Week 3 CDFL Recap
By John Kelly
Coming into Week 3 of CDFL action two storylines surrounded both regular season finales. Rockland and Westchester came in search of their first victory while the Bears and the Spirit duked it out for the league’s top seed. At the end of the day one team remained winless and the other would finish the season unscathed. Amongst the thunderstorms that delayed the first game and the jawing that ensued in the second both games provided an extensive evaluation going into the playoffs. Unlike a defensive dominated second week, this week rekindled the excitement that surrounded the opening week. Anthony Carillo ended the first half with a miraculous TD pass and the Spirit drive provided an exciting finish to the evening on.
Rattlers pound Nighthawks For Their First Win of the Season
What a difference a week makes. Head coach Jim Wright returned to the sidelines and finally saw his team play up to expectations.
Rockland scored on their opening possession and added thirteen points off Nighthawk turnovers en route to 26-6 victory.
After taking the kickoff to their own 30, the Rattlers drove down the field aided by a pass interference call. Colin Doyle made two first down throws and Robbins Mondesir, and Mike Grey took the ball to the Nighthawks 3 where Anthony Turner punched it in for the touchdown.
After the second Nighthawk three and out, Rockland drove it to the Westchester 32 and then kicker Lawrence Coe booted a 42 yard field goal to extend Rockland’s lead to 10-0. Coe hit 2 of 3 field goals on the afternoon.
Westchester struggled with the Center to Quarterback exchange all day and eventually it cost them. After a three and out on the Nighthawks second drive, a 4th down snap sailed over Punter Mike Gretti’s head and into the end zone. CJ Desomma fell on it for a 17-0 Rockland lead.
“That play was the difference in the game,” said Coach Tim Bult. “We had made changes on our line and had an inexperienced center snapping the ball and in turn it threw off our rhythm.”
“Those thirteen points were a major difference maker out there,” said Defensive Coordinator McDonald.
After a first half of horrors came to a close Anthony Carillo went to his bag of tricks and delivered the leagues best play to this moment. After a horrible snap, Carillo evaded 4 rushers and fired a jump ball into the left corner of the end zone.
It caromed off two Rattler defenders and softly fell into the hands of Malcolm Lee cutting the Rattler lead to 17-6.
“It was a hell of a play by Anthony,” said Head Coach Tim Bult. “He stuck with it after everything broke down”.
That phenomenal play gave the Nighthawks hope with the ball in the second half but it proved to be short lived as Mike Grey picked off Carillo on a third and long returning it to the Nighthawk six.
A severe weather delay had little effect on the Rattlers momentum and they converted the turnover into three points on a chip shot field goal by Lawrence Coe.
Westchester went to work on the following drive and Anthony Turner provided the icing on the cake with his 25 yard interception return for a TD to give the Rattlers a comfortable 26-6 lead.
“We focused in on Willie Calhoun all day and Anthony took that responsibility and shut him down,” said Defense Coordinator McDonald. “He blanked Calhoun all day then eventually jumped the route and took it back for the score.”
Colin Doyle by far played his best game thus far despite not throwing a TD. He looked off of his favorite target Lynell Suggs and moved the Rattlers down field by hitting Chris Kears and Jonathan Coppage both in the seam.
“That was the game plan all along,” said Head Coach Jim Wright. “We looked off Lynell Suggs anticipating that he would receive double coverage and in turn that left Chris and Jonathon open all afternoon.”
After scoring thirteen points in their first contest, Westchester has only scored seven in their last two and will have to face the top seeded Bears in the playoffs. The Rattlers will have a chance for revenge as they play the second seeded Spirit.
Goal Line Stand Keeps Bears Undefeated
The Bears have jabbed for weeks about being the best defense in CDFL. On Sunday night they backed it up with a goal line stand late in the fourth quarter to hold off the Spirit 14-7.
“I told you we had the best defense in the league and both lines played huge,” said Quarterback Mike Fernandez. “O-line opened holes for me and Marcus and D-line contained Tyrone Landrum.”
It did not take long for the Bears to strike. Following a three and out on the Spirit’s opening possession, Terrell Burnett a punt back 76-yards to the house after alluding several tacklers. It was Burnett’s third kick return of the season and his first via punt.
“Once I got the ball and broke the tackles I saw green in front of me and the rest is history,” said Burnett.
The Spirit went to work on their second drive and on third down Ty Landrum forced it into double coverage and Bear Corner Trent Small came away with the Interception.
The Spirit did not let the Bears cash in and ended up trailing the game 6-0 at the break.
Turnovers played another key part in this game. After a fumbled exchange by Ty Landrum and Jordan Polite, the Bears offense was back in business and striking quickly.
Mike Fernandez rolled out and saw his right side covered and then dashed to the open field on his left from 23-yards out. Rueben Kearse converted the two point play on an iso play and putting the Bears up 14-0.
“I rolled out right on the X-fade and saw nothing,” said Fernandez. “Then in the left corner of my eye I saw that the whole left side of the field was empty and I took off and ran it in.”
Excessive trash talking and unsportsmanlike penalties led CEO George St. Lawrence to stop the game in the middle of the third quarter to talk it over with each team. This marked the first game where tempers flared from both sides.
Coach Landrum Sr. believes it was an emotionally charged game before both teams got on the field. He also feels the jabbering took his guys out of their game.
“This game was a major statement game to prove who is the top team in the CDFL and no doubt the trash talking and the tempers were building up even before we got here,” said Landrum. “I think it affected our team’s focus from the opening kickoff”.
Whenever the Spirit need a play Ty Landrum always seems to deliver. He didn’t disappoint using his elusiveness and athleticism to get the magic bean down the field to Jermaine Thomas for 60 yards cutting the deficit to 14-7.
“Ty was flushed as usual and then rolled kept his eyes downfield and Jermaine broke free behind the D and he found him,” said Landrum Sr.
After neither team could get it going in the early stages of the fourth quarter the Spirit were able to mount on last offensive late on 40 yard Ty Landrum run deep into Bears Territory.
Landrum sustained a minor injury after the play and Bobby Mangano had to take the reins on the next snap. He was oblivious to the clock and took the ball to the Bears ten where the Spirit had 4.5 seconds left.
That mistake might have given Orange another shot to tie the game but instead Ty Landrum’s desperation heave into the back of the end zone was knocked down by Bryant Illenberg keeping the Bears undefeated.
The top seeded Bears will take their undefeated record into Sunday’s playoffs against the winless Nighthawks. The Spirit will take on the Rattlers. Both the Bears and Spirit won the previous meetings with the two.
