Listen, it’s late at night again, no surprise there, but this time, I’m not as tired because i took a 2 hour nap somehow. Yeah, it was supposed to be a 30 minute power nap, but it ended up turning into a powerful nap instead. I don’t know if you guys watched week 1 of the ISFL, but there were some crazy games including 2 OT games and some crazy action packed games. I have 2 games that I want to review, so I can make up for the one that I missed a while back and truly keep this series daily. Let’s see if I still have the motivation to write another game review after this first one.
Welcome back to the 3 people reading this series completely, I love you and appreciate you, but if I’m being honest I’m not writing this for the people but rather for the money, and tonight I have some good games prepared. I wanted to review a key playoff game, and I thought, what better to start us off than the S4 conference championship. The 7-7 Liberty traveled to Yellowknife to try and beat them for a chance to play in the Ultimus. I don’t know what it is about me, but I just love putting the Wraiths in here for some reason. They always play in these close games. Without further ado, let’s get started.
Philly starts out with the ball, and rushes 3 straight times and converts a 3rd and 3. An incomplete pass, a short scramble and a dropped pass would lead to the first punt of the game. The Wraiths really wanted to run the ball down Philly’s throat, but first Akselsen completed a 17 yard pass, in which they rewarded him by handing the ball off 4 times in a row to Nuck. Nuck fumbled on the 4th rush and the Liberty got the ball back at their own 39 yard line. A 3rd and 5 coming up, Rove completes a clutch pass to convert and keep the drive alive. On a 3rd and 10, Rove completes a slant to North who gets tackled 4 yards short of the marker. It’s 4th and 4 on the YKW 32 and instead of kicking the FG, they decide to go for it. They do a fake WR screen into a handoff, and they rush for 8 yards and convert. Rove finds DiMirio in the endzone on a post route the next play and Philly is up 7-0. A 26 yard pass by Akselsen + a good return by Lavelle sets up the Wraiths in good position, but penalties and short runs stuff the drive and they kick a FG. It’s 7-3. On Philly’s next drive, Rove completes back to back passes totaling 51 yards. 3 great rushes sets them up 7 yards from the endzone and a pass and a HB dive later, they score and go up 14-3. The Wraiths decide to let Akselsen do what he does best, but 2 plays later it’s a 3rd and 6, but Akselsen finds Jarden for 26 yards. A Liberty penalty assists them, but short plays stall the drive out and they are forced to punt. Philly gets gifted with an unnecessary roughness penalty on the Wraiths on their first play, but a 11 yard sack sets them back too much and they go 3 and out with 8 minutes left in the 2nd quarter. 2 Wraiths penalties on their next drive stalls it out and they have to punt. Some great rushes end up setting a 3rd and 21 up as they get called for a penalty. Rove throws the easy checkdown to North who jukes out multiple defenders and dives and manages to get exactly 21 yards. A couple plays later, it’s 3rd and 16, and Rove finds DiMirio and he manages to shake off the initial defender but gets tripped up and can only get 13 yards, and they have to settle for a FG at the YKW 11 with 2 minutes left to go. They are up 17-3 now. A sack on the Wraiths next drive stalls it out and they end up punting soon and that takes us to the half.
The Wraiths open up nicely in the 2nd half with a 28 yard completion from Akselsen on their 2nd play, but 2 pass deflections from the Philly secondary would force a punt. A sack by a DE on a 3rd and 1 would force PHI to punt at their own 43 yard line, and many are wondering why they didn’t just run it in that situation. Back to back Wraiths penalties set up a 1st and 20, but Akselsen finds Law open for 19 yards. 2nd and 1 comes up, and Kennedy rushes up the middle and coughs it up, and the Philly defense recovers at the YKW 33 yard line. Rove completes for 5 yards. It’s 2nd and 5 at the YKW 28 yard line with 23 minutes left in the game. Philly is up 2 touchdowns and wants to add onto that. YKW defense would need to come up with a clutch play on this drive if they wanted a chance to win. Eldur Gustavsson sacked Rove for 11 yards, knocking them out of FG range and forcing a punt. A clutch sack by Marmeladov on 3rd and 6 forces the Wraiths to punt, but another sack by Gustavsson forces Philly to punt right back to the Wraiths. They go 3 and out and give it back to Philly with under 4 minutes left in the 3rd quarter, down 2 touchdowns. Philly goes 3 and out. The Wraiths rush it 5 times in a row and are faced with a 4th and 1 at their own 44 yard line. They run outside and get 9 yards to convert. Akselsen throws 5 consecutive completions en route to a TD. They score and make it 17-10 with 13 minutes left in the game. Rove throws an interception on the next drive to Lavelle, but the Philly D holds strong, forcing them to kick a FG, making the score 17-13. Philly is unable to do anything on offense the next drive and go 3 and out. YKW gets great field position and a 30 yard pass + penalty set up an easy 3 yard TD pass for Akselsen as YKW takes their first lead of the game, 20-17. Oles gets a great return for Philly, and 3 big plays later, they are at the YKW 25 yard line, down 3 points with 5 and a half minutes left to play. Rove gets a big completion to DiMirio for 19 yards but a sack sets them back. Back to back plays with penalties on both teams set up a 1st and goal from the YKW 8. Lavelle breaks up the first pass from Rove. Rove throws an off target pass the 2nd time. The 3rd pass, North drops the ball in the endzone and they have to settle for a FG, tying the game at 20-20 with 3 mins left to go. The Wraiths go 3 and out on their next drive and give Philly 2 mins to go win the game. Philly manages to drive 55 yards down the field but terrible clock management and field position ensures this game goes to overtime.
The Wraiths bring out their best offense of the game for overtime, only having one play go for less than 3 yards all drive. They convert a 3rd and 3 on a drive in which is topped off by a 5 yard TD pass by Akselsen to Nuck, as the Wraiths win 26-20 and advance to the Ultimus in overtime.
