawk Stars on the horizon, the Ballers need to keep the fire burning and shoot the lights out against the Spurs.
The History…
The Ballers and Spurs met in season 1 and the Spurs had a tough time containing the Ballers. Evenly matched in yardage statistics, turnovers would prove to be the decisive factor as the Ballers would force two interceptions and two fumbles, one recovered by kicker Troy Westwood (http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?pbp_id=804855 ) . Dan Etheridge and Alex Casino each put in a rushing touchdown and Khari went 22 for 44 and connected with Joe Pascone for a score as the Ballers won 26-7.
Next season, similar to the first as the Ballers walked over the Spurs again, this time winning 27-6. Khari would see little success in the air going 18 of 28 for 150 yards with 0 TDs and an interception. The Ballers rushing game would take off with 160 yards on the ground including 2 scores by Alex Casino. A turnover would be costly for the Spurs as Sargent Pepper would return an interception all the way for a touchdown as the Ballers cruised to victory.
Team Stats
Blacksburg Ballers
Points Per Game: 45.7 (3rd in League)
Points Allowed Per Game: 7.3 (2nd in League)
Passing Yards Per Game: 279.4
Passing Yards Allowed Per Game: 197.1
Rushing Yards Per Game: 162.9
Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game: 35.5 (No Touchdowns Allowed)
Sudbury Spurs
Points Per Game: 8.9
Points Allowed Per Game: 28.6
Passing Yards Per Game: 152.5
Passing Yards Allowed Per Game: 200.8
Rushing Yards Per Game: 67.9
Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game: 159
Key Ballers
John Wilson
The first year Baller has been quite awesome so far this season after leaving the Moose Island Sofa Kings last season. He just finished playing against his former team and brought in 6 catches for 68 yards. This brings his total on the year to 551 yards, 1 shy of his last year total, with 7 touchdowns and has been a huge factor in the success of Khari Jones. Wilson will be looking to create some mismatches against a very shallow secondary that could see him take a few long balls all the way.
Von Tierre
Another first year Baller has played an integral part in the success of the passing game. The left offensive tackle has protected Khari’s weak side and has done a phenomenal job doing it. Tierre has recorded 73 pancakes and has barely let anyone get past him. The Spurs right defensive end is a joke and Tierre should man handle him all day long.
Speed McLovin’
The dominant defensive end has been relatively quiet this season after having a MVP season last year. This week though, he has the mismatch of the century and could be having a monster game with a few sacks.
Silent Earth
The former Gilroy Devil has been anything but silent this year recording 46 tackles, a forced fumble and 23 pass deflections. The Spurs have tried to throw the ball this season and have seen little success and Earth has the abilities to make it a very painful day for QB Scotty Snakes.
Record Watch
Jesse Lumsden is two touchdowns away from tying another of Alex Casino's records, this one for rushing touchdowns. The Ballers have proven their dominance as a pass first offense but in Lumsden could break out for a long one or could take advantage of the redzone to bring in the scores and the record.
Beast Baily is just a pass deflection away from breaking his record for pass deflections in a season but could see it happen in this game or the next. Beast is also 2 away from tying his single season interception record. Slasher Evans is also two interceptions away from tying the record.
Khari Jones is 380 yards away from breaking his single season record for passing yards and will no doubt break it this season. He could rack up 380 against the Spurs defense but the CBs are probably the only bright spot in the Spurs defense and could have something to say about this.
Las Vegas Projections
The oddmakers are calling for a blowout of epic proportions! The Ballers are slated to win this game 72-3. It is important to note that the oddsmakers called for a 26-12 Ballers victory over the Sofa Kings and was very accurate in that. The Ballers could see this kind of success but it is less likely. The oddsmakers are also calling for a rebound for Mt. Oread with a 15-12 victory over Forumopolis, and a rebound for the Sofa Kings to beat Saskatoon 24-16.
The Spurs are definitely in for the toughest challenge of the season and they need a miracle as the Ballers are too fired up for the playoffs and on track to show everyone how the west was won.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Sofa Kings Turn into a Bunch of Couch Potatoes
BLACKSBURG (BP) – Earlier today, the Thunder Bay Storm responded after back to back losses with a decisive 31-6 victory over the Mt. Oread Hawk Stars. This put all the pressure on the Blacksburg Ballers to remain the only undefeated team and the Ballers came out and delivered like the number one team that they are. The offense was clicking once again and the defense shut them down once again as the Ballers rolled over the Sofa Kings with a very decisive 27-3 victory.
