FM Home Loans Men's Flag Football League – Divisonal Round

FRIDAY

(1) Kedma- Bnei Akiva vs (8) Old School

Kedma-Bnei Akiva prevailed in an overtime thriller against Old School in the AFI Divisional Round. Kedma and Old School battled in a closely contested game, ultimately resulting in an 18-12 overtime victory for Kedma. The game was characterized by excellent defensive play, several turnovers, and clutch moments by both teams. Kedma started the game strong, driving down the field and scoring on a 24-yard touchdown pass from their QB Issac Thurm to WR Netanel Eckman. The extra point was no good, giving Kedma an early 6-0 lead. Old School looked to respond with a TD on their drive, but QB David Bienenfeld threw an interception to Kedma CB Aryeh Ivry, which was returned for a touchdown. However, a block in the back penalty negated the touchdown, and Kedma took over from the Old School 30 yard line. Their drive ended in a turnover on downs, and Old School took over with just :57 seconds remaining in the first half. Old School marched down the field from their own 10 yard line, and Bienenfeld found WR Moshe Akselrud for a 7-yard touchdown to tie the game 6-6 at halftime. The second half started with punts from both teams before Old School took the lead with an 18-yard touchdown pass to Zack Stern. The extra point attempt was no good, so the score remained 12-6 Old School. Kedma responded with a long drive that included several scrambles and runs, culminating in a 7-yard touchdown pass to WR Abie Schwartz. The extra point was now crucial with Kedma trying to regain the lead. However, the pass was intercepted by Old School CB Zev Ganz, keeping the game tied at 12 points apiece. Both teams had opportunities to win the game in regulation, but the game ultimately went into overtime. In the top of the first overtime period, Old School was unable to convert on fourth down, giving Kedma a chance to win the game. However, they were unable to convert on third down and were sacked on fourth down, turning the ball back over to Old School. In the top of the second OT period, Old School scored on a 13-yard reception by Binyamin Glanz, but Kedma responded in the bottom of the second OT period with a touchdown catch by Aryeh Ivry. In the top of the third OT period, Old School was unable to score but was given a new try after a defensive penalty. Old School failed to score, giving Kedma a chance to win the game in the bottom of the third OT period. Kedma however, was unable to convert on their possession, where a receiver dropped the potential game winning touchdown pass. In the top of the fourth and final OT period, Old School had a controversial call go against them, as a catch by Zack Stern was ruled out of bounds. Kedma took advantage of the opportunity, scoring on a touchdown on a catch by WR Netanel Eckman to win the game 18-12. Kedma- Bnei Akiva came out on top against Old School in a thrilling overtime victory, advancing to the AFI Championship Round.

(3) Mercenaries vs (6) Eretz Bucks

This game was the only upset of the LFC, The Eretz Bucks under the leadership of QB and captain Matthew Mendelsohn pulled out an impressive win against the Mercenaries, led by Yakov Berman. The Mercenaries took the lead early on but Eretz Bucks quickly positioned themselves with the lead and held on until the end.

(4) Ayala Tours vs (5) Tivuch Shelly

In a playoff matchup between two closely seeded teams, Ayala Tours held off Tivuch Shelly in a 26-19 victory. Ayala dominated the first half, going up 19-0 thanks to the efforts of their star wide receiver Uriel Green. However, Tivuch Shelly's quarterback Johnny Levine led his team on a comeback in the second half, bringing them within six points of Ayala. With just over a minute left in the game, Ayala's quarterback Tzvi Kuhr threw a pass that was tipped and picked off by Tivuch Shelly's CB Jacob Feigenblum, who returned it for a touchdown to tie the game 19-19. With the clock running out, Kuhr needed to lead his team down the field quickly and score. He connected with wide receiver Uriel Green on a 47-yard reception that brought Ayala down to the Tivuch Shelly 14-yard line. With just four plays remaining, Ayala needed to make something happen. On first and goal, Kuhr's pass was intercepted. However, a defensive penalty for illegal contact negated the interception, giving Ayala another chance. On the replayed first down, Kuhr threw a nine-yard touchdown pass to Green on a shovel pass to seal the victory for Ayala. The extra point was good, and the final score was 26-19 in favor of Ayala Tours. Green was the star of the game for Ayala, scoring 2 touchdowns and helping to set up the game-winning score. Natanel Kuhr also contributed with a receiving touchdown. On defense, Ori Wachspress had a standout performance, recording three sacks and batting down a pass. The game was a rollercoaster of emotions for both teams and their fans. Ayala dominated early, but Tivuch Shelly refused to give up and nearly completed a comeback. In the end, Ayala was able to make the plays they needed to secure the victory and move on to the AFI Championship Round. As the playoffs continue, Ayala Tours will look to build on this hard-fought victory and continue their pursuit of a Super Bowl. Meanwhile, Tivuch Shelly will look to regroup and come back stronger next season.

