To conclude our look at the 2014 season, we will now announce the award winners for the year. Congratulations to the winners: 2014 Most Valuable Player Award Winners - Marshall Oetting and Micah Oetting: Marshall and Micah are both named as recipients of the Most Valuable Player Award, the first case of co-MVPs in franchise history. Both twin brothers were very crucial to the Hooligans' success this year. Let's take a look at each of their accomplishments: Marshall had a fantastic season in 2014. He dealt well with the media pressure of replacing the legendary Zach Johnston as starting quarterback, providing a steady presence and passing for a league-leading 30 touchdowns on the year which was only 3 shy of tying the franchise single-season record of 33. Marshall also switched to wide receiver at times, making key catches and notching 6 touchdowns along with 3 PATs on the year. He was also solid defensively, coming up with 2 interceptions one of which he returned for a pick 6. Micah also had a stellar season in 2014. He saw time primarily at wide receiver, leading the team and finishing second league-wide with 11 touchdowns along with hauling in 5 PATs. Micah made a significant impact on defense, leading the league with 5 interceptions and tying the franchise single-game record with a 3-INT performance against Bottom of the Fifth in the playoffs. He was also the team's backup QB and performed well, passing for 11 touchdowns on the season and leading the game-winning drive in the championship game. 2014 Breakout Player of the Year Award Winner - Marshall Oetting: Marshall also receives the Breakout Player of the Year Award for the 2014 season, given to the team's most outstanding new player. Marshall's 30 passing TDs are the most by a newcomer in Hooligan history. 2014 Defensive Player of the Year Award Winner - Micah Oetting: Micah earns the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2014 for his great defensive play. As noted before he led the league with a total of 5 interceptions on the season, and his 3-INT performance against Bottom of the Fifth tied the franchise single game record. Overall he showed solid defensive positioning and made many flag grabs as well. 2014 Individual Performance of the Year Award Winner - Micah Oetting: Micah also earns the Individual Performance of the Year Award for his efforts in the Hooligans' 63-47 semifinal playoff victory over Bottom of the Fifth. Micah had 3 INTs, 2 receiving TDs, a rushing TD, and a passing TD in the match. 2014 Brittany Davis Memorial Award Winner - Angela Martin: For the second time in her storied career Angela wins the Brittany Davis Memorial Award, given to the team's most outstanding female player. She turned in another great season, notching 4 TDs and 2 PATs and using her blazing speed and good hands to make solid gains on offense. Angela etched her name into the Hooligan record books this season by catching her 22nd career TD, giving her sole possession of the all-time franchise touchdown record. 2014 Most Improved Player Award Winner - Dana Ford: Dana receives the Most Improved Player award after a great season in 2014. She hauled in 4 receiving TDs on the year along with 2 PATs, doubling her 2013 totals in both categories. Defensively Dana was solid as well, notching an interception on a PAT. Her attendance was highly dependable throughout the year as she played in all of the team's games, though she was sidelined for the championship game with a knee injury. 2014 Sub of the Year Award Winner - Pat Brooks: Pat receives the 2014 Sub of the Year award, given to the team's best mid-season acquisition. He signed with the Hooligans for their second match of the year against Bottom of the 5th and provided a solid receiving target in the game. Pat notched a total of 5 touchdowns and 5 PATs on the year, and he had a great performance in the championship game with 3 TDs and 2 PATs along with the game-clinching interception. 