“It feels great! We’re being matched up against these top teams that people say we should fear, teams like Forumopolis and Moose Island that should’ve given us a challenge and we’re walking away victorious by 20 points or more. This season is unreal!” Offensive Co-ordinator Ryan Betesta Sr.
The Ballers started the game with a quick 3 and out followed by a 17.5 yard pitch by Jesse Lumsden. This set the tone for things to come as 4 plays later, Russell Roch pounded it in there for the score with under 4 minutes gone in the game. The Ballers offense would add another two touchdowns in the air, one to BJ and the other to Jesse Lumsden. The offense would also stutter twice in the redzone and be forced to add a pair of field goals.
“It’s frustrating. This has happened to us a lot and there is nothing more frustrating then pushing the ball all the way downfield and not being able to deliver the knockout punch. It hasn’t cost us any games this season but it has in the past and it is possible that it might. We need to deliver when we get this close,” FB Russell Roch.
The Sofa Kings offense had enough trouble of their own as they were held to 3 points and gave up two interceptions to the league leading Ballers secondary. The Ballers are also currently 2nd in the league for points allowed with 7.3 points per game allowed and have not allowed a team to score more than 18 points on them this season (28 is the all-time record for most points allowed in a game).
“Jimmy Internet has a knack for throwing interceptions to us and we made him pay for it once again,” SS Silent Earth who had an interception in Ballers territory.
Slasher Evans continued his fantastic season with an interception as well as 4 pass deflections for a team total of 22 pass deflections. The defense also brought the pressure recording 5 hurries and 4 sacks (Beasley, Pacheco, McLovin’ and Michael Young History) proving that they are dominating and holding the Sofa Kings to a field goal.
It was a completely different story for Blacksburg whose offensive line allowed no sacks and only 4 hurries. This allowed Khari Jones to complete 26 of 41 passes for 256.5 yards and the two scores. Khari did throw a pick but the ball quickly returned back to the Ballers.
“Any day I can stay on my feet is a good day. It gives me more time to see the routes and find the open receivers. I can’t thank the o-line enough for the great job that they have been doing all season,” QB Khari Jones.
The Ballers looked good and continue to silence the critics with their exceptional level of play. The next stop is Sudbury for a duel with the Spurs. The Spurs are 2-9 and only hold victories over the winless Boston Barbarians and Los Angeles Trojans. This will certainly be the biggest test for the Spurs who have to be looking for a silver lining to this season but the red-hot Ballers will probably not be the team to do it against.
Game Ball
Name: Derek Pacheco
Agent: drkryn
Stats: 47 tackles, 2 forced fumbles, 2 sacks, 5 pass deflections, 10 hurries
Key Stat: Derek has vastly improved in all stat categories in Season 3
Congratulations to Derek on receiving player of the week for week 11. Derek was all over the field today and is a key reason the defensive line was able to shut down the Sofa Kings. Derek recorded 7 tackles (1 for a loss), a sack, a hurry and 2 pass deflections.
“It feels great! We’re being matched up against these top teams that people say we should fear, teams like Forumopolis and Moose Island that should’ve given us a challenge and we’re walking away victorious by 20 points or more. This season is unreal!” Offensive Co-ordinator Ryan Betesta Sr.
The Ballers started the game with a quick 3 and out followed by a 17.5 yard pitch by Jesse Lumsden. This set the tone for things to come as 4 plays later, Russell Roch pounded it in there for the score with under 4 minutes gone in the game. The Ballers offense would add another two touchdowns in the air, one to BJ and the other to Jesse Lumsden. The offense would also stutter twice in the redzone and be forced to add a pair of field goals.
“It’s frustrating. This has happened to us a lot and there is nothing more frustrating then pushing the ball all the way downfield and not being able to deliver the knockout punch. It hasn’t cost us any games this season but it has in the past and it is possible that it might. We need to deliver when we get this close,” FB Russell Roch.
The Sofa Kings offense had enough trouble of their own as they were held to 3 points and gave up two interceptions to the league leading Ballers secondary. The Ballers are also currently 2nd in the league for points allowed with 7.3 points per game allowed and have not allowed a team to score more than 18 points on them this season (28 is the all-time record for most points allowed in a game).
“Jimmy Internet has a knack for throwing interceptions to us and we made him pay for it once again,” SS Silent Earth who had an interception in Ballers territory.
