Ah, the West. How I love thee.

1965 Week 11

Ottawa Royals - 23, Halifax Mariners - 11 - Royals Stadium at Brewer Park - September 3, 1965 - 7 PM ET - FNF - Weather: Clear
1st Q
7-0 OTT - PTD QB Lee Rogers -> WR Carter Henderson
2nd Q
14-0 OTT - PTD QB Lee Rogers -> TE Ryan Hatcher
14-3 HFX - FG K Elvis Franklin
3rd Q
17-3 OTT - FG K Ira Foster
17-10 HFX - RTD RB Ronald O’Sullivan
4th Q
20-10 OTT - FG K Ira Foster
20-11 HFX - Single K Elvis Franklin
23-11 OTT - FG K Ira Foster

The Royals came through with a huge win over the Mariners in a must-win game. 
QB Lee Rogers was on a mission in the first half with a pair of touchdowns that gave the Royals a massive lead early, and then K Ira Foster was able to stick the landing with 3 more field goals in the second half.
The Mariners’ offensive struggles continued throughout the game, especially without WR Shane Steadman who left the game early.
The loss puts an end to what seemed like a promising season where the Mariners had started 3-1, but have gone 1-6 since.

London Tigers - 27, Pittsburgh Blacksmiths - 25 - Western Fair Stadium - September 4, 1965 - 3 PM ET - Weather: Clear
1st Q
7-0 LDN - RTD RB Austin Andrews
7-7 PIT - RTD RB Stavros Black
2nd Q
7-10 PIT - FG K Al Highlander
7-16 PIT - PTD QB Mike Key -> WR Jack Duncan
10-16 LDN - FG K Nimrod Handsworth
3rd Q
17-16 LDN - PTD QB Riley Kiernan -> WR Max Sutton
17-19 PIT - FG K Al Highlander
4th Q
20-19 LDN - FG K Nimrod Handsworth
27-19 LDN - PTD QB Riley Kiernan -> WR Russell Wilcox
27-25 PIT - PTD QB Mike Key -> WR Moe Schafer

The Tigers escaped a much closer game than they expected to have with Pittsburgh with a win to keep themselves in the hunt in the West.
They were down heading into the final quarter, but Riley Kiernan made sure to give the team an 8-point lead with a few minutes to go.
Then, Pittsburgh managed to slip right back into the game with Mike Key leading a touchdown drive to pull them within 2 points. 
The Tigers were able to stop them on the 2-point conversion to save the game and seal the win for London.

Long Island Raiders - 7, Montreal Rouge - 10 - OT - Long Island Stadium - September 4, 1965 - 7 PM ET - SNF - Weather: Clear
1st Q
2nd Q
7-0 LI - RTD RB Dareion Fields
3rd Q
4th Q
7-7 MTL - PTD QB Rigobert St-Hilaire -> WR Yahui Sun
Overtime
7-10 MTL - FG K Arthur Kettinger

A defensive battle between the Rouge and the Raiders led to a game with only a couple of scores.
Montreal managed to pull off the win with a late touchdown and then the only score of overtime.
The win for the Rouge keeps the team alive in the hunt for the playoffs, miraculously after being 3-6 heading into the final 3 weeks of the season. 
The Raiders once again struggled offensively and could only get the touchdown they got early on in the game, which does bring heavy concerns over the team’s commitment to QB Stanley Troyer.

Providence Gold Stars - 31, Boston Independents - 27 - New Providence Stadium - September 5, 1965 - 2 PM ET - Weather: Partly Cloudy
1st Q
0-3 BOS - FG K Johnnie Berg
7-3 PRO - DTD INT DB Neville Falkner
2nd Q
10-3 PRO - FG K Maurice Lafayette
10-10 BOS - PTD QB Nathaniel Braddock -> WR Evan Clanton
3rd Q
17-10 PRO - PTD QB Terry Bourbon -> WR Owen Paisley
17-17 BOS - PTD QB Nathaniel Braddock -> WR Evan Clanton
24-17 PRO - RTD RB Rashed Smith
4th Q
24-24 BOS - PTD QB Nathaniel Braddock -> TE Tobias Lindholm
24-27 BOS - FG K Johnnie Berg
31-27 PRO - PTD QB Terry Bourbon -> WR Cedric Peterson

The Gold Stars were more than happy to spoil the fun for their New England rivals to win their 3rd in their last 4. 
QB Terry Bourbon had one of his best career games with a pair of touchdowns including the game-winning score.
Boston was always a step behind the Gold Stars except when they took a 3-point lead in the final quarter but were unable to stop the Gold Stars’ aggressive push to pull off the upset.
With another shocking loss the East Division remains undecided with still 4 teams hanging around looking for what could likely be 2 playoff spots coming out of the East.

