Welcome, welcome! Its been a little while since we did a breakdown of a Portland Python performance, but now we can get back into it. Although Portland's season ended earlier than we wanted, we still saw a number of winners on offense, defense, and special teams for DSFL Awards. For those of you who didn't watch the event, (and side note: you should. A lot of work is put into it from the graphics, to the presentation, to the commentators), I've compiled a brief summary of Python winners and finalists for the entire night. Without further ado, lets get into it:
To get us started right, let's focus on the unsung heroes of the game. The most important phase that doesn't get the respect it deserves: Special Teams. How well did Portland do in the return and kicking game? Well, let's take a look.
Special Teams:
RETURNER OF THE YEAR - WINNER!!
Winner of this award is our very own KORBIN BROWN! Korbin was a force all year, keeping us in a lot of games and making a big impact whenever he touched the ball. He won a narrow victory over Norfolk's Rickie Vaughne, but a victory is a victory and this caps off a tremendous year for him. Congrats!
PUNTER OF THE YEAR - WINNER!!
This one was probably no doubt in Python nation, but our own BLAGO KOKOT wins here! Kokot crushed it every time he was asked, leading in numerous categories for punters. Blago absolutely dominated the competition here, finishing with twice as many votes as the second place finalist. Kokot gave us a chance to win all year, and deserves this award!
KICKER OF THE YEAR - WINNER!!
Capping off the trifecta of Special Teams awards, this one went to Portland's PSEUDO QB! Pseudo was perfect on his field goals, hitting it through the uprights every time he was called up. When the offense stalled, it was Pseudo that put some points on the board and made sure we didn't go away empty handed. Congrats to Pseudo!
Dominant. Simply dominant. When it comes to Special Teams, there's no one who does it better than Portland. Once ISFL call-ups happen, it will be interesting to see if Portland is able to retain such impact players, but even just a couple of them could set Portland up for success next season. Now, let's take a look at the defensive side of the ball:
Defense:
SAFETY OF THE YEAR - WINNER!!
Who else for this award but our own JOEL DRAKE! Drake was the veteran that anchored an otherwise incredibly young defense for Portland. He wins his award by a single vote, but a win is a win and much deserved for this Python veteran. If this is Drake's final season with Portland, he goes out in style and will be much be missed, but will surely excel at the next level.
LINEBACKER OF THE YEAR - Finalist
Although he was a late addition to our team, BRACH THOMASLACHER was immediately an impact player for the Pythons. A tackle and turnover machine, Brach made a number of important plays all season long and walked away with a few game balls. Although his time on Portland might be brief, he left some vivid memories for all of us. He didn't win LBOTY, but he won our hearts.
DEFENSIVE TACKLE OF THE YEAR - Finalist
Our first finalist who was a true rookie, our own ANGELO CERILLI was a finalist for this award, coming in second! Let's be honest, this one was Goat Tank's to lose, but don't sleep on Angelo, who made a big impression in only his rookie season. All eyes will be on him in future seasons to see if he can capture this award, but he's well on his way! Portland will look to him to help anchor that defensive line in his hopeful sophomore season.
DEFENSE END OF THE YEAR - Finalist
In a crowded category, ETRIGAN T. SLAYER found himself a finalist for this award! Etrigan was a consistent, dominant force for us. Between setting the edge and contributing some forced fumbles, Etrigan helped anchor a defensive front that improved as the year went on. Here is to hoping that Slayer joins us next season on the line to continue his domination.
Young and talented, the Portland defense still has some room to grow next season. Drake was dominant, and it will require Portland players to step up if they want to try and fill his shoes. Fortunately, Portland has some young talent on offense as well that was highlighted.
Offense:
OFFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE YEAR - Finalist
Another rookie award finalist, or leader on the line CHUCK ROTH found himself a finalist for this award! Roth was second in the league in pancakes, and found himself second in the voting for the award. Chuck was the most dependable force on the line, opening holes for our running backs and keeping Howitzer mostly upright all year. He'll have a good shot to capture this award next season if he isn't already called up by his future ISFL team.
TIGHT END OF THE YEAR - Finalist
A veteran of the Pythons, the Portland finalist for this award is NICK MARKSMAN! Marksman was critical all year for the Pythons, particularly in the early section of the schedule when Portland was still young and going through growing pains. Always dependable and a major piece of the passing and running attack, Nick has left his mark on Portland.