Slasher Evans continued his fantastic season with an interception as well as 4 pass deflections for a team total of 22 pass deflections. The defense also brought the pressure recording 5 hurries and 4 sacks (Beasley, Pacheco, McLovin’ and Michael Young History) proving that they are dominating and holding the Sofa Kings to a field goal.
It was a completely different story for Blacksburg whose offensive line allowed no sacks and only 4 hurries. This allowed Khari Jones to complete 26 of 41 passes for 256.5 yards and the two scores. Khari did throw a pick but the ball quickly returned back to the Ballers.
“Any day I can stay on my feet is a good day. It gives me more time to see the routes and find the open receivers. I can’t thank the o-line enough for the great job that they have been doing all season,” QB Khari Jones.
The Ballers looked good and continue to silence the critics with their exceptional level of play. The next stop is Sudbury for a duel with the Spurs. The Spurs are 2-9 and only hold victories over the winless Boston Barbarians and Los Angeles Trojans. This will certainly be the biggest test for the Spurs who have to be looking for a silver lining to this season but the red-hot Ballers will probably not be the team to do it against.
Game Ball
Name: Derek Pacheco
Agent: drkryn
Stats: 47 tackles, 2 forced fumbles, 2 sacks, 5 pass deflections, 10 hurries
Key Stat: Derek has vastly improved in all stat categories in Season 3
Congratulations to Derek on receiving player of the week for week 11. Derek was all over the field today and is a key reason the defensive line was able to shut down the Sofa Kings. Derek recorded 7 tackles (1 for a loss), a sack, a hurry and 2 pass deflections.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Ballers Pummel Forumopolis 30-10
FORUMOPOLIS (BP) -- The Blacksburg Ballers continued their impressive season with another impressive win over the Forumopolis Fighting Llamas, 30-10. This win brings the Ballers season record to 10-0 and in a tie for first in the Canadian AAA#2 Western Conference.
The game started off with a quick Ballers 14-0 lead after 4 possessions. The Fighting Llamas were unable to score on either of their 2 opening possessions, however the Ballers punched it in twice to take the lead. Both of the scores were by way of a Khari Jones touchdown pass, first to TouchdownsOnly Owens on a 15 yard strike then to Ryan Betesta on a 12.5 yard pass.
"We just came out clicking and that's what we needed to do," WR Ryan Betesta said who finished the game with an impressive 12 catches for 148 yds and a touchdown. "It makes things a whole lot easier when we can come out and get ahead first. Then it puts the other team in a bind to score while it gives us more leeway to do different things in our playbook."
Following the 2 touchdown strikes, a pair of field goals were traded on the ensuing possessions by both teams. From then on until halftime no scoring occurred.
On the opening drive of the 3rd quarter the Ballers marched down the field 58 yards for a 7.5 yd touchdown pass to John Wilson. However, the Ballers experienced a scary moment 2 drives later when Khari Jones was intercepted by Jugger Naught and was returned for a Forumopolis touchdown. That cut the score to a 2 possession game at 24-10.
But the Ballers continued to give Forumopolis trouble offensively and they were unable to score any points for the rest of the game. The Ballers notched 2 late field goals to bring the final score to 30-10.
"It was a great win, we held those guys in check all game," C Bricky Bonebreaker said who helped contain the Llamas pass rush and managed a pancake during the game. "I give a lot of respect to them as a team and certainly this is another quality win for us."
The win also brings the Ballers record to 10-0, and with only 6 games left could the Ballers go undefeated?
"We're not thinking about that right now," DT Elite Rusher said who finished with 3 tackles and a hurry. "We're here to play the game and that's it. I know it's been said about a thousand times, but you have to take these games one at a time. Anything can happen in this league and if you lose sight because you're focusing on things like that too much, you'll lose games you should have won."
The Ballers's next game is another tough test. The Moose Island Knuckle Sofa Kings will be coming to Blacksburg and although they come in at a mediocre 6-4 granted the conference they play in, they are still a very talented team and are coming off a 2 game win streak.
*************
Game Ball
Name: Ryan Betesta
Agent: rbetesta
Stats: 63 receptions, 851 yds, 7 TD's
Key Stat: For every 15.75 catches he has 1 drop
Congratulations to Ryan on receiving player of the week for week 10. His performance today was spectacular, recording 12 catches for 148 yds and a touchdown.
The game started off with a quick Ballers 14-0 lead after 4 possessions. The Fighting Llamas were unable to score on either of their 2 opening possessions, however the Ballers punched it in twice to take the lead. Both of the scores were by way of a Khari Jones touchdown pass, first to TouchdownsOnly Owens on a 15 yard strike then to Ryan Betesta on a 12.5 yard pass.