2014 Heart of the Hooligans Award Winner - Mike Russell: Captain Mike Russell receives the 2014 Heart of the Hooligans Award, given to the player who best exemplifies the spirit of the Hooligans. He was a steady leader for the team all season long, providing solid coaching and encouragement. Captain Russell gave a legendary pep talk before the championship game which pumped up the team and inspired them to victory. Finally, here are this year's award winners for the top 3 individual plays: ![]() Gold Play: Herman Mason's game-winning PAT catch, championship game vs Bottom of the 5th - The Hooligans found themselves down 56-49 with 25 seconds to go in the championship game, but the team was about to make arguably the most legendary drive in franchise history. After a few completions on quick out routes picked up the first down, Herm came up huge catching a touchdown which made the score 56-55. The Hooligans made the decision to go for 2 and Herm once again came up with a clutch reception, putting the team up 57-56 which would secure the victory. ![]() Silver Play: Angela Martin's long TD run, 65-55 win vs Bottom of the Fifth - The Hooligans desperately needed a win heading into the playoffs, and Angela would give her team a spark in this game. With the team up 43-35 in the 2nd half, Angela caught a short swing pass with the Hooligans around their own 10 yard line. She would then go on to run the entire length of the field, showing her blazing speed and making several great cut moves on her way to the endzone. The TD would be the 21st of her career, tying the franchise record which she would go on to break later in the game. ![]() Bronze Play: Lukas Mueller's early interception, 49-42 loss vs Bottom of the Fifth - The Hooligans opened their season against Bottom of the Fifth, playing before a franchise record 7 fans in the first game of a double header. The team won the coin toss and elected to start on defense. The move would quickly pay off as Lukas would use his height to get in good defensive position and intercept a deep pass. The interception gave the Hooligans great field position and they would drive down the field and score to take an early lead. Congratulations to all of the 2014 award winners on their achievement! This concludes our look at the 2014 championship season. Be sure to check back in the fall of 2015 as the Hooligans will enter their 10th season of play and look to defend their title. Until then...ROLL HOOLIGANS!
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Now that we've reviewed the 2014 season game-by-game, let's take a look at the accomplishments of each individual Hooligan (players listed alphabetically by first name after captain, stats listed include only those recorded in Hooligan games): ![]() Mike Russell (captain) - Captain Russell continued to provide solid leadership on the Hooligans, steering the team to the second championship in franchise history. Despite over half of last year's squad not returning in 2014 he was able to use his famous recruiting skills to assemble another championship roster. On the field, Russell notched 2 flag grabs on defense and made a fairly decent gain off a lateral. He also gave a legendary pep talk before the championship game that inspired the Hooligans to victory. 2014 stats: 6 GP ![]() Angela Martin (co-captain) - Angela continued her stellar Hooligans career in the 2014 season. She demonstrated her speed and agility all year as a receiver, showing good hands to haul in 4 TDs and 2 PATs on the year. Angela made history in 2014 by becoming the Hooligans' all-time leader in touchdowns, hauling in her 22nd career TD in a 3-TD performance against Bottom of the Fifth. She also continued to provide good leadership to the team serving as a co-captain for the second straight year. 2014 stats: 4 GP, 4 TDs, 2 PATs ![]() Dana Ford - Dana had a great season in 2014 for the Hooligans. She continued her development as a wide receiver and made huge contributions to the team, hauling in 4 TDs and 2 PATs on offense. Dana also made an impact on defense, coming up with an interception on a PAT and nearly returning it all the way to the endzone. She was also highly dependable, appearing in all of the team's games throughout the season though she was sidelined with a knee injury for the championship game. 2014 stats: 6 GP, 4 TDs, 2 PATs, INT ![]() Herman Mason - Herm was a crucial playoff signing for the Hooligans. He gave the Hooligans a solid defensive presence in their first playoff victory over #2 Bottom of the Fifth, coming up with an interception at the end of the game. But Herm forever etched his name into Hooligan lore in the championship game, showing his skills as a wide receiver by making many big receptions including the game-clinching touchdown and PAT with 11 seconds to go. 2014 stats: 2 GP, TD, PAT, INT ![]() Humphrey Ihejirikah - Humphrey was a great offseason signing for the Hooligans in 2014. He showed good hands as a receiver throughout the year, making some big gains on offense with his speed and picking up a ton of first downs. Humphrey had a total of 3 touchdowns on the year along with a PAT. Defensively he also pressured the quarterback at times, batting down a pass against Bottom of the Fifth early in the season. 