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Goddamn it Montreal, are we really gonna miss the playoffs after making it to the McCallister Cup final last year? Buffalo losing also hurts, but maybe getting a better draft pick will help them for the future.
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Wallflower wrote:
*BOS clinches playoff spot
Wallflower wrote:
RB Greg Dix would score his first career touchdown in style on a 69-yard run that the Victors were clearly not ready for.
today was a good day
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1963 Week 11
London Tigers - 22, Montreal Rouge - 14 - Western Fair Stadium - September 6, 1963 - 7 PM ET - FNF - Weather: Partly Cloudy - TV: EN George LeBlanc and Kevin Holcombs, FR Cyril Etienne and Maurice St.Louise
1st Q
7-0 LDN - PTD QB Riley Kiernan -> WR Max Sutton
2nd Q
7-7 MTL - RTD RB Scott Mallard-White
8-7 LDN - Single K Nimrod Handsworth
3rd Q
8-14 MTL - PTD QB Gene Bishop -> WR Derek Cross
4th Q
15-14 LDN - PTD QB Riley Kiernan -> WR Russell Wilcox
22-14 LDN - RTD RB Eric Sydney
The Tigers continued to roll with their 5th straight win on the back of a 4th quarter comeback.
The Rouge held the lead late, but Kiernan was able to get the team down the field twice to give them an 8-point lead.
Montreal’s offence just ran into a confident Tigers defence that was able to create a lot of problems.
DB Jackson Miles grabbed yet another pick while LB Aengus Lynch and LB Dallas Dillard both combined for 18 tackles and a forced fumble.
Montreal faces a tough situation as they are barely holding onto the cross-over playoff spot, all while London clinches a playoff spot after a 1-5 start.
*LDN clinches playoff spot
Halifax Mariners - 19, Boston Independents - 36 - Atlantic Stadium - September 7, 1963 - 3 PM ET - Weather: Cloudy - TV: Benjamin O’Donnell and William Arland
1st Q
0-7 BOS - RTD RB Kendall Morgan
0-10 BOS - FG K Johnnie Berg
3-10 HFX - FG K Elvis Franklin
2nd Q
3-17 BOS - PTD QB Nathaniel Braddock -> WR Ellis Lindholm
9-17 HFX - RTD RB Stavros Black
9-20 BOS - FG K Johnnie Berg
3rd Q
9-27 BOS - PTD QB Nathaniel Braddock -> WR Fredrick St.Pierre
12-27 HFX - FG K Elvis Franklin
12-30 BOS - FG K Johnnie Berg
4th Q
12-33 BOS - FG K Johnnie Berg
19-33 HFX - PTD QB Buck Murphy -> WR Nick Nacker
19-36 BOS - FG K Johnnie Berg
The Independents rolled to another big win over the Mariners to give them their 3rd straight win.
K Johnnie Berg had another heck of a day with 5 field goals in the win.
As for the Mariners, they decided to give QB Buck Murphy his first career start to see what he has.
It was a mixed performance with some horrid interceptions, but a couple of solid drives including a late touchdown to WR Nick Nacker to get his career first.
The Mariners were officially out of the fight for the playoffs, however, it seemed like the team certainly knew what was going to happen, but they still played hard for their home crowd which still managed to fill the stadium really well in their home finale.
Louisville Thunder - 12, Buffalo Blue Wings - 13 - Thunder Stadium - September 7, 1963 - 7 PM ET - Weather: Rain - TV: Clint Georgetown and Jamar Swinton
1st Q
3-0 LOU - FG K Frank Hughes
3-3 BUF - FG K Ryan Perch
2nd Q
6-3 LOU - FG K Frank Hughes
9-3 LOU - FG K Frank Hughes
3rd Q
12-3 LOU - FG K Frank Hughes
4th Q
12-10 BUF - RTD RB Jimmy Golden
12-13 BUF - FG K Ryan Perch
The Blue Wings shocked the division-leading Thunder off of a strong 4th quarter comeback.
The Thunder were controlling the game throughout, but one play ended up giving the Blue Wings life as RB Jimmy Golden exploded on a run that the Thunder didn’t see coming.
The running back took off for a 53-yard touchdown run and would pull Buffalo to within 2, but there was not a lot of time left in the game.
Louisville would look to kill the clock, however, DL Mickey Daly would manage to get his hand into the arms of RB Rodney Clark and force a shocking fumble.
LB Sam Wynn would pick up the ball and the Blue Wings would kill the clock before K Ryan Perch nailed the game-winner to keep their season alive.