(2) Torah Ohr vs (7) PK Hart

In one of the biggest surprises of the season, T.O. went from a 2-6 record in the regular season to a 4-1 only losing to the number 1 seed Moreshet Mafia, a team that many say should have been in the upper conference. PK Hart never really had a chance as T.O came out swinging and never let up. T.O. Is looking forward to their next challenger and hopes to make it to the championship.

(1) Moreshet Mafia vs (8) Underdogs

This game was much closer  than anticipated and was almost the second biggest upset of the week. Underdogs, coming off of a decisive win against Orayta, knocking them out of playoff contention and clinching the 8th seed earlier in the day, gave Moreshet all they had. This game was tight from the beginning with each team going back and forth. Ultimately Moreshet came out on top with a last minute score along with a great goal-line stop. Underdogs should be proud of their season and the play they left on the field. They will hopefully come back next year better and stronger than ever.

(2) Chofetz Chaim Chassidim vs (7) Flush The Lush

As mentioned before, the UFC brackets were quite a mess this season as a few good teams found themselves on the bottom of the brackets. Flush The Lush came into the season as favorites and played that way most of the season. They had a few hiccups and missed games which led to this weird placement, but early on in the season, it  seemed like teams would have met in the championship game. This rematch of last year's championship game ended in the same way, with Flush The Lush beating out the Chofetz Chaim Chassidim handedly. The final score is a little misleading, Flush The Lush led by QB Ariel Diner went up to a quick lead and never looked back, at one point being up 19-7, however, Chofetz Chaim Chassidim, with the leadership of veteran QB Yisroel Wasser attempted to mount a comeback, but with a game icing TD by Flush the Lush with a few minutes left to go, and a great defensive stop, Flush The Lush pulled out the win at 25-19.

(1) DEC vs (8) Converse Dating

Converse Dating won what was considered a major upset, but not to us writers. DEC was in first place and well deserved, as they went undefeated in the final stretch of the season (5-0). Converse was the complete opposite, as they barely made it into the UMC, and then almost were knocked out by BhB Investments in their final game. To all of the fans, this game was an easy win for DEC. However, the writers saw it differently. Converse Dating has arguably the most talented receiving core in the league. Their struggles lay in the quarterback position, but in this game, Noam Gelb balled out. The game was highly intense, but Converse managed to come out on top with some excellent plays from their offense and defense. DEC started the game with the ball, but their offense was quickly shut down by CD's defense. On the first drive of the game, DL Moishie Platscheck of CD sacked the DEC’s QB Zvi Greenstone. CD's offense took the field and on their first drive, they moved the ball down the field. However, their drive was cut short by two nice plays by the DEC defense. DEC's DL Noam Moore broke free for a sack and on the next play, S Avi Weinreb also notched a  sack, forcing CD to punt the ball away. On DEC's next possession, Feintuch intercepted a pass from Greenstone. On the next play, Converse QB Noam Gelb hit Cherns who ran a corner route and toe tapped in the back of the end zone for a gorgeous 27-yard touchdown. Converse went for a 2-pt XP and got it, putting CD up 8-0. DEC tried to score, but they ended up needing to punt. On the point, Platscheck pushed through the line and snatched the punt right out of the air as it left the punter's foot, and returned it for a pick-six. CD now had a 14-0 lead. DEC’s offense tried to recover but were demoralized by the punt-six, and they didn’t complete a pass, ending this next drive with a punt back to Converse. CD's offense then put together a good drive that included a 22-yard reception to WR Dan Stein, a 12-yard run by Gelb, but ended up turning over the ball on downs. DEC’s final drive before half kicked off with a 10-yard run by QB Zvi Greenstone. Greenstone then hit WR Noam Moore for 7 yards. Greenstone tried to gain the first down by running but came up short. The 4th down play went incomplete, resulting in a DEC turnover on downs. Gelb took quick advantage by hitting Cherns for a 47-yard TD, where he mossed his defender, and ran it in. The score was now 20-0, and halftime came. Converse began the second half with the ball. Gelb hit Feintuch for a 27-yard reception to open up the drive. Later on that drive, Gelb found Dan Stein for a 13-yard touchdown. Converse now had a commanding lead of 26-0. DEC finally managed to get on the scoreboard with a 52-yard touchdown pass to WR Noam Moore. CD got the ball back but their drive quickly ended with a turnover on downs. DEC’s offense looked to close the gap, however, CD's defense continued to play well, forcing DEC to turn the ball over on downs. CD's offense continued to put up points, with a 13-yard touchdown pass to Dan Stein. DEC managed to finally score on a 52-yard touchdown pass to Noam Moore. Moore scored his second TD of the game on the next drive, bringing his team within 13. Score was 26-13. CD's offense struggled on their next possession, and they were forced to punt the ball away. DEC's offense then put together an impressive drive, highlighted by a 24-yard run by Greenstone, a 14-yard reception by Moore, and a 12-yard reception by Weinreb. However, CD's DL Moishie Platscheck sacked the DEC quarterback twice on the same drive, ending their hopes of scoring.  CD's offense punted the ball away again on their next drive. On DEC’s drive, Greenstone quickly found Weinreb for a 27-yard TD, making the score 26-19 Converse. DEC had a chance to score with just 3:07 remaining in the game. Greenstone completed a 44-yard touchdown pass to Noam Moore, his third of the game, but the extra point attempt was no good, leaving the score at 26-25 in favor of CD. With less than a minute remaining in the game, CD's offense managed to score one more touchdown with a 50-yard pass to Mordechai Cherns, his third of the game, making the score 31-25. Converse looked to have sealed the game but DEC was still within striking distance, with :47 seconds remaining. DEC's offense tried to mount a comeback, but they turned the ball over on an interception by Cherns. Converse ended up scoring on a 12-yard touchdown to TE Moishie Platscheck, ending the game with a final score of 37-25. CD's defense played exceptionally well, sacking the DEC quarterback several times and forcing turnovers. CD's offense also had a strong showing, with a strong performance from Gelb and Cherns, who had 4 touchdown receptions. On the other hand, DEC struggled to score in the first half but made the game interesting, led by superstar wide receiver Noam Moore. Final score was 37-25 Converse Dating over DEC. 