2014 stats: 5 GP, 3 TDs, PAT ![]() Justin Litzner - Justin had another good season as a Hooligan, collecting a second championship in his third year with the franchise. He continued to be a dependable receiver, making many critical receptions for first downs to move the offense down the field. Justin continued to be a PAT specialist as well, hauling in a total of 4 on the year. He also made many solid flag grabs on the defensive side of the ball. 2014 stats: 4 GP, 4 PATs ![]() Lukas Mueller - Lukas had a great rookie season for the Hooligans in 2014. He used his height and speed to be a dependable receiver, making gains for good yardage and hauling in 6 receiving TDs on the year along with a PAT. Lukas also made an impact on defense as well, coming up with an interception early in the Hooligans' season opener against Bottom of the Fifth. 2014 stats: 4 GP, 6 TDs, PAT, INT ![]() Marshall Oetting - Marshall had an amazing first year on the Hooligans. He saw most of the quarterback reps for the team, passing for a league-leading 30 pass TDs on the year which was just 3 shy of tying the franchise single-season record. Marshall also saw time at receiver, notching 6 TDs and 3 PATs, and he came up with 2 interceptions on defense including a pick 6. 2014 stats: 6 GP, 30 pass TDs, 6 TDs, 3 PATs, 2 INTs ![]() Micah Oetting - Micah had a superb first season with the Hooligans. He typically saw time at receiver, finishing second league-wide with 11 touchdowns including a pair of 3-TD games, and he also made some QB reps passing for 11 TDs. Micah was sensational defensively leading the league with 5 INTs and tying the franchise single-game record with 3 in one game. 2014 stats: 6 GP, 11 pass TDs, 11 TDs, 5 PATs, 5 INTs ![]() Pat Brooks - Pat was a key early-season signing for the Hooligans. He showed good route-running ability as a receiver, providing a dependable target and hauling in 5 TDs along with 5 PATs. Pat had his best performance in the championship game, notching 3 TDs and 2 PATs along with the game-clinching interception on defense at the end of the game. 2014 stats: 4 GP, 5 TDs, 5 PATs, INT ![]() Tyler Baker - Tyler was a solid mid-season signing for the team. He showed a great ability to catch the deep ball, hauling in 3 touchdowns over the course of the season. Tyler had 2 TDs in his season debut against Bottom of the 5th, giving the Hooligans great chance to pull the upset in a 64-59 defeat. 2014 stats: 3 GP, 3 TDs The Hooligans are glad to have had the services of these players, as all of their efforts contributed to the team's championship success this season. Still to come is the awards show for the 2014 season, which will specially recognize some specific Hooligans for their accomplishments. ROLL HOOLIGANS! The 2014 season saw the Pigskin Hooligans claim the second championship in franchise history. While the team began the year 0-3, the worst losing streak since the 2008 season, the Hooligans bounced back and rattled off 3 straight victories to close out the year. The league was the smallest in known CUAA history with a mere 3 teams participating overall. The regular season consisted of three weeks - each week one team played a doubleheader against the other 2 squads. Every team made the playoffs with the #1 overall seed receiving a first-round bye and facing the winner of the #2/#3 matchup. Games were played on CUAA's real football field for the first half of the season and then were moved to Rummel Field, CUAA's old soccer field, for the second half. The Hooligans featured a greatly changed lineup from the previous year, losing legend Zach Johnston to retirement and returning only 4 players overall from the 2013 squad.