Long Island Raiders - 35, Indiana Victors - 14 - Long Island Stadium - September 8, 1963 - 1 PM ET - Weather: - TV: Frank Dijon and Jim Earnest
1st Q
7-0 LI - RTD RB Dareion Fields
14-0 LI - RTD RB Dareion Fields
2nd Q
14-7 IND - PTD QB Lyle Painter -> WR Ed Edwards
21-7 LI - PTD QB Stanley Troyer -> WR Larry Mossholder
3rd Q
21-14 IND - RTD RB Cody Barnes
4th Q
28-14 LI - DTD DB Lauri Hayha
35-14 LI - RTD RB Darion Fields
The Raiders pulled off a massive 35-14 win over the Victors to keep their foot in the door to the playoffs taking over the final playoff spot from the Rouge.
RB Dareion Fields took matters into his own hands with a 3 touchdown performance.
Indiana just could not keep up, especially when QB Lyle Painter, who was playing in Long Island for the first time since being traded to Indiana, left the game with a minor injury.
The Raiders stole QB Mike Key’s confidence with a Lauri Hayha pick-6 on only his 4th play of the game.
Ottawa Royals - 21, Providence Gold Stars - 32 - Royals Stadium at Brewer Park - September 8, 1963 - 4 PM ET - Weather: - TV: Jerry Goldbridge and Jackie Calhoon
1st Q
0-3 PRO - FG K Ira Foster
7-3 OTT - RTD RB Corbyn Knight
7-10 PRO - PTD QB Connor O’Rourke -> WR Sammy Moss
2nd Q
7-17 PRO - RTD RB Marcus Devonshire
3rd Q
14-17 OTT - PTD QB Lee Rogers -> WR Mackenzie Jones
14-19 PRO - Safety DL Calias McDonough
4th Q
14-26 PRO - PTD QB Connor O’Rourke -> WR Owen Paisley
14-29 PRO - FG K Ira Foster
21-29 OTT - PTD QB Lee Rogers -> WR Carter Henderson
21-32 PRO - FG K Ira Foster
The Gold Stars went into Ottawa with the mission of keeping their division title hopes alive, and they walked away having succeeded in doing so.
The offence was making plays all day, but the defence would come up big with DL Calias McDonough getting to QB Lee Rogers for a safety in the 3rd quarter.
Ottawa gave it a shot, but the injuries seemed to really be catching up to the team and they were unable to keep pace with the Gold Stars.
Injury Report
QB Lyle Painter IND - Day-to-Day
WR Max Sutton LDN - 2 Weeks
OL Elliot Winterbottom LI - Day-to-Day
DL Troy Hunt OTT - 4 Weeks
Players of the Week
OFF: RB Dareion Fields LI - 2 Rushing Touchdowns, 130 Rushing Yards
DEF: LB Aengus Lynch LDN - 10 Tackles, 1 Forced Fumble
Standings
WEST
Louisville 7-4 -x
London 6-5 -x
Long Island 5-6
Buffalo 4-6-1
Indiana 3-8
EAST
Boston 8-2-1 -x
Providence 7-3-1 -x
Ottawa 4-4-3
Montreal 5-6
Halifax 3-8
Power Rankings
1 - Boston -
2 - Providence -
3 - London +1
4 - Louisville -1
5 - Long Island +2
6 - Ottawa -
7 - Montreal -2
8 - Buffalo -
9 - Halifax -
10 - Indiana -
Week 12 Games
HFX (3-8) @ MTL (5-6) - SEP 14 - 3 PM ET
*MTL clinches playoff spot with Win + LI or OTT Loss
LI (5-6) @ PRO (7-3-1) - SEP 14 - 7 PM ET - Saturday Night Football
*LI clinches playoff spot with Win or MTL + BUF Loss
*PRO clinches East Division with Win + BOS Loss
BUF (4-6-1) @ IND (3-8) - SEP 15 - 1 PM ET
*BUF clinches playoff spot with Win + LI Loss + MTL or OTT Loss
OTT (4-4-3) @ BOS (8-2-1) - SEP 15 - 4 PM ET
*OTT clinches playoff spot with Win or MTL Loss or LI Loss + BUF Loss
*BOS clinches East Division with Win or PRO Loss
LOU (7-4) @ LDN (6-5) - SEP 15 - 7 PM ET - Finale
*Winner clinches the West Division
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What a win for the Wings!
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Come on, Montreal, is this really how it's gonna end this year? Get the win next week, and then we'll hope for the best.