MOTZASH

(4) Northwestern vs (5) Sound of Silence

The rematch from last week…Northwestern stomped all over Sound of Silence last week, winning 28-14. SOS was looking for some revenge while Northwestern wanted the same result. Game started off roughly for SOS as the Northwestern defense came up with an interception. NW then scored on a 7-yard TD to WR Sam Kaufman. SOS failed to score the whole first half and was down 12-0 at halftime. In the second half, SOS came out running as QB Dovi Geizhals found WR Yedidyah Cohen on a streak up the sideline for a 46-yard TD. XP was no good so the score was 12-6 NW. Northwestern bounced right back as QB Tzvi Stern found a receiver open for a 14-yard TD, making the score 18-6. With under 5 minutes remaining, SOS needed to score and then make a stop. They did just that as SOS marched down the field and scored on a 7-yard TD pass to WR Chanoch Krohn. 2-pt XP was good, closing the gap to within four. 18-14 Northwestern as they took over with 2:45 remaining. They ended up punting the ball back to SOS with :57 remaining and no timeouts for SOS. Geizhals found WR Dov Solomon on a 29-yard crossing route, who made a gorgeous toe tap sideline catch and got out of bounds, stopping time with :41 seconds. After a couple of plays, SOS found themselves on the brink of scoring, with 1st and goal from the 11 yard line. On 1st down, Geizhals scrambled for 9 yards and got out of bounds, with :11 seconds to go. 2nd and 3rd down both went incomplete. On 4th and goal with :2.5 seconds to go, SOS huddled up for what could be their final play of the season. Geizhals took the snap, rolled out and threw a bullet to the sideline of the end zone looking for his receiver…but it bounced in and out of his hands and the ball fell to the ground, along with Sound of Silence’s season. What a game this was as SOS fell just short of a brilliant comeback. Northwestern bested SOS again and now they move onto the next round. Final score was 18-14 Northwestern over Sound of Silence.

