By Cassie Kickert
DE-FENSE! DE-FENSE!
Pioneers fans raised that cheer many, many times late in the Elite Bowl,
straining, yelling, hoping their team could find victory over the Fox Valley
Force. It didn’t start pretty for the Pioneers. Nobody expected an
easy win. Nobody anticipated what happened either.
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After giving up 14 points in the first quarter, the Pioneers defense was tough all night. |
The Force, on their opening drive, scored. Force quarterback
T.J. Arndt threw the ball just high enough so that only his receiver, T.J.
Hulbert, could catch it. One drive, and the Force led 7-0.
But the Pioneers offense would respond, with a punishing
drive. After Lionel Lamarre gave the offense great field position at the 39, Riza Mahmoud and the offensive line did the rest. After jumping over the pile of
Force defenders for a first down at the 17, Mahmoud took it the rest of the way
for the score on the next play.
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Lamarre with a great return. |
A bad snap meant the Force still had the lead, 7-6.
The fact that both teams were battling was no surprise. Coming
into the game Saturday, the Force were also undefeated in league play, losing
only to the Racine Raiders in Racine, Wisconsin. They were about to show the
Pioneers why. Quarterback T.J. Arndt came right back with another long
touchdown pass, hitting Andy DeBruin, who then ran 77 yards for another Force
touchdown.
DeBruin’s touchdown scamper made it 14-6 Force. Then, Fox
Valley’s trademark defense showed they’re championship caliber too.
Time and again, the Pioneers tried to get Mahmoud going.
But, save for the early touchdown run, he was met time and again by a slew of
Force defenders at or near the line of scrimmage. McCoy, under pressure for
most of the game, wasn’t able to do much either. Pressure can often lead to
mistakes, such as an interception. On two consecutive second quarter drives,
that’s exactly what happened.
“I came in and said we’re not going to lose but we just had
to get going. I think that first drive was a confident drive but then we, and
I, kinda got out of [our] shell a little bit and weren’t firing around and just
being too laid back,” McCoy said.
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Mahmoud had two touchdowns. |
Good thing, then, that the Force defense wasn’t the only
stellar defense on the field Saturday. Although
McCoy got intercepted twice, the
St. Paul Pioneers defense had his back.
McCoy’s two interceptions did something else, too. They woke
up the crowd, Pioneers and Force fans alike. Everybody began cheering on every
play – with all they had.
As everyone watched, the stout Pioneers defense held the
Force out of the end zone and, ultimately, to zero points after McCoy’s
interceptions.
“We lean on each other when we need each other,” Lamarre
said.
However, as one possession after another ended without a
score, frustration began to mount.
Mahmoud gave credit to the Force defense for the Pioneers’
offensive struggles.
“You can’t take any credit away from the Force. They’re a
solid team. They worked our [offensive] line. Folks were getting tired out
there. We started strong. They beat on us for a little bit. We weren’t getting
anything accomplished and it’s exhausting to a team. The thing [to do] for us
was just to stay positive, keep our heads on straight and just fight through
it,” he said.
Head Coach Mark Heiser agreed, saying the Force defense gave
the Pioneers offense some issues but “we were able to adjust and make some big
plays."
Halftime allowed the Pioneers an opportunity to regroup and
make adjustments, which, according to Lamarre, the coaches did a great job of.
It also gave everyone a chance to rehydrate. The Pioneers were going to need
every fan’s voice if they were going to beat the formidable Fox Valley Force
and be named Champions once again.
Safety Jake Lindsey said that halftime adjustments and
believing in each other were the keys to staying in the game.
“We made an adjustment to what they were doing and we
believed in each other and stuck together and nobody got down or on anybody. We
just kept battling,” he said.
It took a while, though, in the second half, for the
aforementioned adjustments to show up offensively.
So, as it has done all season, the defense picked up the
slack. Defensive lineman Jeff McGaster and Brandon Murdock and the rest of the
defensive line made it their personal mission to cause havoc for Force
quarterback T.J. Arndt.
Heiser had great things to say about his defense’s
performance, especially in the second half.
“In the second half we did a great job of getting pressure
on the QB which led to a few interceptions. Our defense stepped up huge. Coach
Powell put together a great game plan with some excellent half time
adjustments. Defense wins championships and we have always been known for
playing strong defense,” he said.