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1963 Week 12
Montreal Rouge - 34, Halifax Mariners - 24 - Mount Royal Stadium - September 14, 1963 - 3 PM ET - Weather: Partly Cloudy - TV: FR Cyril Etienne and Quinton Jacques, EN George Leblanc and Maurice St.Louise
1st Q
3-0 MTL - FG K Arthur Kettinger
10-0 MTL - RTD RB Scott Mallard-White
10-7 HFX - PTD QB Buck Murphy -> WR Joshua Lafleur
2nd Q
13-7 MTL - FG K Arthur Kettinger
13-10 HFX - FG K Elvis Franklin
3rd Q
20-10 MTL - PTD QB Gene Bishop -> WR Taylor Karis
27-10 MTL - RTD RB Scott Mallard-White
27-17 HFX - RTD RB Ronald O’Sullivan
4th Q
27-24 HFX - DTD INT DB Joe Robinson
34-24 MTL - PTD QB Gene Bishop -> WR Derek Cross
Halifax managed to scare the Rouge late in their season finale, but QB Gene Bishop would not allow the Rouge to lose and would lead the team to the endzone following a costly interception.
It certainly was not the most inspiring win for the Rouge, but they still got the job done and now had to hope either the Raiders or Royals lose.
The Mariners started QB Buck Murphy again, and he played pretty well overall, throwing another touchdown; comparing him to QB Michael Benedict, Murphy has certainly played better in his two games.
Providence Gold Stars - 35, Long Island Raiders - 15 - New Providence Stadium - September 14, 1963 - 7 PM ET - SNF - Weather: Clear - TV: Bob Walton and Steven Kelly
1st Q
7-0 PRO - PTD QB Connor O’Rourke -> WR Sammy Moss
7-3 LI - FG K Henderson Schumacher
14-3 PRO - PTD QB Connor O’Rourke -> WR Cedric Peterson
2nd Q
14-6 LI - FG K Henderson Schumacher
21-6 PRO - RTD RB Marcus Devonshire
3rd Q
28-6 PRO - PTD QB Connor O’Rourke -> WR Sammy Moss
28-9 LI - FG K Henderson Schumacher
4th Q
28-16 LI - PTD QB Stanley Troyer -> WR Casey Coleman
35-16 PRO - PTD QB Christian Stewart -> WR Owen Paisley
The Gold Stars rolled over the Raiders to keep their East Division hopes alive.
Connor O’Rourke threw 3 touchdowns in the win while QB Christian Stewart had one as he replaced O’Rourke in order to give him some rest.
It was a tough loss to swallow for the Raiders as that would mean the end of the season for them, as they are mathematically eliminated from the playoffs.
*MTL clinches a playoff spot with LI Loss
Indiana Victors - 31, Buffalo Blue Wings - 17 - Victory Stadium - September 15, 1963 - 1 PM ET - Weather: Partly Cloudy - TV: Harold Mansfield and Jim Earnest
1st Q
7-0 IND - PTD QB Lyle Painter -> WR Ed Edwards
7-3 BUF - FG K Ryan Perch
2nd Q
7-10 BUF - RTD RB Jimmy Golden
14-10 IND - PTD QB Lyle Painter -> WR Ed Edwards
3rd Q
21-10 IND - RTD RB Cody Barnes
24-10 IND - FG K Ross Poindexter
4th Q
24-17 BUF - PTD QB Charles Lemieux -> WR Julius Drake
31-17 IND - PTD QB Mike Key -> WR Otto Washington
The Victors let their two QBs duke it out in the final game of the season and make their case for the starting job next season.
Both did quite well leading the Victors to a surprise win over the Blue Wings; Painter was slightly better with 2 passing touchdowns, and no interceptions while Mike Key only had one touchdown and an interception.
Buffalo had an utterly disappointing end to the season as with the loss they end up being taken out of playoff contention.
*OTT clinches playoff spot with BUF loss
Boston Independents - 30, Ottawa Royals - 6 - Richardson Stadium - September 15, 1963 - 4 PM ET - Weather: Cloudy - TV: Benjamin O’Donnell and William Arland
1st Q
3-0 BOS - FG K Johnnie Berg
6-0 BOS - FG K Johnnie Berg
2nd Q
13-0 BOS - PTD QB Nathaniel Braddock -> WR Ellis Lindholm
20-0 BOS - PTD QB Nathaniel Braddock -> WR Fredrick St.Pierre
3rd Q
20-3 OTT - FG K Maurice Lafayette
23-3 BOS - FG K Johnnie Berg
3rd Q
23-6 OTT - FG K Maurice Lafayette
30-6 BOS - RTD RB Tommy Kerr
Finding out that the Blue Wings had lost earlier in the day, the Royals decided to rest some of their players, especially after WR Carter Henderson tweaked his ankle during warmup.