"We just came out clicking and that's what we needed to do," WR Ryan Betesta said who finished the game with an impressive 12 catches for 148 yds and a touchdown. "It makes things a whole lot easier when we can come out and get ahead first. Then it puts the other team in a bind to score while it gives us more leeway to do different things in our playbook."
Following the 2 touchdown strikes, a pair of field goals were traded on the ensuing possessions by both teams. From then on until halftime no scoring occurred.
On the opening drive of the 3rd quarter the Ballers marched down the field 58 yards for a 7.5 yd touchdown pass to John Wilson. However, the Ballers experienced a scary moment 2 drives later when Khari Jones was intercepted by Jugger Naught and was returned for a Forumopolis touchdown. That cut the score to a 2 possession game at 24-10.
But the Ballers continued to give Forumopolis trouble offensively and they were unable to score any points for the rest of the game. The Ballers notched 2 late field goals to bring the final score to 30-10.
"It was a great win, we held those guys in check all game," C Bricky Bonebreaker said who helped contain the Llamas pass rush and managed a pancake during the game. "I give a lot of respect to them as a team and certainly this is another quality win for us."
The win also brings the Ballers record to 10-0, and with only 6 games left could the Ballers go undefeated?
"We're not thinking about that right now," DT Elite Rusher said who finished with 3 tackles and a hurry. "We're here to play the game and that's it. I know it's been said about a thousand times, but you have to take these games one at a time. Anything can happen in this league and if you lose sight because you're focusing on things like that too much, you'll lose games you should have won."
The Ballers's next game is another tough test. The Moose Island Knuckle Sofa Kings will be coming to Blacksburg and although they come in at a mediocre 6-4 granted the conference they play in, they are still a very talented team and are coming off a 2 game win streak.
*************
Game Ball
Name: Ryan Betesta
Agent: rbetesta
Stats: 63 receptions, 851 yds, 7 TD's
Key Stat: For every 15.75 catches he has 1 drop
Congratulations to Ryan on receiving player of the week for week 10. His performance today was spectacular, recording 12 catches for 148 yds and a touchdown.
Game Preview: Week #12 Moose Island Sofa Kings @ Blacksburg Ballers
Moose Island Sofa Kings (6-4)
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Blacksburg Ballers (10-0)
The hits just keep on coming for the Blacksburg Ballers as they return home once again with their undefeated season still in tact. With 6 games to go, the Ballers have matched their second season total of 10 wins and are a likely candidate to host their first home playoff game. With a victory this week and either a Raiders or Anglers loss, Blacksburg will lock up a playoff spot for the third straight season. The Ballers have a tough challenge ahead of them this week as they take on the Moose Island Sofa Kings. The Sofa Kings are only 6-4 but have faced a tough opening schedule and which includes a victory over Phoenixville but losses to Thunder Bay, Forumopolis and Mt. Oread. The victory against the Kings has people talking but the losses against other top teams have the critics believing that the Sofa Kings really can't handle the top teams and this could be another easy victory for the Ballers.
The History...
The Ballers and Sofa Kings met early in season 2 and it was a defensive struggle. The Ballers held the the Sofa Kings to 88 yards in the air and forced 3 interceptions, 2 by Beast Baily, as QB Jimmy Internet completed only 44 percent of his passes. Khari Jones had his share of troubles on the offensive side of the ball throwing 32 incompletions of which 21 were deflected and 9 were dropped but managed to throw 1 touchdown when needed as the Ballers shut out the Sofa Kings 16-0.
Team Stats
Blacksburg Ballers
Points Per Game: 47.6 (3rd in League)
Points Allowed Per Game: 7.6 (3rd in League)
Passing Yards Per Game: 281.6
Passing Yards Allowed Per Game: 197.8
Rushing Yards Per Game: 167.8
Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game: 33.1 (No Touchdowns Allowed)
Moose Island Sofa Kings
Points Per Game: 38.8
Points Allowed Per Game: 11.4
Passing Yards Per Game: 239
Passing Yards Allowed Per Game: 164.2
Rushing Yards Per Game: 197.4 (1st in League)
Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game: 79.2
*The Moose Island Sofa Kings have a higher passing yards and rushing yards per game than the Forumopolis Fighting Llamas but also have give up more on defense.*
Key Ballers
Beast Baily
The Interception Machine of the past two seasons has been slightly shadowed by the outstanding performances of his fellow CBs but Baily still has the potential to break out any game and last season, he had two interceptions against the Sofa Kings and is hungry for much more. A dominating passing attack that could give the Ballers trouble, Jimmy Internet can not be taken lightly.