Let's take a game-by-game look at the Hooligans' 2014 season: Game 1 - Nov 2 vs Bottom of the Fifth - L 49-42: The Hooligans began the 2014 season playing the first double-header in team history on CUAA's real football field. A franchise-record 7 fans came out to cheer on the team as they faced off against Bottom of the Fifth in the season opener. Marshall Oetting received the first start at quarterback in the post-Zach Johnston era and performed well, passing for 6 TDs including 3 to twin brother Micah Oetting. The game would be a back-and-forth offensive shootout, but the Hooligans would drop their season opener after narrowly failing to convert a 2-pt PAT late in the game which would have given them a 43-42 lead. Game 2 - Nov 2 vs Bottom of the 5th - L 74-42: Things wouldn't get any easier for the Hooligans as they would have to turn right around and face powerhouse Bottom of the 5th in their second match of the day. The match would be close throughout the first half and into the second, with a Dana Ford touchdown in the second half tying the game up 36-36. However from that point on turnovers would plague the Hooligans as Bottom of the 5th would force 3 interceptions and a turnover on downs to run away with a 74-42 victory. The team would drop to 0-2 for the first time since the 2008 season. Game 3 - Nov 9 vs Bottom of the 5th - L 64-59: The Hooligans would face Bottom of the 5th once again in a rematch the following week. The team would put forth a much-improved effort, scoring every time they had the ball except for one critical turnover on downs. Defensively, however, the Hooligans still struggled to contain the explosive speed of Bottom of the 5th's receivers and could not come up with a single stop on the day. After a 64-59 loss the team would fall to 0-3 and would spend the next week searching for answers. Game 4 - Nov 16 vs Bottom of the Fifth - W 65-55: With the team dropping to 0-3, concern began to arise among some segments of the Pigskin Hooligan fan base that the team's glory days might be over. But the the Hooligans would begin to gel as a team at the right time, executing offensively and even making some defensive stops. Angela Martin would pace the team with 3 TDs in the match, breaking the franchise all-time touchdown record by hauling in her 22nd career TD. The Hooligans would come away with a critical confidence-building 65-55 victory entering the playoffs. Game 5 - Nov 23 vs #2 Bottom of the Fifth - W 63-47: The team would enter the playoffs as the lowest overall seed at #3, facing #2 Bottom of the Fifth in a rematch of the last game. But momentum was in the favor of the Hooligans as their increasing confidence led them to a critical upset playoff victory. The team would execute well on both sides of the football, jumping out to a 31-11 lead at halftime. Micah Oetting would make 3 interceptions in the game which tied Zach Johnston's franchise record for picks in a a single game. The Hooligans would hold off a late comeback attempt to win 63-47 and clinch a spot in the championship game for the 5th time in the last 6 years against #1 Bottom of the 5th. Game 6 - Dec 7 vs #1 Bottom of the 5th - W 57-56: And so it would all come down to this. The Hooligans looked to complete a great underdog comeback story while Bottom of the 5th looked to continue their dominance and claim the league title. The championship game certainly did not disappoint, as it was an epic match that would go right down to the wire. Captain Mike Russell gave a legendary pep talk before the game and the team responded well, playing their hearts out on the field. The Hooligans would take a 49-48 lead off a Marshall Oetting TD catch from brother Micah Oetting with about a minute to go, but it looked as though the team may have "scored too soon" as Jeremy Maas led Bottom of the 5th down the field and found Evan Novak to retake the lead with 25 seconds to go. However one of the greatest drives in Hooligan history was about to occur as Micah Oetting led the team down the field and connected with Herman Mason for a touchdown and 2-pt conversion to put the Hooligans back ahead 57-56 with 11 seconds left. Pat Brooks would seal the game with an interception in the endzone and the Hooligans would claim the second championship in the franchise's storied history. Check back soon for reviews of each individual player on the team in part 2 of the season overview! Following that, we will unveil the 2014 season award winners. ROLL HOOLIGANS! You can check out the finalized stats from the 2014 flag football season here: ![]()
The Hooligans placed well in many categories, headlined by Marshall Oetting's league-leading 30 passing TDs and Micah Oetting's league-leading 5 defensive interceptions. Be sure to check back in the next couple weeks for more notes reliving the 2014 season including the season overview and team awards. ROLL HOOLIGANS!