They would still start QB Lee Rogers, but would eventually give QB Landon Ross an opportunity to see the field later in the game.
That opened the door for a fairly easy-looking game for the Independents who would go on to clinch the East Division with a league-best 9-2-1 record (the first time they have finished alone with the best overall record since 1949).
The Independents would lose RB Kendall Morgan to an injury which threw RB Tommy Kerr into the game.
The good news is Morgan should be ready for the team’s first playoff game.
London Tigers - 13, Louisville Thunder - 6 - Western Fair Stadium - September 15, 1963 - 7 PM ET - Finale - Weather: Clear - TV: Jerry Goldbridge and Jackie Calhoon
1st Q
3-0 LDN - FG K Nimrod Handsworth
2nd Q
3-3 LOU - FG K Frank Hughes
3rd Q
6-3 LDN - FG K Nimrod Handsworth
13-3 LDN - PTD QB Riley Kiernan -> WR Jack Duncan
4th Q
13-6 LOU - FG K Frank Hughes
It was a defensive battle for the division title, but in the end, the slightly better offence would be the one to take home the title.
Both offences struggled, but QB Riley Kiernan was able to get a 3rd quarter touchdown that would ultimately be the difference to give them their 6th straight victory and their 3rd straight West Division title.
They also got some help defensively with DB Jackson Miles bringing in 2 interceptions off of QB Leonidas Dumont, who was back in the lineup.
Dumont struggled and was eventually pulled in the 4th quarter, but Ovechkin couldn’t pull them back into the game as the Tigers’ defence was playing really well.
Injury Report
RB Kendall Morgan BOS - 1 Week
LB Alister Henry HFX - 6 Weeks
DB Alexander Bradley LOU - 3 Weeks
WR Carter Henderson OTT - Day-to-Day
Players of the Week
OFF: WR Ed Edwards IND - 2 Receiving Touchdowns, 131 Receiving Yards
DEF: DB Jackson Miles LDN - 1 Interception, 4 Passes defended, 4 Tackles
Standings
WEST
London 7-5 -y
Louisville 7-5 -x
Long Island 5-7
Buffalo 4-7-1
Indiana 4-8
EAST
Boston 9-2-1 -y
Providence 8-3-1 -x
Montreal 6-6 -x
Ottawa 4-5-3 -xc
Halifax 3-9
Power Rankings
1 - Boston -
2 - London +1
3 - Providence -1
4 - Louisville -
5 - Ottawa +1
6 - Montreal +1
7 - Long Island -2
8 - Indiana +2
9 - Buffalo -1
10 - Halifax -1
1963 Regular Season Recap
Playoff Preview
East Division Semi-Final - Providence Gold Stars VS. Montreal Rouge
Head-to-Head: W1: MTL 41-28 PRO, W9: PRO 31-35 MTL
For the second year in a row the Rouge and Gold Stars will meet in the playoffs. Based on the two previous meetings from this season, this should be an offensive shootout. Montreal did win both of the matchups this season, however, in recent weeks the Gold Stars have been playing better. Montreal proved a lot of people wrong last season with back-to-back wins on the road in the playoffs, but I don’t see a repeat this season, I’ll take the Gold Stars in this one.
My Pick: Gold Stars
West Division Semi-Final - Louisville Thunder VS. Ottawa Royals
Head-to-Head: None
It is tough to get a reading on the Thunder and Royals since they did not face each other this season. The big question will be who will start at QB for the Thunder. Dumont has been dealing with injuries and has struggled a lot this season when in the game, while Stanislav Ovechkin has been at least solid. It is likely Ovechkin will get the call, but Dumont certainly has the championship experience from last season. For the Royals, it will be QB Lee Rogers’ first NAAF playoff start. He’s been alright this season, but it will be a tall task against the Thunder defence. I think the Thunder defence will be the difference and will help the Thunder take the win.
My Pick: Thunder
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Another Buck Murphy sighting! Glad to see the Gold Stars doing well, I'm hoping they can get past the Rouge.
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Let's go Rouge, let's hope we can beat Providence like we did last year.
