The 2003 CSA SportsFest series presents:
"The Melting
Pot, Too"
CO-ED FLAG FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT
January 9 &11, 2003
the games
With seven teams in the tournament, the pool play with an elimination round was not possible. Instead, each team was scheduled to play four games, and the team with the best record would be crowned champion.
Just like the first event, this one was extremely balanced and even more fun. Because I didn't get to witness all the games, an in depth report of each game is not possible or fair.
At the end of the day, only one team was undefeated, and only one team didn't win a game. Three teams tied at 2-2, and everyone seemed to have a good time.
With a little luck, we avoided the possibility of having two teams tie for first with the same record when BC's Rage, the defending champion, met Pleasure Ribs, in the fourth game for each team. They were both 3-0 on the day.
BC's Rage had dominated their first three opponents, outscoring them 60-18. They were also on a seven game TMP winning streak. Pleasure Ribs was also perfect, but they had some struggles. They survived their first two games with close victories, stopping each opponent on the last drive to preserve the win, before routing We Beat Jake in their third game.
The match-up was a classic. With bragging rights on the line, it was a tight game throughout. At halftime, Pleasure held a 6-0 lead. It was the first time in eight TMP games that BC's Rage had trailed at the intermission. They got the score back in the second half, but were unable to convert the extra point to give them the lead. Late in regulation, BC's had a chance to win. With only two seconds left, they had the ball on the Pleasure ten yard line. With the game on the line, Pleasure stopped BC's and all-tournament QB Sean Ferreira and the deciding game would go to the DECISION MAKER, that's right, OVERTIME.
The overtime format in CSA mimicks college football. Each team gets the ball at the 10 yard line with first down from there. BC's Rage won the "choice" before the OT session and elected to take the ball. It took only them three plays, but Ferreira found tournament MVP Lisa London in the end zone for the touchdown to give BC's the lead. On the one point conversion, Ferreira was able to run it in and BC's led 13-6.
It would be Pleasure's chance to match BC's. It took them only one play. All-Tournament QB Greg Bowers hit Darren Ross on a slant pass, and Ross took it to the house. Pleasure now could go for the one point conversion to send the game to a second OT. However, they shocked everyone when captain Karen Huber informed the refs that they would go for a two point attempt.
The play will go down as the gutsiest call in TMP history, and they got a result to match. Bowers put the ball into the endzone, it was knocked up in the air by Tournament MVP, Glen Walker, and Walker was able to get his own deflection as he was falling to the ground at the back of the endzone. Walker held on and Pleasure Ribs got the two points and won The Melting Pot Too in unbelievably dramatic fashion.
Between the two teams in the title game, seven players were named to the All-Tournament Team. Including both MVP's. Pleasure Ribs put Glen Walker (MVP), Greg Bowers, and Amber Pereles on the first team, and Jeff Benincasa on the second team. BC's Rage had Lisa London (MVP) and Sean Ferreira on the first team and Sheilah Camcam on the second team.
Other players named to the All-Tournament first team were Sean Barstow from We Beat Jake, Julie Zeisler from K-Oss, and Joe Fassler, who along with several receptions, intercepted Leland and returned it for a touchdown for the Bug-eaters.
And of course, I named myself to the All-Tournament second team (nominated by others though), my interceptions not withstanding.
All in all, it was a very successful event (gee, I've said that before). 77 players participated, and only 30 of those players (including Roger and Leland) competed in the first tournament.