The Pigskin Hooligans have the privilege to announce the 2014 All-Star rosters! Two teams of 12 players each were selected, with Team Russell headed by league commissioner and Hooligans captain Mike Russell and Team Burgo headlined by head referee Virgilio Burgo. Unfortunately the season ended too late to hold an actual all-star game as this would have been quite an exciting and fast-paced matchup. Let's take a look at the players who were given the prestigious honor of being named an all-star: ![]() Mike Russell (captain)(Pigskin Hooligans) - Pigskin Hooligans captain Mike Russell is named to the All-Star game for the 4th time in his illustrious career. He was instrumental in organizing and coordinating the entire league for the third straight year. Russell made several flag grabs on defense this year and provided solid leadership including a legendary pre-game pep talk that inspired the Hooligans to victory in the championship game. 2014 stats: 6 GP ![]() Aaron Palmer (Bottom of the Fifth/Bottom of the 5th) - Aaron is named to his first All-Star game this year. He showed blazing speed notching 2 TDs and a pair of PATs on offense. Aaron made an impact on the defensive side of the ball as well, coming up with the game-winning INT in his team's regular-season victory over Bottom of the 5th and making many flag grabs. 2014 stats: 6 GP, 2 TDs, 2 PATs, INT ![]() Angela Martin (Pigskin Hooligans) - Angela earns a trip to the All-Star game for the 2nd time in her career. She showed her tremendous speed and great hands often throughout the season, making some long gains and hauling in 4 touchdowns along with 2 PATs. Angela made history during the year by becoming the Hooligans' all-time leader in touchdowns with her 22nd career TD reception. 2014 stats: 3 GP, 4 TDs, 2 PATs ![]() Evan Novak (Bottom of the 5th) - Bottom of the 5th captain Evan Novak is named an All-Star for the first time in his career. He showed good hands and made some solid contributions on the offensive end, notching 5 touchdowns including a 3-TD performance against the Pigskin Hooligans in the championship game. Evan also played solid defense coming up with 2 interceptions against the Hooligans in his team's season opener. 2014 stats: 3 GP, 5 TDs, 2 PATs, 2 INTs ![]() Jacob Maas (Bottom of the 5th) - Jacob is named an All-Star after an outstanding rookie season. He proved to be a nearly unstoppable receiver all year, using his height to haul in a league-leading 12 TDs and a league-leading 12 PATs. Jacob had a 5-TD game against Bottom of the Fifth which was the best individual TD performance on the year, and he made some contributions on defense as well recording 2 interceptions. 2014 stats: 5 GP, 12 TDs, 12 PATs, 2 INTs ![]() Jessica Barjaktarovich (Bottom of the Fifth) - Jessica receives her second consecutive All-Star placement in the 2014 season. She led all girls in the league with 5 TDs on the year, showing her speed and good hands on many plays. Jessica's best performance was a 3-touchdown effort against the Pigskin Hooligans in her team's semifinal playoff match, nearly propelling her team to a comeback win. 2014 stats: 3 GP, 5 TDs, PAT ![]() John Pesta (Bottom of the 5th) - John receives an All-Star berth for the first time in his career. He proved to be a solid mid-season signing for his team, catching a pair of touchdowns and 3 PATs on the year. John also came up with an interception on defense in his team's first match against Bottom of the Fifth. 2014 stats: 2 GP, 2 TDs, 3 PATs, INT ![]() Kyle Mahoney (Bottom of the Fifth) - Concordia assistant baseball coach Kyle Mahoney earns an All-Star spot in his first season. He handled most of the quarterback duties in his time with the team, making good throws and passing for 8 TDs in a pair of games. Coach Mahoney also notched a rushing TD off a lateral as well as a PAT run. 2014 stats: 2 GP, 8 pass TDs, TD, PAT ![]() Lukas Mueller (Pigskin Hooligans) - Lukas receives an All-Star nomination in his first year in the league. He proved to be a dependable receiver all year with good hands, hauling in 6 touchdowns which puts him in a tie for 4th in the league. Lukas played good defense as well coming up with an early interception in the Hooligans' season-opening game against Bottom of the Fifth. 