What a nice and fun game to review. The Wraiths always have these awesome comebacks. I think I have the motivation and energy to write another game review.
Welcome back to the 3 people reading this series completely, I love you and appreciate you, but if I’m being honest I’m not writing this for the people but rather for the money, and tonight I have some good games prepared. I wanted to review a key playoff game, and I thought, what better to start us off than the S4 conference championship. The 7-7 Liberty traveled to Yellowknife to try and beat them for a chance to play in the Ultimus. I don’t know what it is about me, but I just love putting the Wraiths in here for some reason. They always play in these close games. Without further ado, let’s get started.
Philly starts out with the ball, and rushes 3 straight times and converts a 3rd and 3. An incomplete pass, a short scramble and a dropped pass would lead to the first punt of the game. The Wraiths really wanted to run the ball down Philly’s throat, but first Akselsen completed a 17 yard pass, in which they rewarded him by handing the ball off 4 times in a row to Nuck. Nuck fumbled on the 4th rush and the Liberty got the ball back at their own 39 yard line. A 3rd and 5 coming up, Rove completes a clutch pass to convert and keep the drive alive. On a 3rd and 10, Rove completes a slant to North who gets tackled 4 yards short of the marker. It’s 4th and 4 on the YKW 32 and instead of kicking the FG, they decide to go for it. They do a fake WR screen into a handoff, and they rush for 8 yards and convert. Rove finds DiMirio in the endzone on a post route the next play and Philly is up 7-0. A 26 yard pass by Akselsen + a good return by Lavelle sets up the Wraiths in good position, but penalties and short runs stuff the drive and they kick a FG. It’s 7-3. On Philly’s next drive, Rove completes back to back passes totaling 51 yards. 3 great rushes sets them up 7 yards from the endzone and a pass and a HB dive later, they score and go up 14-3. The Wraiths decide to let Akselsen do what he does best, but 2 plays later it’s a 3rd and 6, but Akselsen finds Jarden for 26 yards. A Liberty penalty assists them, but short plays stall the drive out and they are forced to punt. Philly gets gifted with an unnecessary roughness penalty on the Wraiths on their first play, but a 11 yard sack sets them back too much and they go 3 and out with 8 minutes left in the 2nd quarter. 2 Wraiths penalties on their next drive stalls it out and they have to punt. Some great rushes end up setting a 3rd and 21 up as they get called for a penalty. Rove throws the easy checkdown to North who jukes out multiple defenders and dives and manages to get exactly 21 yards. A couple plays later, it’s 3rd and 16, and Rove finds DiMirio and he manages to shake off the initial defender but gets tripped up and can only get 13 yards, and they have to settle for a FG at the YKW 11 with 2 minutes left to go. They are up 17-3 now. A sack on the Wraiths next drive stalls it out and they end up punting soon and that takes us to the half.
The Wraiths open up nicely in the 2nd half with a 28 yard completion from Akselsen on their 2nd play, but 2 pass deflections from the Philly secondary would force a punt. A sack by a DE on a 3rd and 1 would force PHI to punt at their own 43 yard line, and many are wondering why they didn’t just run it in that situation. Back to back Wraiths penalties set up a 1st and 20, but Akselsen finds Law open for 19 yards. 2nd and 1 comes up, and Kennedy rushes up the middle and coughs it up, and the Philly defense recovers at the YKW 33 yard line. Rove completes for 5 yards. It’s 2nd and 5 at the YKW 28 yard line with 23 minutes left in the game. Philly is up 2 touchdowns and wants to add onto that. YKW defense would need to come up with a clutch play on this drive if they wanted a chance to win. Eldur Gustavsson sacked Rove for 11 yards, knocking them out of FG range and forcing a punt. A clutch sack by Marmeladov on 3rd and 6 forces the Wraiths to punt, but another sack by Gustavsson forces Philly to punt right back to the Wraiths. They go 3 and out and give it back to Philly with under 4 minutes left in the 3rd quarter, down 2 touchdowns. Philly goes 3 and out. The Wraiths rush it 5 times in a row and are faced with a 4th and 1 at their own 44 yard line. They run outside and get 9 yards to convert. Akselsen throws 5 consecutive completions en route to a TD. They score and make it 17-10 with 13 minutes left in the game. Rove throws an interception on the next drive to Lavelle, but the Philly D holds strong, forcing them to kick a FG, making the score 17-13. Philly is unable to do anything on offense the next drive and go 3 and out. YKW gets great field position and a 30 yard pass + penalty set up an easy 3 yard TD pass for Akselsen as YKW takes their first lead of the game, 20-17. Oles gets a great return for Philly, and 3 big plays later, they are at the YKW 25 yard line, down 3 points with 5 and a half minutes left to play. Rove gets a big completion to DiMirio for 19 yards but a sack sets them back. Back to back plays with penalties on both teams set up a 1st and goal from the YKW 8. Lavelle breaks up the first pass from Rove. Rove throws an off target pass the 2nd time. The 3rd pass, North drops the ball in the endzone and they have to settle for a FG, tying the game at 20-20 with 3 mins left to go. The Wraiths go 3 and out on their next drive and give Philly 2 mins to go win the game. Philly manages to drive 55 yards down the field but terrible clock management and field position ensures this game goes to overtime.
The Wraiths bring out their best offense of the game for overtime, only having one play go for less than 3 yards all drive. They convert a 3rd and 3 on a drive in which is topped off by a 5 yard TD pass by Akselsen to Nuck, as the Wraiths win 26-20 and advance to the Ultimus in overtime.
What a nice and fun game to review. The Wraiths always have these awesome comebacks. I think I have the motivation and energy to write another game review.