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1963 NAAF Award Nominations
It was suggested to me that I do the award voting earlier this season before we get into the playoffs. I felt that maybe the playoffs would end up having an effect on the awards, which it is not supposed to, so I wanted to try doing the vote before the playoffs kick-off. I won't release the winners until after the playoffs, but I think this will be a good change going forward, especially for my own motivation for this part of the project.
MVP
QB Riley Kiernan LDN
It was an abysmal start for the Tigers this season which saw starting RB Clifford Russell get knocked out for the season and the team slide to 1-5. However, it was not all lost with Kiernan stepping up for the team. The 2-time MVP QB was able to take over games and win 6 straight to close out the season and turn a 1-5 season into a 7-5 season with a division title. Kiernan’s play has easily been the most important part of the team’s rebound.
LB Scotty Williams LOU
Last year’s MVP made his mark again this season, leading the Thunder defence to set the record for the least amount of points allowed in a 12-game season. If it weren’t for the defence the Thunder would likely not have ended up with a 7-5 record as their offence was 9th in total points this season.
QB Connor O’Rourke PRO
It was a dominant season under center for QB Connor O’Rourke who led the league in passing touchdowns and passing yards. The strong play from the 1957 MVP winner helped the Gold Stars to another strong 8-3-1 record. O’Rourke has been on a mission to try and get the Gold Stars over the top and he’s playing like an MVP in order to get there.
Offensive Player of the Year
QB Riley Kiernan LDN - 21 Passing Touchdowns (2nd), 2nd in Passing Yards
It was a strong offensive performance for Kiernan, who had to make up for the loss of the team’s top RB Clifford Russell.
WR Max Sutton LDN - 12 Receiving Touchdowns (1st), 1st in Receiving Yards
Sutton was the biggest force through the air this season, which makes sense since he is Riley Kiernan’s favourite target.
RB Scott Mallard-White MTL - 20 Rushing Touchdowns (1st), 1st in Rushing Yards
Mallard-White was by far the best RB this season having 6 more touchdowns than the next RB in the league. He was a key piece to the Rouge offence this season.
QB Connor O’Rourke PRO - 26 Passing Touchdowns (1st), 1st in Passing Yards
O’Rourke had the best statistical season among quarterbacks lighting up the field with a career-high 26 touchdown season.
Defensive Player of the Year
LB Konrad Aust BOS - 6 Forced Fumbles (T-2nd), 1 Interception, 1 Defensive Touchdown, 1st in Tackles
Aust had a strong season and managed to be the top LB in Boston with his career-best season.
DB Jackson Miles LDN - 8 Interceptions (2nd), 1 Defensive Touchdown, 2nd in Passes Defended
Miles had a great second half to the season, much like the rest of the Tigers, but it was one of his best seasons and will make a push for a DPOY award.
LB Scotty Williams LOU - 7 Forced Fumbles (1st), 2nd in Tackles
The backbone of the Thunder defence was neck and neck with Aust for the top LB statistically this season.
DB Neville Falkner PRO - 9 Interceptions (1st), 2 Defensive Touchdowns, 1st in Passes Defended
Last year’s winner was the top DB statistically this season with 9 interceptions. Falkner continues to prove that he is making a push for one of the best DBs to ever play.
Special Teams Player of the Year
K Johnnie Berg BOS - 26 Field Goals (T-2nd), 28 Extra Points, 106 Points
Berg had a slow start to the 1963 campaign, but he recovered in the later parts putting up several field goals a game without missing any. He also had the greatest average distance for his kicks.
K Frank Hughes LOU - 28 Field Goals (1st), 18 Extra Points, 1 Single, 103 Points
Another young kicker makes his way into the STPOY award nominations. Leading the league in field goals this season, however, unlike Berg, his average distance for field goals was one of the lowest.
K Henderson Schumacher LI - 26 Field Goals (T-1st), 21 Extra Points, 99 Points
Schumacher made his return to the STPOY nominations with a strong season for the Raiders helping the team get back into a more competitive space after the previous two down seasons.
Rookie of the Year
DL Wayne Baxton HFX - 6 Forced Fumbles (T-2nd in League), 10th in Sacks
Baxton made a massive difference on the Mariners' D-line in his first season. He made his presence known right from the get-go helping the Mariners to their 3-2 start. He ended the season with 6 forced fumbles, which was the most among DL in the league.
OL Emil Jennings LDN - He Block Good
Jennings had a slow start to his career, but as he got comfortable, he was able to jump into a larger role and help the Tigers recover from their 1-5 start. With the Tigers’ OL losses over the last couple of seasons, Jennings is a great pick-up
WR Casey Coleman LI - 3 Receiving Touchdowns (T-18th in League)
Coleman looked like he could’ve had an unbelievable rookie season, however, injuries kept him out throughout the season. He showed a lot of potential when in the lineup, but his lack of availability was a concern.