As time continued to go by in the third quarter, everybody
began to wonder if the Pioneers were ever going to score and what it would take
to make that happen.
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Lindsey's interception was the spark. |
The Force defense wasn’t letting up. The third quarter
ended, with the Force still leading 14-6.
Then, it happened. The play all Pioneers fans, players,
coaches and staff had been waiting all game for. This play lifted all Pioneers’
spirits and gave new meaning to the phrase “great field position.”
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Lolar had a big touchdown late. |
After the Pioneers defense pinned Arndt and the Force deep
in their own territory – at their own 5 yard line – Lindsey intercepted the Fox
Valley quarterback’s pass. The ball was placed at the Force 11 yard line. McCoy
threw to receiver Damien Lolar, whose outstretched arms were waiting for the
ball in the end zone.
Touchdown Pioneers.
But after St. Paul was unsuccessful on a two point
conversion, the Force still led -- 14-12. More fans’ yelling – and more big
plays – would be needed.
That’s when the Pioneers defense stepped up again.
First-year player Ronald Zollicoffer intercepted Arndt again. However, McCoy
also got intercepted shortly thereafter.
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Zollicoffer made an acrobatic interception. |
The Force would later look back and regret the next choice
they made. They chose to go for it on fourth down and didn’t make it. After the
turnover on downs, Mahmoud literally took over the game. On first down, he got
three yards. On second and third, he gained five and 18, respectively.
Then, everybody watched as he ran down the far sideline, no
defender able to catch him, to the end zone for a touchdown. He also ran in the
two point conversion, giving the Pioneers their first lead of the game with
about six and a half minutes to go.
The scoreboard read 20-14 Pioneers.
All Pioneers players, coaches, staff and fans knew as soon
as Mahmoud ran into the end zone, the Pioneers wouldn’t relinquish that lead.
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Lindsey's second pick sealed the game. |
There was still work to be done, though. Jake Lindsey wasted
no time getting back to work. He caught the Pioneers’ third interception of the
day a few minutes later to more cheers.
It was then that the Pioneers began to celebrate.
After McCoy took a knee, the Pioneers were officially NEFL champs again—for the fifth consecutive season.
This game wasn’t easy. It took contributions from everybody—including the
crowd—for the team to win.
When asked what the key was to winning this season and this
game, receiver Donte Pettis said:
“Us staying together as a family. Practicing, guys hanging
out outside of football, just being together, trusting each other,
communicating. Those are the things that build a dynasty.”
Truly, it was a team win. The Pioneers offense scored just
enough to beat the Force. As usual, the defense did the rest.
Lamarre pointed out that the defense might have enabled the
Pioneers to win games but it was the offense that had to come through in the
end.
“Our defense did get us to the fourth quarter but it’s about
finishing and our offense finished for us. We were down 14-6. Even if we kept
up a shutout, we still would have lost if our offense didn’t come through for
us and they definitely did,” he said.
Pioneers with multiple championships with the Pioneers –
players like Lamarre, McCoy, Mahmoud and Pettis – were asked which one has
meant the most. All of them said this one did because of how hard they had to
work to achieve it.
“This year, it’s the sweetest, it’s the best. We just picked
each other up. The first half, defense carried the offense. Second half, offense
carried us. This was the most complete victory we’ve had and the closest game
we’ve played in years. This one’s way sweeter than any of the ones we’ve had in
the past,” Lamarre said.
McCoy said he was confident, even when things looked tough.
“I didn’t have a doubt that we were going to win this game.
I came in and said we’re not going to lose but we just had to get going….
Halftime really helped. We came in and did some things and we made plays.
Defense figured it out and we put up just enough to win the game. That’s what
matters,” he said.
When comparing this championship to the 2009 Championship
team, Pettis said this one means more because of the effort it took to win the
game.
“We hadn’t faced adversity [this season] like being behind
[until tonight]. [Tonight] we showed we have real character,” he said.
He is right about that. Although they were behind for most
of the game, the Pioneers never quit, never faltered. They kept their heads up
high and persevered and are now NEFL Champions for the fifth consecutive year.
Congratulations Pioneers!
Players of the Game:
Defense -- Jake Lindsey
Offense -- Riza Mahmoud
Special Teams -- Rob Wills and John Ostertag.
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