2014 stats: 4 GP, 6 TDs, PAT, INT ![]() Marshall Oetting (Pigskin Hooligans) - Marshall earns an All-Star bid after a phenomenal second season in the league. He was a steady presence at the quarterback position all season long for the Hooligans, throwing a league-leading 30 touchdown passes on the season. Marshall also switched to receiver at times, notching 6 TDs, and defensively he came up with 2 INTs on the year including a pick 6. 2014 stats: 6 GP, 30 pass TDs, 6 TDs, 3 PATs, 2 INTs ![]() Ryan Vitale (Bottom of the Fifth) - Ryan makes it to the All-Star game for the first time in his career. He turned in a solid season for Bottom of the Fifth, showing good speed and hauling in 3 TDs and 4 PATs. Ryan also saw some time at the quarterback position where he threw for one TD pass, and he was solid on defense throughout the year. 2014 stats: 5 GP, 1 pass TD, 3 TDs, 4 PATs ![]() Wes Vaughn (Bottom of the Fifth) - Wes is named an All-Star after a great all-around rookie season. On offense he used his height to be a great receiver, coming in 3rd in the league with 9 receiving TDs and also snagging 6 PATs which was 2nd-best league-wide. Wes also made his presence felt on defense, coming up with 3 interceptions which tied him for 2nd in the league. 2014 stats: 5 GP, 9 TDs, 6 PATs, 3 INTs ![]() Virgilio Burgo (no team) - Virgilio headlines the second of the two All-Star teams as the league's head ref. He officiated five games throughout the season, the most of any official in the league. As a member of Concordia's varsity football team Virgilio showed his keen knowledge of the game of football, making solid calls and showing good awareness as an official. 2014 stats: 5 games reffed ![]() Adrienne Kanitz (Bottom of the Fifth) - Adrienne is named to the All-Star game for the first time in her career. She made a critical appearance as a sub for Bottom of the Fifth's regular-season doubleheader, serving as the team's only girl. Adrienne showed good hands on the day notching 2 TDs along with a PAT. 2014 stats: 2 GP, 2 TDs, PAT ![]() Alex Sypniewski (Bottom of the 5th) - Alex returns to the All-Star game for the second time in his career. He continued to show good speed as a receiver hauling in 3 TDs which all came in one game. Alex also showed versatility notching a passing TD during the year and his speed made him a solid defender as well. 2014 stats: 3 GP, 1 pass TD, 3 TDs, 2 PATs ![]() Codey Harrison (Bottom of the Fifth) - Bottom of the Fifth captain Codey Harrison makes it to an All-Star roster for the second time in his career. He saw most of the reps at QB during the second half of the year, passing for 12 TDs on the season. Codey also had a good year at receiver notching 5 TDs and he came up with an interception on the defensive side of the ball. 2014 stats: 5 GP, 12 pass TDs, 5 TDs, INT ![]() Dana Ford (Pigskin Hooligans) - Dana receives her first All-Star nomination after the 2014 season. She turned in a solid season for the Hooligans, showing her speed and hauling in 4 TDs along with 2 PATs. Dana also made an impact on the defensive end by coming up with an interception on a PAT. 2014 stats: 6 GP, 4 TDs, 2 PATs, INT ![]() Humphrey Ihejirikah (Pigskin Hooligans) - Humphrey appears on an All-Star roster for the third straight season. He notched a total of 3 touchdowns throughout the year on offense along with a PAT. Humphrey made a ton of receptions for the Hooligans throughout the year, showing some speed and picking up critical first downs. 2014 stats: 5 GP, 3 TDs, PAT ![]() Jeremy Maas (Bottom of the 5th) - Jeremy receives his third straight All-Star berth after another great season. He took the majority of the quarterback reps for Bottom of the 5th, passing for 28 TDs and also showing he could be a dual-threat QB with his blazing speed by rushing for 6 TDs and 3 PATs. Jeremy's speed also made him a great contributor on defense where he came up with an interception. 2014 stats: 5 GP, 28 pass TDs, 6 TDs, 3 PATs, INT ![]() Josh Miller (Bottom of the Fifth) - Josh earns an All-Star nomination in his first season in the league. He made a solid impact on defense for his team by coming up with 3 INTs on the year, tying him for 2nd in the league with teammate Wes Vaughn. Josh also hauled in a receiving TD. 2014 stats: 2 GP, TD, 3 INTs ![]() Micah Oetting (Pigskin Hooligans) - Micah receives his first All-Star selection after a sensational year. He led the league with 5 INTs on defense including a 3-INT game against Bottom of the Fifth in the playoffs. Micah was 2nd in the league with 11 TDs as a receiver, and he also saw time at QB passing for 11 TDs and orchestrating the game-winning drive for the Hooligans in the championship game. 2014 stats: 6 GP, 11 pass TDs, 11 TDs, 5 PATs, 5 INTs ![]() Pat Brooks (Pigskin Hooligans) - Pat receives an All-Star berth in his first year in the league. He was a key early-season signing for the Hooligans, showing good hands to haul in 5 TDs along with 5 PATs on the year. Pat also came up with the game-clinching interception at the very end of the championship game to secure the Hooligans' victory. 