Coach of the Year
HC Ben McMillian BOS - Record: 9-2-1
Boston’s season was full of close games that came down to the wire. In the end, McMillian was able to help the team come out on top of those close games and put their team on top of the league this season.
HC Roy Aguirre LDN - Record: 7-5
Aguirre, a 2-time COTY winner, showed once again why he is so important to the Tigers. Despite starting 1-5, he was able to turn up the offence (without their top RB) and get the team back to a West Division title.
HC Emil Riddle LOU - Record: 7-5
Breaking records isn’t something anyone does without putting in the work. Riddle is a great head coach both offensively and defensively, but his chemistry with LB Scotty Williams and the Thunder defence showed this season with the team’s record-breaking points against number this season.
Breakout Player of the Year
DB Lauri Hayha LI - 6 Interceptions (4th), 1 Defensive Touchdown
It seems the gamble in taking DB Lauri Hayha in the draft last year is paying off. Hayha quickly became a force in the secondary for the Raiders this season and showed that he can be among the best in the league at his position.
WR Taylor Karis MTL - 9 Receiving Touchdowns (T-2nd), 4th in Receiving Yards
Karis became a true endzone threat this season. With many teams trying to shut down the deep threat of WR Derek Cross, it allowed WR Taylor Karis to thrive. The WR is quickly proving that he has #1 WR talent, finding open space and making plays in clutch moments.
WR Owen Paisley PRO - 7 Receiving Touchdowns (5th)
Paisley and O’Rourke clicked this season as Paisley got more snaps. While he didn’t rack up the yards, he was great in the redzone being able to get open in the short field.
46th McCallister Cup Host
Victory Stadium - Indianapolis, IN - Capacity: 48,500 - Last Hosted: 1958
Indianapolis’ Victory Stadium was a great success the first time the McCallister Cup came to town. The colosseum-like stadium certainly paints a great picture for the final showdown.
New Providence Stadium - Providence, RI - Capacity: 65,450 - Last Hosted: 1953
Providence has not hosted the McCallister Cup since 1953, which is the second-longest “drought” in the league. They hope that the biggest stadium in the league can host another championship game in what will be the Gold Stars’ 50th anniversary season.
***VOTE HERE***
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1963 Division Semi-Finals
Providence Gold Stars VS. Montreal Rouge - New Providence Stadium - September 22, 1963 - 3 PM ET - Weather: Cloudy - 11ºC | 52ºF - TV: EN Bob Walton and Steven Kelly, FR Cyril Etienne and Quinton Jacques
1st Q
The atmosphere was electrifying in the 65,450 seat New Providence Stadium. Revenge was on the mind for the Gold Stars who wanted to reverse the result of the 1962 East Division Final. The game would certainly start in their favour. QB Gene Bishop would lead the Rouge out for the opening drive of the game. He would soon find himself facing a lot of pressure from the Gold Stars’ D-line. He would step up to make a throw on 2nd down but had his own OL Scott Harper pushed into him, knocking the throw off course. DB Neville Falkner of the Gold Stars would jump all over the errant ball and bring in an interception. The crowd in Providence erupted and the Gold Stars grabbed the momentum. QB Connor O’Rourke would make quick work of the Montreal defence before connecting with WR Owen Paisley for a touchdown to make it 7-0 Providence. Montreal would be able to bounce back in the quarter on the next drive with RB Scott Mallard-White getting to the endzone to tie the game back up. The Gold Stars would be well on their way to retake the lead with another touchdown, however, they would fall short. WR Sammy Moss would find some open space in the endzone, but as the ball arrived, DB Jared Francis would lay a hit on Moss and force the incompletion. The play did not sit well with the home crowd especially when WR Sammy Moss would not be able to return to the game. The Gold Stars would still walk away with the lead following a K Ira Foster field goal.
PRO 10-7 MTL
2nd Q
The second quarter would see Montreal continue to get the ball moving. QB Gene Bishop was getting into a rhythm and would get the team down into the redzone before hitting WR Taylor Karis over the middle for a touchdown to take the lead for the first time. The momentum continued to tip into Montreal’s favour which had the crowd feeling anxious. O’Rourke would come out and ease the crowd with a strong drive. The QB would connect with WR Cedric Peterson to get down into the redzone before he found WR Owen Paisley for the second time in the endzone. 17-14 Providence. The Rouge would have to hurry up with time running thin in the half. Following a couple of quick passes to pick up a first down, Bishop was faced with pressure once again. However, this time he was able to escape the pocket. As Bishop stepped to throw to an open TE Eli Grant, he was hit from behind by DL Calias McDonough which caused Bishop to fumble the ball. Another costly turnover would leave the Rouge down by 6 following a Gold Stars’ field goal.