Speed McLovin' and the D-line
Speed McLovin' has been slightly quiet as of late but has the opportunity to make a big game out of this one. The Sofa Kings post the best rushing attack in the league but so did Thunder Bay and the Ballers had no trouble shutting down their run. These of course, are slightly skewed numbers cause the Sofa Kings put up most of those numbers against the Trojans. Don't take them lightly though, because they can break out but Speed and company are hoping to contain them. This defensive line has not allowed a rushing touchdown this season and Forumopolis had many opportunities to do so but had the door slammed in their face.
Jesse Lumsden
Now the holder of many rushing records here in Blacksburg, Jesse is really starting to come together and bringing the rushing game back to Blacksburg. Although only posting 65 yards against Forumopolis, that is higher than the average that they allowed and he had a few crucial third down conversions. Lumsden has the potential to break out at any moment and could be a difference maker in this one.
TouchdownsOnly Owens
Its not easy being #2 in a receiving corps like this but TD Owens has stepped into the spotlight on numerous occassions, including the last game where he had 4 catches for 59 yards a TD but was overshadowed by Ryan Betesta who had 148 yards receiving. Owens is a threat every time he touches the ball and is known to take the long ball to the house, posting 543.5 yards this season and 6 TDs but has an amazing 13.9 yard average on his 39 receptions.
Record Watch
Jesse Lumsden is two touchdowns away from tying another of Alex Casino's records, this one for rushing touchdowns. The Ballers have proven their dominance as a pass first offense but in Lumsden could break out for a long one or could take advantage of the redzone to bring in the scores and the record.
Beast Baily is still 6 pass deflections away from breaking his record for pass deflections in a season but could see it happen in this game or the next. Beast is also 2 away from tying his single season interceptino record.
Las Vegas Projections
The projections for this game is a 25-12 Ballers victory. The Las Vegas oddsmakers are pretty damn good at this as they predicted a 32-9 Ballers victory over Forumopolis and the final was 30-10. Other notable games include the Mt. Oread Hawk Stars projected to beat the Thunder Bay Storm, 14-13.
The Ballers look to continue their winning ways after an impressive showing against the Forumopolis Fighting Llamas that saw the offense clicking better than ever and the defense making the plays that it needed to with some big stops in the redzone. This is a matchup that they can not overlook but confidence is running high in Blacksburg and another big victory could be on the way.
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Blacksburg Ballers (10-0)
The hits just keep on coming for the Blacksburg Ballers as they return home once again with their undefeated season still in tact. With 6 games to go, the Ballers have matched their second season total of 10 wins and are a likely candidate to host their first home playoff game. With a victory this week and either a Raiders or Anglers loss, Blacksburg will lock up a playoff spot for the third straight season. The Ballers have a tough challenge ahead of them this week as they take on the Moose Island Sofa Kings. The Sofa Kings are only 6-4 but have faced a tough opening schedule and which includes a victory over Phoenixville but losses to Thunder Bay, Forumopolis and Mt. Oread. The victory against the Kings has people talking but the losses against other top teams have the critics believing that the Sofa Kings really can't handle the top teams and this could be another easy victory for the Ballers.
The History...
The Ballers and Sofa Kings met early in season 2 and it was a defensive struggle. The Ballers held the the Sofa Kings to 88 yards in the air and forced 3 interceptions, 2 by Beast Baily, as QB Jimmy Internet completed only 44 percent of his passes. Khari Jones had his share of troubles on the offensive side of the ball throwing 32 incompletions of which 21 were deflected and 9 were dropped but managed to throw 1 touchdown when needed as the Ballers shut out the Sofa Kings 16-0.
Team Stats
Blacksburg Ballers
Points Per Game: 47.6 (3rd in League)
Points Allowed Per Game: 7.6 (3rd in League)
Passing Yards Per Game: 281.6
Passing Yards Allowed Per Game: 197.8
Rushing Yards Per Game: 167.8
Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game: 33.1 (No Touchdowns Allowed)
Moose Island Sofa Kings
Points Per Game: 38.8
Points Allowed Per Game: 11.4
Passing Yards Per Game: 239
Passing Yards Allowed Per Game: 164.2
Rushing Yards Per Game: 197.4 (1st in League)
Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game: 79.2
*The Moose Island Sofa Kings have a higher passing yards and rushing yards per game than the Forumopolis Fighting Llamas but also have give up more on defense.*
Key Ballers
Beast Baily
The Interception Machine of the past two seasons has been slightly shadowed by the outstanding performances of his fellow CBs but Baily still has the potential to break out any game and last season, he had two interceptions against the Sofa Kings and is hungry for much more. A dominating passing attack that could give the Ballers trouble, Jimmy Internet can not be taken lightly.