2014 stats: 4 GP, 5 TDs, 5 PATs, INT ![]() Tyler Baker (Pigskin Hooligans/Bottom of the 5th) - Tyler makes it to an All-Star roster in his first season playing. He was another key mid-season pickup for the Hooligans, catching some deep passes on his way to 5 TDs and a PAT. Tyler subbed in a game for Bottom of the 5th late in the year which accounted for 2 of his 5 total TDs. 2014 stats: 4 GP, 5 TDs, PAT ![]() Zeb Hancock (Bottom of the 5th) - Zeb receives his third All-Star selection this year. He continued to show his signature blazing speed, notching 6 TDs on the year to put him in a tie for 4th place league-wide. Zeb's speed made him a great defender as well as he notched an interception and many flag grabs. 2014 stats: 3 GP, 6 TDs, INT Congratulations to all of the 2014 All Stars! This certainly would have been an exciting match had the game actually been played. Many of these same players will be back in the league in 2015 for what will surely be another exciting season, so be sure to come out next year and watch all the action! The Pigskin Hooligans would like to wish all of our players and fans a Merry Christmas! Captain Mike Russell received this ornament today in honor of the Hooligans' 2014 championship run. Be checking in the next several weeks for the usual end-of-season overviews to relive the magic of the 2014 season...ROLL HOOLIGANS!
![]() Sun, Dec 7 - The Pigskin Hooligans completed a great underdog story by pulling off an upset over #1 seed Bottom of the 5th to claim their second championship in franchise history. After a passionate pre-game pep talk by Hooligans captain Mike Russell , the Hooligans would go on to win a nail-biter 57-56. The game featured exciting fast-paced offense and numerous lead changes, and the match would literally go down to the last minute as Herman Mason came up with a huge TD catch and 2-pt conversion with 11 seconds to go. The Hooligans would win the coin toss and elect to go on defense to begin the game. Despite starting the game with only four players, Jeremy Maas would drive Bottom of the 5th methodically down the field and eventually find Evan Novak in the endzone for an early 6-0 lead. The Hooligans' offense would stall on their opening series as Bottom of the 5th forced a turnover on downs, but the Hooligans defense would also come up with a big stop as Herman Mason broke up a 4th-down pass to give his team the ball back. Marshall Oetting would drive the Hooligans down the field and connect with brother Micah Oetting with Pat Brooks adding a 2-pt PAT to make it an 8-6 lead. Jeremy Maas would answer as he would fire a deep strike to brother Jacob Maas to reclaim the lead. But the Hooligans would answer as well as Pat Brooks would haul in his first touchdown of the day with Micah Oetting adding the 2-pt PAT. John Pesta would catch a TD pass on the next series to give Bottom of the 5th the lead back, and as time expired in the first half the Hooligans responded as Marshall Oetting would find Pat Brooks for the second time on the day. The halftime score would read 24-22 in favor of the Hooligans. The Hooligans began the second half with the ball and capitalized on the opportunity with Marshall Oetting firing a mid-range strike to Micah Oetting. However Jacob Maas would intercept the 2-pt conversion attempt and run it back for 2 points, and a deep TD reception by Aaron Palmer would put Bottom of the 5th right back in the lead. The Hooligans would reclaim the lead as Marshall Oetting would look deep to Pat Brooks for their 3rd TD connection of the game, making the score 36-32. Jeremy Maas would find Evan Novak on the next series with John Pesta adding a 2-pt PAT, and the Hooligans would then make a quarterback change to Micah Oetting. Micah would find Humphrey Ihejirikah who would rumble his way into the endzone to once again reclaim the lead 42-40. As the game moved under the 3 minute mark Jeremy Maas would hook up with John Pesta for a critical touchdown, and a Jacob Maas 2-pt conversion would make the score 48-42. The Hooligans