The Portland Pythons, when I was claimed off of waivers, were not viewed as the strongest of DSFL squads. I remember it being said that it was disappointing that I wouldn't be able to enjoy a deep playoff run with the squad immediately after they got me with their first waiver pick.
Well, that didn't exactly turn out the way that they expected, did it?
The Portland Pythons were dominant down the stretch, and throughout the entire year overall, of that S6 season, with our great front office and a few quality studs on the field, we made the playoffs, even if it wasn't quite enough to win it all that year.
But that wasn't where it ended. We had multiple players drafted in that year's NSFL draft, and most of us stayed behind in Portland, not only to continue to hone our skills, but to win that elusive Ultimini. Mason Brown, at linebacker, Mark Grau at wideout, Cole McCoy, our quarterback, William H. Harrison, our free safety, they were all key cogs in our championship squad, as well as a couple of rookies in defensive tackle James Brown and defensive end Young Spaghetti. After that disappointing loss in the first round last year, a playoff loss that put a damper on an otherwise impressive 10-4 campaign, we took the DSFL by storm in S7. We led the league in passing yards and sacks, tied for the lead in interceptions, and were second in pass deflections, rushing yards, and rushing touchdowns.
With all of this, a dominant run resulted in a 12-2 year, making us the best team in the DSFL regular season, both in S7 and ever. But we wanted more, of course. In our first playoff matchup, one that came against Kansas City, we were somewhat worried. We'd had a couple of tough match ups against this Coyotes squad earlier in the year, one that we had lost, and now they were our first opponent in a game that everyone was calling the real DSFL Ultimini. The matchup lived up to its hype, with the Coyotes jumping out a 13-3 lead in the first half that had us all on our heels. It wasn't something that we were used to, being as solid of a football team as we were. but we weren't going to stop now. Just because we were used to rolling through competition didn't mean that we would bend a knee once presented with a deficit.
The second half was all Pythons, we put up a 16-0 point differential to win a stunner 19-13, and stop one of, potentially, the biggest upsets in DSFL playoff history.
Against the Luchadores, we were once again the favorites, and while that Ultimini wasn't nearly as suspenseful for the most part, the fourth quarter had us on edge, with the Luchadores tying it up late on a field goal after a goal-line stand from the defense. But our offense had been sputtering on the past few drives, and all of the momentum seemed to be on the side of that other team.
Fortunately, that man, Mark Grau, our star receiver, made the biggest play of our entire season, bolting past the Luchadores coverage for a 37-yard, wide open touchdown pass that sealed the win for our squad. The rest of the game was nothing but a formality, as, after that, it was all over but the shouting.
With that win, we had secured our spot as the best DSFL team ever, and gotten our championship win, to boot. Nothing could have made that season, or my time, personally, with the organization feel any more fulfilling.
It was one hell of a ride, Portland.
Well, that didn't exactly turn out the way that they expected, did it?
The Portland Pythons were dominant down the stretch, and throughout the entire year overall, of that S6 season, with our great front office and a few quality studs on the field, we made the playoffs, even if it wasn't quite enough to win it all that year.
But that wasn't where it ended. We had multiple players drafted in that year's NSFL draft, and most of us stayed behind in Portland, not only to continue to hone our skills, but to win that elusive Ultimini. Mason Brown, at linebacker, Mark Grau at wideout, Cole McCoy, our quarterback, William H. Harrison, our free safety, they were all key cogs in our championship squad, as well as a couple of rookies in defensive tackle James Brown and defensive end Young Spaghetti. After that disappointing loss in the first round last year, a playoff loss that put a damper on an otherwise impressive 10-4 campaign, we took the DSFL by storm in S7. We led the league in passing yards and sacks, tied for the lead in interceptions, and were second in pass deflections, rushing yards, and rushing touchdowns.
With all of this, a dominant run resulted in a 12-2 year, making us the best team in the DSFL regular season, both in S7 and ever. But we wanted more, of course. In our first playoff matchup, one that came against Kansas City, we were somewhat worried. We'd had a couple of tough match ups against this Coyotes squad earlier in the year, one that we had lost, and now they were our first opponent in a game that everyone was calling the real DSFL Ultimini. The matchup lived up to its hype, with the Coyotes jumping out a 13-3 lead in the first half that had us all on our heels. It wasn't something that we were used to, being as solid of a football team as we were. but we weren't going to stop now. Just because we were used to rolling through competition didn't mean that we would bend a knee once presented with a deficit.
The second half was all Pythons, we put up a 16-0 point differential to win a stunner 19-13, and stop one of, potentially, the biggest upsets in DSFL playoff history.
Against the Luchadores, we were once again the favorites, and while that Ultimini wasn't nearly as suspenseful for the most part, the fourth quarter had us on edge, with the Luchadores tying it up late on a field goal after a goal-line stand from the defense. But our offense had been sputtering on the past few drives, and all of the momentum seemed to be on the side of that other team.
Fortunately, that man, Mark Grau, our star receiver, made the biggest play of our entire season, bolting past the Luchadores coverage for a 37-yard, wide open touchdown pass that sealed the win for our squad. The rest of the game was nothing but a formality, as, after that, it was all over but the shouting.
With that win, we had secured our spot as the best DSFL team ever, and gotten our championship win, to boot. Nothing could have made that season, or my time, personally, with the organization feel any more fulfilling.
It was one hell of a ride, Portland.
[div align=center][SELECT style="background-color:black; color:cyan; font-family:Arial; font-size: 12px; width: 400px; "][br][OPTION]Zach Skinner || DE #94||Yellowknife Wraiths|| peak 544 TPE
[OPTION]Info: 6'5", 300 lb, born in Memphis, Tennessee
[OPTION]DSFL: Portland Pythons, Waivers, S6-S7
[OPTION]NSFL: Yellowknife Wraiths, 2nd Round Selection, S8-present
[OPTION]===========================================
[OPTION]Carrer Stats: 332 Tackles | 38 TFL | 50 Sacks |
[OPTION]S6, POR: 7 Tackles | 2 TFL | 0 sacks | Playoffs: 6 Tackles | 3 TFL | 1 Sack
[OPTION]S7, POR: 31 Tackles | 12 TFL | 4 Sacks | Playoffs: 3 Tackles | 2 Sacks
[OPTION]S8, YKW: 27 Tackles | 2 TFL | 4 Sacks | Playoffs: 3 Tackles
[OPTION]S9, YKW: 27 Tackles | 7 TFL | 5 Sacks | 1 FF/1 FR
[OPTION]S10, YKW: 27 Tackles| 10 TFL | 5 Sacks
[OPTION]S11, YKW: 25 tackles| 6 TFL | 4 Sacks
[OPTION]S12, YKW: 42 tackles | 0 TFL | 6 Sacks | 1 FF
[OPTION]S13, YKW: 46 tackles | 0 TFL | 11 Sacks | 0 FF
[OPTION]S14, YKW: 48 tackles | 0 TFL | 7 Sacks | 0 FF
[OPTION]S15, YKW: 51 tackles | 0 TFL | 7 Sacks | 0 FF
[OPTION]S15, YKW: 24 tackles | 4 TFL | 0 Sacks | 0 FF
[OPTION]S16, YKW: 22 tackles | 9 TFL | 1 Sack | 1 FF
[OPTION]===========================================
[OPTION]Trophy Case:
[OPTION] S7 Ultimini Champion, S8 Ultimus Champion, S13 Pro Bowl, S13 Tied for 2nd in sacks lead