WIDE RECEIVER OF THE YEAR - Finalist
Robbed. ROBBED! Already an award winner, KORBIN BROWN was a finalist for this award, coming in second! Either the clear leader, or just behind, in the passing attack all season, there is no question that Portland would not have made the playoffs without the contributions of this receiver. He leaves behind an indelible legacy and some big shoes to fill for Portland.
QUARTERBACK OF THE YEAR - WINNER!!
I mean, was there any doubt? Veteran and captain SAM HOWITZER was the best quarterback in the DSFL this season and it wasn't even close. Scoring more than two times more votes than the poor dude who came in second, Howitzer took a young Portland team and, with a few veterans, made them a playoff team. He may be on his way to New York, but he'll always have a home here in Portland.
Offensively, Portland had a slow start to the year but only grew stronger as time wore on. Behind the veteran leadership and dynamite arm of Howitzer, Portland was able to put together a strong offensive campaign. But was it good enough to win some of the special awards? Let's take a look.
Special Awards:
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Finalists
Well, we had two Pythons nominated for this award but we fell just short. Both KORBIN BROWN and SAM HOWITZER were nominated for this award, but lost out to the tremendous year of Zoe Watts. Don't feel too bad for both of these guys, who took home some hardware elsewhere but its great to see the Committee recognize the tremendous seasons by both these Pythons.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Finalist
Another tough award for Portland, as there were a number of very strong defensive players and performances all year. JOEL DRAKE was a finalist here, losing out to Tijuana's Adam Schell, however not without capturing some votes of his own. Drake has had a tremendous year for Portland and has hardware of his own, but at least the Committee saw his strong year and gave him a shout out.
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER - WINNER!!
What. A. Beast. Who else, but your boy SAM HOWITZER for MVP! Dude didn't just win, he dominated the competition and finished as the clear pick for Most Valuable Player this season. And who can disagree? When the Pythons won, it was usually through the arm of Howitzer. And when Portland didn't pull it out, Howitzer at least gave them a chance. Both on and off the field, Sam was a pillar of this team and he will always be a favorite son of Portland, no matter where he finds himself in his career.
And there you have it folks! Sam Howitzer is your DSFL MVP, and was one of a host of Pythons that won some hardware or were at least recognized for their year. Not all these names will be back next year, but they all leave their mark on Portland and Python nation. However, that isn't the end to the festivities. Stop by the Portland locker room on Discord tomorrow night and the next few days to see some Portland-specific awards and highlights as S24 comes to a close. Thanks to all our players and the folks around the league for another fun season and lets all get ready for S26!
To get us started right, let's focus on the unsung heroes of the game. The most important phase that doesn't get the respect it deserves: Special Teams. How well did Portland do in the return and kicking game? Well, let's take a look.
Special Teams:
RETURNER OF THE YEAR - WINNER!!
Winner of this award is our very own KORBIN BROWN! Korbin was a force all year, keeping us in a lot of games and making a big impact whenever he touched the ball. He won a narrow victory over Norfolk's Rickie Vaughne, but a victory is a victory and this caps off a tremendous year for him. Congrats!
PUNTER OF THE YEAR - WINNER!!
This one was probably no doubt in Python nation, but our own BLAGO KOKOT wins here! Kokot crushed it every time he was asked, leading in numerous categories for punters. Blago absolutely dominated the competition here, finishing with twice as many votes as the second place finalist. Kokot gave us a chance to win all year, and deserves this award!
KICKER OF THE YEAR - WINNER!!
Capping off the trifecta of Special Teams awards, this one went to Portland's PSEUDO QB! Pseudo was perfect on his field goals, hitting it through the uprights every time he was called up. When the offense stalled, it was Pseudo that put some points on the board and made sure we didn't go away empty handed. Congrats to Pseudo!
Dominant. Simply dominant. When it comes to Special Teams, there's no one who does it better than Portland. Once ISFL call-ups happen, it will be interesting to see if Portland is able to retain such impact players, but even just a couple of them could set Portland up for success next season. Now, let's take a look at the defensive side of the ball:
Defense:
SAFETY OF THE YEAR - WINNER!!
Who else for this award but our own JOEL DRAKE! Drake was the veteran that anchored an otherwise incredibly young defense for Portland. He wins his award by a single vote, but a win is a win and much deserved for this Python veteran. If this is Drake's final season with Portland, he goes out in style and will be much be missed, but will surely excel at the next level.