would again move down the field, picking up a crucial 4th-down conversion off a trick play where Herman Mason took a lateral and threw to Pat Brooks for the first down. After a timeout by Bottom of the 5th Micah Oetting would connect with brother Marshall Oetting in the endzone, and Pat Brooks would add a critical 1-pt PAT to put the Hooligans up 49-48 and set up a frantic ending with under a minute to play. It appeared that the Hooligans may have scored too soon, as Jeremy Maas would crank off a huge run from the quarterback position setting his team up about 10 yards from the endzone. The Hooligans would call timeout with 32 seconds to go, but Jeremy Maas would find Evan Novak on the left side of the endzone to take a critical 56-49 lead with just 25 seconds left. However after fighting hard all year the Hooligans were not about to give up yet, and Micah Oetting went on to orchestrate a drive which will live on forevermore in Hooligan lore. Marshall Oetting and Pat Brooks would both catch short passes and get out of bounds to stop the clock, giving the Hooligans a first down. Micah Oetting would then fire to the endzone and find Herman Mason for an enormous touchdown catch, giving the team a decision to make as they still trailed 56-55. After discussion the Hooligans would make the gutsy call to go for 2, and again Herman Mason came up in the clutch with a 2-pt PAT to make it 57-56 with just 11 seconds to go. The Hooligans would switch to a prevent defense and Jeremy Maas would heave one last long ball down the field. 3 or 4 players were in the area around the ball, but Pat Brooks would come up with the interception at the end of the game to seal the deal and give the Hooligans a clutch 57-56 championship win. For the Hooligans, Pat Brooks had a great statline with 3 receiving TDs, 2 PATs, and the game-clinching interception. Herman Mason was heroic on the day with the game-winning TD and PAT along with several other receptions. Marshall Oetting threw 5 TD passes in the game and also had a receiving TD. Micah Oetting had 2 receiving TDs, 3 passing TDs, and a PAT. Humphrey Ihejirikah would catch a TD in the second half and had several solid gains. Angela Martin had a PAT along with several receptions and good defense. Justin Litzner had some critical catches for first downs in the game. Captain Mike Russell saw some reps at center in the game and provided good coaching. Dana Ford was unable to play due to an injury but vocally supported the team from the sideline. For Bottom of the 5th, captain Evan Novak would lead his team with 3 receiving TDs. Jeremy Maas did everything he could to lead an undermanned team passing for 7 TDs in the game. John Pesta had a solid statline with 2 receiving TDs and 2 PATs. Jacob Maas had a receiving TD, 4 PATs, and a "pick 2" on a PAT attempt. Aaron Palmer hauled in a TD pass in the second half. Breanne Short, Lauren Featherston, Jessica Green and Nae Smith were at the game to cheer the Hooligans on to their championship victory. The game was officiated by Nick Holshoe and Virgilio Burgo. The Hooligans finish their season at 3-3 and claim the second championship in the franchise's storied history. The season has certainly been a wild ride and the future looks bright for the franchise as nearly everyone on this year's roster should be back again next year. Stay tuned in the coming weeks for overviews of the 2014 season along with team awards and the unveiling of the 2014 All-Star rosters. Until next season...ROLL HOOLIGANS!!!!! The 2014 Pigskin Hooligans Championship Team - From left to right: Captain Mike Russell, Justin Litzner, Marshall Oetting, Dana Ford, co-captain Angela Martin, Micah Oetting, Pat Brooks, Humphrey Ihejirkah, and Herman Mason. Team members not present but played during 2014 season: Lukas Mueller and Tyler Baker. ![]() 1st star - Pat Brooks (Pigskin Hooligans) 3 receiving TDs, 2 PATs, game-clinching INT ![]() 2nd star - Herman Mason (Pigskin Hooligans) Game-winning TD reception and PAT catch ![]() 3rd star - Evan Novak (Bottom of the 5th) 3 receiving TDs The Pigskin Hooligans will play for the championship tomorrow at 1:00pm against #1 seed Bottom of the 5th! The game will be played on the old CUAA soccer field. We are expecting a huge crowd so be sure to get there early to get a good seat...ROLL HOOLIGANS!
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Written by Mike Russell
Archives
May 2021
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