Game 1 Summary
The Novato Stingers started their National Championship odyssey with a very interesting twist indeed. Novato was bracketed against a tough Brooklyn Tomahawks team which came with a 7-2 record after outscoring its opponents 209-6 this year. The two teams started play a little after 2 PM at Austin-Tindall Park in Kissimmee, Florida under overcast skies with balmy temperatures.
Things didn't look good for the Stingers early. After winning the coin-toss and getting the opening kick-off Novato had a short drive with a few first-downs but ended up turning the ball over on an interception. Brooklyn took advantage, driving the field for a quick touchdown and a rushing PAT for a 7-0 lead.
Novato's second drive was promising, with the Stingers knocking on the door before the Tomahawks intercepted another pass to stall the drive.
The two teams continued to slug it out and the first-quarter closed with the Tomahawks up 7-0. And they quickly made it 13-0 on a lightning-fast 64-yeard pass, catch and run by Brooklyn. The only good news was Novato stopped the PAT run short of the end-zone to keep the score from being higher.
Novato came very close to scoring before halftime after a fumble recovery and a strong drive that looked like it would result in points, but the pass in the end-zone was intercepted by a Brooklyn defender on a spectacular rolling catch. In all, the Stingers looked a little flat as Coach Jones prodded the boys to step things up in the second-half.
And pump it up they did! The opening onside kick-off just narrowly escaped out of bounds in front of a diving Ben Putman. But the stingy Stinger defense that we've seen all year returned, and after a short drive they took the ball back with a fumble recovery by Danny Dreher. Novato pushed it down the field on sheer willpower with a series of grinding runs and short passes that culminated in a 7-yard Marc Alvarez touchdown. With the blocked PAT kick the score was whittled down to 13-6 and the Stingers had matched the total scoring against the Tomahawks all year!
But the Stingers weren't done. In the fourth quarter, with time ticking down Novato got the ball back near mid-field for one last try. After a successful tight-end pass by Robbie Cassee and another key connection between quarterback Tommy Sanz and receiver Paul Kunst, Alvarez ripped off another touchdown run, this one for 20 yards to leave the Stingers down a point with less than a minute to play. The team stuck with what had worked all year and entrusted the PAT to Alvarez' leg. Unfortunately, the Tomahawks were able to push through and block the kick leaving Novato a point short at 13-12.
As the clock ran out after a couple of Brooklyn kneel-downs, the Stingers looked to have come up just a bit short in this hard-fought Florida battle.
But wait, there's more...
While the Stingers didn't score more points they were declared the winner by forfeit. Coach Jones quickly explained to the team that Brooklyn didn't have enough players so they had forfeit the game and played with four ineligible players who were above the weight limit. Essentially, this means that the Stingers almost beat a Jr. Midget team. And scored twice the number of points that team had given up all year in the process.
So what looked like defeat was in essence an excellent warm-up for the Stingers next game - in the winner's bracket against a tough Southside Cowboys team from Houston, Texas on Tuesday, December 8.
Not a bad outcome from a gritty, determined Stingers performance.
Final Score: Novato Stingers - win by forfeit (Game score Stingers 12, Tomahawks 13)
Next Up: Southside Cowboys - Tuesday, December 8 at 2 PM.
Here are some photo highlights from the game:
Coach Putman pumping up the Stingers before entering the field
Ben Putman taking the opening kick-off up the field
Henry Dalton forcefully separating receiver from ball
Robbie Cassee lowers the boom on a defender while yards
Angelo Lagomarsino gaining critical yards in the second-half
Marc Alvarez slips through for Novato's first touchdown
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