The Birthday Bowl I
With both Donnie and Aaron celebrating a birthday recently, they were
selected to be the first people to usher in the “Captains” era of HBL
Football. The teams picked ended as, Aaron, Manny, Rich, Steve, Daniel and
Nick on Blue. With Donnie, Eric, Aaron Bagby, Ric and Macky on Orange. JP
was selected as the designated rotator.
Blue started off with the ball and Aaron at QB. He quickly drove to midfield
but was unable to move the team any further and gave the ball over to Orange
on downs. Donnie started the QB spot for Orange, but in 3 plays, he threw
the first interception of the game to Nick. On the very next play, Aaron hit
Nick on a 70 yard bomb for a touchdown and the first score of the game.
Orange didn’t lose faith in Donnie and they drove right down the field and
tied the game right back up when Donnie hit Ric for a 34 yard touchdown
pass. On the next play again, Steve took a hand-off from Aaron and passed it
to a wide open Daniel for an 80 yard touchdown on the half-back option.
Blue 14 – Orange 7
Eric started the next drive for Orange at QB and went 3 for 3 with a 67 yard
touchdown to Ric to tie the game back up. Blue drove right back down the
field with Aaron Hitting Daniel for a long pass, but Macky made a Touchdown
saving tag. Blue was unable to get the ball into the endzone in the next 4
plays and gave the ball back to Orange just 9 yards from paydirt. And Orange
made them pay, as one play later, Eric hit JP for a 91 yard touchdown, one
of the longest in HBL history. Blue tried to muster another drive, but was
only able to get it to midfield, before give the ball back to Orange. Eric
quickly drove downfield and hit JP for a 5 yard touchdown. With just minutes
left in the half, Blue drove down field, but, again, Aaron was unable to hit
his open receivers and they turned the ball over on downs just before the
half ended. Blue 14 – Orange 28
Eric remained at QB and started off the second half the same way Orange
ended the first, with a scoring drive. A 15 yard pass to Edwin put them up
by 3 scores. Manny took over for Aaron at QB and was able to move the ball
deep into Blue territory, but Blue again was unable to put the ball into the
endzone. However, they would get another chance as a few plays into Blue’s
drive, Rich pulled down a great one handed interception. Several plays
later, Manny hit Aaron for a 25 yard touchdown. On defense again, Rich
pulled in his second INT in as many series. Steve took over at QB for Blue,
but the change didn’t get much for them as they gave the ball back to Orange
on downs. Blue 21 – Orange 35
On Orange’s next series, it seemed as if the tied had shifted as Eric threw
his 3rd Interception in as many series. This time, with Manny in control of
the rock, Blue went down the field and scored on a 25 yard pass to Aaron.
With a momentum building for Blue, Manny intercepted an errant pass from
Eric. Looking to stop the momentum, Aaron B. pulled in a game breaking play
as he snagged an interception in the endzone that would have tied the game.
However, 1 play later, Manny pulled in his second INT of the game. And just
2 plays after that, Manny hit Aaron for a 15 yard touchdown to tie the game
back up. Blue 35 – Orange 35
With just 8 minutes left in the game, Eric methodically drove down the field
ending the drive with a 2 yard touchdown pass to Macky. Under 5 minutes left
and with the Ball, Blue looked to take their time getting down field to
score and send the game into over time. And with 2 and a half minutes left,
Manny hit JP, who zipped down the sideline for a 50 yard touchdown. But one
play later, Orange put the proverbial nail in the coffin when Eric hit
Donnie for a 80 yard touchdown pass. Orange was able to move the ball to
mid-field on the final series of the game, but time ran out before they
could enter the promised land. Blue 42 – Orange 49
Final Score Orange 42 - Blue 49
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Number for the Game: 8
Eric went 8 for 8 on his first three drives at QB, ending each one with a
Touchdown.
Did You Notice?
Donnie Scored the final and winning touchdown of the game, fitting for
the Birthday Boy.
Blue pulled down an interception on 5 straight Orange Offensive Series.
In a 9 series span in the second half, 6 of them ended with
Interceptions.
Of the 6 TD's scored in the first half, 5 of them were scored in 3 plays
or less.
Quote of the Game:
Aaron forgot to turn the mic on, so we got no quotes.
Play of the Game:
Ric - Donnie hits Ric over the middle, It his his hands above his
head, then his chest, then his knees before he finally pulls it in and
rumbles 34 yards for a touchdown - Orange 7 - Blue 7
Eric to JP - Eric hits JP for a 91 yard TD, One of the longest in HBL
History - Orange 21 - Blue 14
Manny #1 - With Orange up by 7, Manny pulls down an Interception to
give Blue a chance to tie - Orange 35 - Blue 28
Aaron B. - With Blue threatening to score and tie the game, Aaron
Bagby pulls in an INT in the endzone - Orange 35 - Blue 28
Manny #2- 1 Play after Orange looked like it had sealed the game with
an INT. Manny pulls in his second TD to give Blue life again -
Orange 35
- Blue 28
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