Speed McLovin' and the D-line
Speed McLovin' has been slightly quiet as of late but has the opportunity to make a big game out of this one. The Sofa Kings post the best rushing attack in the league but so did Thunder Bay and the Ballers had no trouble shutting down their run. These of course, are slightly skewed numbers cause the Sofa Kings put up most of those numbers against the Trojans. Don't take them lightly though, because they can break out but Speed and company are hoping to contain them. This defensive line has not allowed a rushing touchdown this season and Forumopolis had many opportunities to do so but had the door slammed in their face.
Jesse Lumsden
Now the holder of many rushing records here in Blacksburg, Jesse is really starting to come together and bringing the rushing game back to Blacksburg. Although only posting 65 yards against Forumopolis, that is higher than the average that they allowed and he had a few crucial third down conversions. Lumsden has the potential to break out at any moment and could be a difference maker in this one.
TouchdownsOnly Owens
Its not easy being #2 in a receiving corps like this but TD Owens has stepped into the spotlight on numerous occassions, including the last game where he had 4 catches for 59 yards a TD but was overshadowed by Ryan Betesta who had 148 yards receiving. Owens is a threat every time he touches the ball and is known to take the long ball to the house, posting 543.5 yards this season and 6 TDs but has an amazing 13.9 yard average on his 39 receptions.
Record Watch
Jesse Lumsden is two touchdowns away from tying another of Alex Casino's records, this one for rushing touchdowns. The Ballers have proven their dominance as a pass first offense but in Lumsden could break out for a long one or could take advantage of the redzone to bring in the scores and the record.
Beast Baily is still 6 pass deflections away from breaking his record for pass deflections in a season but could see it happen in this game or the next. Beast is also 2 away from tying his single season interceptino record.
Las Vegas Projections
The projections for this game is a 25-12 Ballers victory. The Las Vegas oddsmakers are pretty damn good at this as they predicted a 32-9 Ballers victory over Forumopolis and the final was 30-10. Other notable games include the Mt. Oread Hawk Stars projected to beat the Thunder Bay Storm, 14-13.
The Ballers look to continue their winning ways after an impressive showing against the Forumopolis Fighting Llamas that saw the offense clicking better than ever and the defense making the plays that it needed to with some big stops in the redzone. This is a matchup that they can not overlook but confidence is running high in Blacksburg and another big victory could be on the way.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Betesta vows 134 yards/Ballers unveil Canada Day Jerseys
Forumopolis, CA - Today is Canada Day and it marks the 141st birthday of Canada and earlier today, Wide Receiver Ryan Betesta, a Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada native has vowed that he will get 141 receiving yards or more this afternoon.
"Today is the 141st birthday of our great nation and I am going to celebrate her with a trenmendous performance of atleast 141 yards."
The showboating wide receiver has kept his lid shut so far this season after 3 fines and an ejection in season 2 but this can be a fantastic display of athleticism if he should pull this off this afternoon.
Betesta was fined for altercations with opposing players including an incident where he spit in the opposing CBs face after a touchdown. Betesta was also fined for wearing a jersey to the matchup against the California 49ers that said Niners Suck. Betesta was also ejected later in that game for excessive taunting but the Devils still emerged victory.
Also this afternoon, the Ballers have made special Canada Day Jerseys featuring the red and white maple leaf that they will wear in honor of Canada Day.
"Today is the 141st birthday of our great nation and I am going to celebrate her with a trenmendous performance of atleast 141 yards."
The showboating wide receiver has kept his lid shut so far this season after 3 fines and an ejection in season 2 but this can be a fantastic display of athleticism if he should pull this off this afternoon.
Betesta was fined for altercations with opposing players including an incident where he spit in the opposing CBs face after a touchdown. Betesta was also fined for wearing a jersey to the matchup against the California 49ers that said Niners Suck. Betesta was also ejected later in that game for excessive taunting but the Devils still emerged victory.
Also this afternoon, the Ballers have made special Canada Day Jerseys featuring the red and white maple leaf that they will wear in honor of Canada Day.
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