LINEBACKER OF THE YEAR - Finalist
Although he was a late addition to our team, BRACH THOMASLACHER was immediately an impact player for the Pythons. A tackle and turnover machine, Brach made a number of important plays all season long and walked away with a few game balls. Although his time on Portland might be brief, he left some vivid memories for all of us. He didn't win LBOTY, but he won our hearts.
DEFENSIVE TACKLE OF THE YEAR - Finalist
Our first finalist who was a true rookie, our own ANGELO CERILLI was a finalist for this award, coming in second! Let's be honest, this one was Goat Tank's to lose, but don't sleep on Angelo, who made a big impression in only his rookie season. All eyes will be on him in future seasons to see if he can capture this award, but he's well on his way! Portland will look to him to help anchor that defensive line in his hopeful sophomore season.
DEFENSE END OF THE YEAR - Finalist
In a crowded category, ETRIGAN T. SLAYER found himself a finalist for this award! Etrigan was a consistent, dominant force for us. Between setting the edge and contributing some forced fumbles, Etrigan helped anchor a defensive front that improved as the year went on. Here is to hoping that Slayer joins us next season on the line to continue his domination.
Young and talented, the Portland defense still has some room to grow next season. Drake was dominant, and it will require Portland players to step up if they want to try and fill his shoes. Fortunately, Portland has some young talent on offense as well that was highlighted.
Offense:
OFFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE YEAR - Finalist
Another rookie award finalist, or leader on the line CHUCK ROTH found himself a finalist for this award! Roth was second in the league in pancakes, and found himself second in the voting for the award. Chuck was the most dependable force on the line, opening holes for our running backs and keeping Howitzer mostly upright all year. He'll have a good shot to capture this award next season if he isn't already called up by his future ISFL team.
TIGHT END OF THE YEAR - Finalist
A veteran of the Pythons, the Portland finalist for this award is NICK MARKSMAN! Marksman was critical all year for the Pythons, particularly in the early section of the schedule when Portland was still young and going through growing pains. Always dependable and a major piece of the passing and running attack, Nick has left his mark on Portland.
WIDE RECEIVER OF THE YEAR - Finalist
Robbed. ROBBED! Already an award winner, KORBIN BROWN was a finalist for this award, coming in second! Either the clear leader, or just behind, in the passing attack all season, there is no question that Portland would not have made the playoffs without the contributions of this receiver. He leaves behind an indelible legacy and some big shoes to fill for Portland.
QUARTERBACK OF THE YEAR - WINNER!!
I mean, was there any doubt? Veteran and captain SAM HOWITZER was the best quarterback in the DSFL this season and it wasn't even close. Scoring more than two times more votes than the poor dude who came in second, Howitzer took a young Portland team and, with a few veterans, made them a playoff team. He may be on his way to New York, but he'll always have a home here in Portland.
Offensively, Portland had a slow start to the year but only grew stronger as time wore on. Behind the veteran leadership and dynamite arm of Howitzer, Portland was able to put together a strong offensive campaign. But was it good enough to win some of the special awards? Let's take a look.
Special Awards:
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Finalists
Well, we had two Pythons nominated for this award but we fell just short. Both KORBIN BROWN and SAM HOWITZER were nominated for this award, but lost out to the tremendous year of Zoe Watts. Don't feel too bad for both of these guys, who took home some hardware elsewhere but its great to see the Committee recognize the tremendous seasons by both these Pythons.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Finalist
Another tough award for Portland, as there were a number of very strong defensive players and performances all year. JOEL DRAKE was a finalist here, losing out to Tijuana's Adam Schell, however not without capturing some votes of his own. Drake has had a tremendous year for Portland and has hardware of his own, but at least the Committee saw his strong year and gave him a shout out.
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER - WINNER!!
What. A. Beast. Who else, but your boy SAM HOWITZER for MVP! Dude didn't just win, he dominated the competition and finished as the clear pick for Most Valuable Player this season. And who can disagree? When the Pythons won, it was usually through the arm of Howitzer. And when Portland didn't pull it out, Howitzer at least gave them a chance. Both on and off the field, Sam was a pillar of this team and he will always be a favorite son of Portland, no matter where he finds himself in his career.
And there you have it folks! Sam Howitzer is your DSFL MVP, and was one of a host of Pythons that won some hardware or were at least recognized for their year. Not all these names will be back next year, but they all leave their mark on Portland and Python nation. However, that isn't the end to the festivities. Stop by the Portland locker room on Discord tomorrow night and the next few days to see some Portland-specific awards and highlights as S24 comes to a close. Thanks to all our players and the folks around the league for another fun season and lets all get ready for S26!
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