PRO 20-14 MTL
3rd Q
The Rouge would aim to get back into the game out of the break. Bishop was looking to make a big play for the team and get their confidence up. The Gold Stars were continuing to bring the pressure. Bishop would feel it, but kept his cool and would step up to throw, but would pump fake as he saw WR Derek Cross was not as open as he hoped. He would second guess and then shift his throw for WR Darryl Duke. Bishop’s throw was way off target since the QB did not properly set up for the throw. The ball would land in open field with S Shawn Jensen getting under it and bringing in another interception. Providence would continue to roll back the other way with O’Rourke firing the touchdown to WR Cedric Peterson to give them a 27-14 lead. Bishop would not let the mistakes end their season and he would get right back for a quick field goal to cut the lead to just 10. Montreal’s defence had been fairly quiet throughout the game, but they would come up big in the 3rd. O’Rourke would look to connect with WR Cedric Peterson, but S Garet deVale would get in the way and break up the pass. The ball would get tipped up and DB Quentin Xavier, who was coming up behind Peterson, would grab the pick. Montreal would take the momentum shift and would get down to the redzone again Mallad-White would score his second of the game on the ground.
PRO 27-24 MTL
4th Q
The final quarter of play was quite tense for the Gold Star fans who were all too afraid of another choke in the playoffs. Early on in the quarter, the Gold Stars would make a push for the endzone. O’Rourke would connect with WR Benedict Spencer to get the team down to the 2-yard line. On 1st and Goal, the Gold Stars would end up faking the run and would set up WR Cedric Peterson to go one-on-one into the endzone. O’Rourke would toss a perfect pass to the WR who was one of the best in one-on-one situations and he would give Providence a 10-point lead again. Montreal would be able to counter with a field goal to cut the lead back to just 7. The Gold Stars did a good job stalling the Rouge and running the clock, but Montreal was getting another chance with a couple of minutes to go. Looking to make plays through the air, the Rouge would add another WR to the field. Montreal would look to connect on a couple of plays to get the ball rolling. Bishop would step back for a quick throw and would connect with WR Trig Jegman over the middle. Jegman would turn to make a play but he was immediately drilled by LB Rusty McVee. McVee’s hit would launch the ball loose and LB Victor Falkensteig would pick it up and give Providence great field position. The Gold Stars would let RB Rashed Smith and RB Marcus Devonshire run the ball down to the goal line. Devonshire would then punch the ball in to give Providence a 14-point lead and clinch their first playoff win since 1958.
PRO - 46 DB Neville Falkner
MTL - 40 RB Scott Mallard-White
Louisville Thunder VS. Ottawa Royals - Thunder Stadium - September 22, 1963 - 7 PM ET - Weather: Mostly Cloudy - 21ºC | 71ºF - TV: Clint Georgetown and Jamar Swinton
1st Q
It was a much different game in the West Division with the Thunder and Royals both starting backup QBs. QB Stanislav Ovechkin has been the hot hand this season for the Thunder, while QB Lee Rogers replaces QB Jean Matieau due to injury. This marks the first playoff game Ottawa has had without Matieau since 1950. The game would get off to a rocky start with both offences struggling to move the ball. There were a combined 3 first downs in the first quarter. There was no scoring until late in the quarter, and it would take a freak play to lead to it. The Royals would be punting the ball to the Thunder. WR Julian Santiago was back to field the kick, but he misjudged it and the ball bounced off of his chest. The Royals were quick to pounce on the ball and S Clancy Scott would be able to take it down to the 16-yard line. From there, the Royals would finish off the drive with QB Lee Rogers connecting with WR Mackenzie Jones.
LOU 0-7 OTT
2nd Q
The Thunder would look to recover from the mistake in the second quarter. QB Stanislav Ovechkin would lead the Thunder down into Royals’ territory. They would get a field goal to break their offensive silence. They would continue to gain some momentum with a huge turnover. QB Lee Rogers would force a deep ball which would land in the hands of S Johnny Berger. The offence would take over and would eventually get near the endzone before RB Rodney Clark took in the touchdown to give Louisville a 10-7 lead. The Royals’ offence was still struggling against the league’s top defence and never got past midfield in the 2nd.
