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Football: Jerusalem still undefeated

In old-fashioned Pittsburgh Steeler-type affair, Big Blue beat Dancing Camel Hasharon Pioneers 36-14

The Big Blue Jerusalem Lions have won again to improve to a perfect 4-0, but not before the Dancing Camel Hasharon Pioneers announced emphatically to the rest of the IFL that the gap between Jerusalem and the other three teams is closing – fast.

 

With their backs seemingly against the wall at the beginning of the game, Big Blue refused to panic, following their game plan and, once again, winning the battle of the big plays, on their way to a 36-14 victory at the Baptist Village in Petach Tikvah.

 

The real story of the day, however, was that the Pioneers, playing without, arguably, their best player, were able to shape the tempo of the game and knock the Jerusalem team around the field on both sides of the ball - for a short while at least.

 

While the Lions were able to regroup, and things ultimately returned to Big Blue normal in the second half, the message was certainly felt by the players on the field. One Jerusalem linebacker exclaimed, “It really is scary how good (Hasharon) has gotten. They’ve jumped light-years overnight. We have a lot of work to do to stay on top.”

 

The game got off to a perfect start for Dancing Camel, who accomplished their goal of putting up an early score when they turned an interception by Ben Gross into a Mike Levy 2 yard touchdown run to go up 6-0 at 8:55 of the first quarter. After Jerusalem jumped on top 8-6, a botched snap on a punt attempt deep in their zone led to a safety and the score was tied 8-8 after one.

 

Bone-crunching tackles

On a muddy field, both teams were avoiding the passing game and were satisfied trying to grind out yards on the ground in an old-fashioned Pittsburgh Steeler-type affair.

 

After two possessions for each team in the second quarter, the score remained tied with Jerusalem pinned deep in their own zone once again and forced to punt, apparently to give the Pioneers great field position and an opportunity to take the lead.

 

In the span of the next 3:30, however, were two crucial plays on punts that both went Big Blue’s way and turned the momentum of the football game. First, Mike Levy muffed a punt and the ball was recovered by Aharon Kestenbaum, leading to a Yoni Lehrer touchdown.

 

On the next possession, Hasharon went three-and-out and punted the ball to Adam Lemberg, who looked as if he was trapped deep on the right side of the field. He managed to avoid three tackles and broke out left, following his blockers into the end zone for his first return for a touchdown on the season.

 

This score deflated the Pioneers and put Jerusalem up 20-8 going into the half.

 

While a quick touchdown at 10:22 of the third quarter brought it to within one score, a key hold by the Big Blue defense on a Hasharon first-and-goal that ended in a turnover on downs helped cement the victory and allow the offence to put the game out of reach.

 

The game featured some bone-crunching tackles on both sides, most notably Levy’s open field collision with Aryeh Bauman, sending the Jerusalem quarterback flying and the crowd into a collective groan and a smattering of ‘ooohs and aaahs’.

 

Although the loss brings Dancing Camel’s record to 1-2, look for them to benefit in the long run from the many positive lessons they can take away from the day, especially the confidence boost in knowing they are beginning to match up evenly with the best team in the league.

 

The Fieldturf IFL gets under way once again this week with a Friday morning affair at the Meggido Fields next to Kibbutz Ein Hashofet as the Real Housing Haifa Underdogs (2-2) host the undefeated Big Blue Jerusalem Lions at 10:00 am.

 


פרסום ראשון: 12.23.07, 13:22
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