(2) Omni vs (7) All Americans

In a game that had it all, Omni and All Americans battled for supremacy in an intense and entertaining game. The game started with Omni taking an early lead, but All Americans fought back to tie the game. The game went into overtime, where Omni came out on top with a dramatic touchdown catch by Chaim Lieberman. Omni got off to a quick start, with an impressive 22-yard touchdown pass to Chaim Lieberman. The extra point was good, and Omni took an early 7-0 lead. However, All Americans responded quickly, with a 44-yard touchdown pass to Yitzy Devor. Unfortunately, the extra point was no good, and Omni maintained a 7-6 lead. After both teams exchanged punts, Omni extended their lead with another touchdown, on a 47-yard pass to Chaim Lieberman. The extra point was no good, so Omni led 13-6. All Americans refused to go away, answering back with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Yitzy Devor, his second of the game. Unfortunately, the extra point was once again no good, and the game was tied 13-13. Late in the game, both teams had chances to take the lead. Omni turned the ball over on downs, giving the All Americans a chance to win with 1:18 remaining. However, All Americans also turned the ball over on downs, sending the game into overtime. In overtime, All Americans started with the ball but failed to convert on their four downs. In between drives, an All American player received a controversial personal foul and unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for cursing at a referee, which put Omni 10 yards from the endzone. On Omni’s possession, they only needed one play to score. Chaim Lieberman called game with a game-winning touchdown catch, securing the victory for Omni by a score of 19-13. The game was a thrilling back-and-forth affair that showcased the skills and determination of both teams. Chaim Lieberman was the star of the game, catching all three of Omni's touchdown passes, including the game-winner in overtime. Yitzy Devor also had a strong showing, catching two touchdown passes for the All Americans. Omni will move on to the AFI Championship Round and try to continue their run. All Americans will go home and try to prepare for next year, where they’ll go after the trophy again.

(4) Umpa Lumpas vs (5) Mercaz Moosen

Umpa Lumpas had already beaten Mercaz once and was looking to do it again. Mercaz of course was looking for a little sweet revenge after losing 18-6 a couple weeks earlier. This game was all Umpa Lumpas in the first half as they went up 6-0 quickly on a deep TD pass to WR Morris Setton. They tacked on another 6 points before halftime as well. The score was 12-0 Umpa at halftime. Mercaz QB Avrumi Zagelbaum started to settle in after the second half began. He began hitting his throws but couldn’t score until time began to wane. With 1:59 remaining, he found WR David Shafron in the end zone for a TD. 12-6 Umpa Lumpas. All Mercaz needed was a defensive stop now to get possession and try to tie it up. Umpa Lumpa QB Eliezer Weissmandl had other plans as he found WR Ezra Harari-Rafual for a 27-yard TD to take a 18-6 lead. With too little time left, this game was all but over. Mercaz’s season was over as they couldn’t crack the code on the Umpa Lumpas for the second time this season. Final score 18-6 Umpa Lumpas over Mercaz Moosen.

(2) Eagles Nest vs (7) The Dougs

No one expected this game to be as close as it was. Eagles Nest led by QB Dovi Mandelbaum found WR Shua Leibowitz for the first point of the game. The key to the game was XP and Eagles Nest did not miss even one. Down 7-0 The Dougs knew they had to mount a drive for the game not to get away from them, and that was what they did, with a nice TD pass to Yakov Greenspon who then also got the extra point. Eagles Nest were not done and responded with a TD of their own to WR Ezra Cohen, with the extra point again, being good. The Dougs were not one to roll over however, and after halftime they drove the ball all the way down the field for another TD, this time to Eyton Miller, the XP however, was no good. Bringing the score to 14-13. The next drive was critical, and after trading a pair of 3 and outs Eagles Nest drove down the field and scored yet another TD this one again to WR Shua Leibowitz bringing them up to 21-13. With time winding down The Dougs drove down the field once more, scoring a TD to tie it up at 21-19 but again, missed the 2 point attempt. Failing to eat up the clock, Eagles Nest turned the ball back over to the Dougs on downs with less than a minute left to the game. The Dougs mounted a nice drive to bring them down to their opponents 15 yard line. However, with a great defensive stand by Eagle Nest, the clock hit zero and the final score was 21-19 Eagles Nest.

OUTRO: 

What a season it has been, we are sad to see so many teams go, but are excited for all the great games coming up in the next round. This year, the league is honoring some of the greats of the past and naming the lower tier trophies after some truly great people who have been a part of the league for a long time.

The LMC Championship game Trophy will be named  “The Mordechai Goodman Bowl”, Mordechai Goodman was The legendary quarterback for Pizzeria Efrat was fondly known to all as Mordy. The AFI Hall of Famer holds the record for most touchdowns thrown in league history.

The UFC Championship game Trophy will be named “The Danny Taragin Bowl”, Danny was the legendary coach for Lobos and other Championship teams.  The AFI hall of Famer is now retired with the distinction of coaching the most championship teams in AFI history.

The LFC Championship game Trophy will be named “The Jerry Feldman Bowl”, Jerry never lived in Israel or played in the AFI but his heart was always in the country.  His grandchildren now play football in Israel and Jerry’s memory is now a part of us.