LOU 10-7 OTT
3rd Q
The Thunder would add to their lead early in the second half with the offence getting down to the redzone. K Frank Hughes would hit his second field goal of the game. With the 6-point lead, the Thunder would start to get comfortable with their defence shutting down the Royals’ offence. However, another freak play would give the Royals an opportunity. As WR Chester Bennett took off for a deep route, he put a quick move on DB Oliver Langstrom. Langstrom would stay with Bennett, however, he planted his foot in an odd spot and would roll his ankle. Bennett would break free and Lee Rogers would hit him with a perfect deep ball. S Johnny Berger would try to get back, but the veteran WR would take it to the house to give the Royals the shocking lead. Langstrom would be unable to return to the game following the play as he could barely keep up with the play while hobbling.
LOU 13-14 OTT
4th Q
The Thunder would recover from the play in the 4th following a LB Scotty Williams forced fumble. They would get another field goal to retake the lead. They would once again hold the fort quite well. The defence was managing alright without both DB Alexander Bradley and DB Oliver Langstrom, however, HC Joseph Curry of the Royals soon found little weaknesses. Smart playcalling would start to push the ball up the field. It was a tedious battle with the Royals’ offence still only getting a few yards each play. Eventually, Rogers would open up the field with back-to-back passes to WR Carter Henderson which would move the Royals up the field 32 yards. They would get down to the 2 before the Thunder would look to hold them up. After RB Corbyn Knight was stopped just short on first down, QB Lee Rogers would breakthrough on a QB plunge to give Ottawa a huge 16-21 lead. The Thunder were all of a sudden in panic mode. The offence would need to move quickly with time starting to become an issue. Ovechkin would have to make some plays through the air. He would connect with WR Ben Roland for a 28-yard gain to start the drive. The fans were getting back into the game. The Thunder kept moving the ball into Royals’ territory and were starting to threaten. Then Ovechkin would look for Roland once again. The WR was breaking for a post route. The ball would perfectly get to Roland, however, S Randall Green would get there just before Roland and would make a miraculous catch to intercept the ball. The fans let out a gasp of pure shock. The pick killed the Thunder’s momentum and the Royals would hold on to become not only the first crossover team to win a playoff game, but the first sub-500 team to win a playoff game as well. QB Lee Rogers and QB Jean Matieau, who watched from the sideline, would share a hug following the win as they were both ecstatic about the win.
LOU - 38 S Johnny Berger
OTT - 28 DL Olaf Viktorsson
Injury Report
DB Oliver Langstrom LOU - Day-to-Day
LB Killian Reed OTT - Day-to-Day
WR Sammy Moss PRO - 6 Weeks
Players of the Week
EDSF: QB Connor O’Rourke PRO - 4 Passing Touchdowns, 328 Passing Yards
WDSF: QB Lee Rogers OTT - 2 Passing Touchdowns, 1 Rushing Touchdown, 189 Passing Yards
Division Final Previews
East Division Final - BOS VS PRO - Richardson Stadium
Head-to-Head: W3: PRO 34-20 BOS, W6 BOS 24-20 PRO
The Gold Stars are on a mission to finally break free of their “playoff-choker” title and after their win next week there is a lot of fans thinking they have a chance. However, they do have to ready for the Independents, who always seem to be standing in the way of the Gold Stars. Boston will still be hindered without 2 starting WRs and RB Kendall Morgan coming off an injury, but QB Nathaniel Braddock has been more than making up for it down the stretch. In the games between the teams this season, it seemed like the Gold Stars were the slightly better team, but now that it is playoff time, anything can happen. I still like the offensive power from the Gold Stars, I think they will break through to the final.
My Pick: Gold Stars
West Division Final - LDN VS OTT - Western Fair Stadium
Head-to-Head: W3 OTT 31-28 LDN
The Royals had come out on top in the meeting between these two teams earlier this season, however, a lot has changed since then. The Royals remain without QB Jean Matieau and the Tigers are one of, if not, the hottest team in the league riding a 6-game win streak. The Royals shocked the Thunder by being able to take advantage of mistakes and shut down their offence. However, they will not likely be able to contain QB Riley Kiernan and the high-flying Tigers’ offence. I think the Tigers are the significantly better team and they will get back to their 4th McCallister Cup in 5 years.
My Pick: Tigers.
Last edited by Wallflower (6/12/2021 6:29 pm)