Toronto Steelheads - 35, Buffalo Blue Wings - 34 - Anderson Stadium - September 6, 1965 - 2 PM ET - Labour Day - Weather: Cloudy
1st Q
3-0 TOR - FG K Bob Randall
3-7 BUF - RTD RB Jimmy Golden
10-7 TOR - PTD QB Todd Baker -> TE Paul McDowell
2nd Q
10-14 BUF - PTD QB Charles Lemieux -> WR Zachariah Pembroke
13-14 TOR - FG K Bob Randall
20-14 TOR - RTD RB Max Tracy
20-21 BUF - PTD QB Charles Lemieux -> WR Daniel Irons
3rd Q
23-21 TOR - FG K Bob Randall
23-28 BUF - PTD QB Charles Lemieux -> WR Julius Drake
26-28 TOR - FG K Bob Randall
4th Q
26-31 BUF - FG K Ryan Perch
32-31 TOR - PTD QB Todd Baker -> WR Edmund Landry
32-34 BUF - FG K Ryan Perch
35-34 TOR - FG K Bob Randall

***TOR wore their “Steelers” alternates for this game***
The Steelheads and Blue Wings went all the way to the bitter end of the 4th trading scores until the Steelheads managed to kick a game-winning field goal to be the first team to secure a playoff spot in the league (well and two other teams).
Toronto has shown a lot of resilience throughout this season and continues to show a lot of the doubters that they are wrong and they are a legitimate contender.
Buffalo is certainly feeling frustrated after their 4th loss in their last 5 falling all the way into a position of potentially missing the playoffs if they don’t come up with a win next week.
It could be especially frustrating with QB Charles Lemieux having a stellar game with 3 passing touchdowns.
*TOR clinches playoff spot
*IND clinches playoff spot
*LDN clinches playoff spot

Indiana Victors - 24, Louisville Thunder - 28 - Victory Stadium - September 6, 1965 - 6 PM ET - Labour Day - Weather: Partly Cloudy
1st Q
3-0 IND - FG K Ross Poindexter
10-0 IND - PTD QB Lyle Painter -> WR Ed Edwards
2nd Q
10-7 LOU - RTD RB Rodney Clark
10-14 LOU - PTD QB Leonidas Dumont -> WR Piers Key
3rd Q
17-14 IND - RTD RB Cody Barnes
17-21 LOU - RTD RB Rodney Clark
4th Q
24-21 IND - PTD QB Lyle Painter -> WR Ed Edwards
24-28 LOU - PTD QB Leonidas Dumont -> WR Lloyd Lane

The Thunder grabbed their 5th straight win, taking down the Victors in their rematch. 
Dumont has been solid down the stretch, which may have been able to prove that he deserves to continue as the team’s starting moving forward, however, the true test is next week to get into the playoffs.
Despite the loss for Indiana, they do finally make the playoffs ending the longest wait to make the playoffs which ends in their 9th season, the previous long was the Tigers in their 8th season.
As a bonus, they will also still have a shot at taking their first division title with a win over the Steelheads next week.

Injury Report
DB Nick Ulbach BUF - Day-to-Day
WR Shane Steadman HFX - 2 Weeks
DL Jordan-Eugene White HFX - 3 Weeks
OL Jerry Winecoff LI - 6 Weeks
OL Scott Harper MTL - Day-to-Day
LB Hector Greenville OTT - Day-to-Day
DB Peter Lee OTT - Day-to-Day
LB Killian Reed PIT - 6 Weeks

Players of the Week

OFF: QB Charles Lemieux BUF - 3 Passing Touchdowns, 387 Passing Yards

DEF: S Garet deVale MTL - 1 Interception, 9 Tackles, 2 Passes Defended

Standings
WEST
Toronto 8-3 -x
Indiana 7-4 -x
London 7-4
Louisville 7-4
Buffalo 6-5
Pittsburgh 2-9

EAST
Boston 6-5
Long Island 6-5
Montreal 5-6
Ottawa 5-6
Halifax 4-7
Providence 3-8

Power Rankings
1 - Toronto +1
2 - Indiana -1
3 - London +1
4 - Boston -1
5 - Louisville +2
6 - Long Island -1
7 - Buffalo -2
8 - Montreal +1
9 - Ottawa +1
10 - Halifax -2
11 - Providence -
12 - Pittsburgh -

Week 12 Games
HFX (4-7) @ BOS (6-5) - SEP 11 - 12 PM ET
*BOS clinches playoff spot with Win or MTL Loss or OTT Win over LI
*BOS clinches East Division with a Win
OTT (5-6) @ LI (6-5) - SEP 11 - 3:30 PM ET
*LI clinches playoffs with a Win
*LI clinches East Division with Win + BOS Loss
*OTT clinches playoffs with a Win + MTL Loss
BUF (6-5) @ PIT (2-9) - SEP 11 - 7 PM ET - Saturday Night Football
*BUF clinches playoffs with Win + LOU Loss
PRO (3-8) @ MTL (5-6) - SEP 12 - 12 PM ET - **GAME SWAPPED WITH TOR @ IND**
*MTL clinches playoff spot with Win + LI Loss or BOS Loss
LOU (7-4) @ LDN (7-4) - SEP 12 - 3:30 PM ET
*LOU clinches playoff spot with Win or BUF Loss
*LDN clinches home playoff game with Win + IND Loss
TOR (8-3) @ IND (7-4) - SEP 12 - 7 PM ET - Finale **GAME SWAPPED WITH PRO @ MTL**
*Winner of the game clinches West Division

*NOTE that the NAAF decided to swap IND-TOR and MTL-PRO to have the West Division battle for the season finale. Also once again the West Division will come down to the final game of the season (only once has the division been clinched before the final week of the season, and that was 1957, the first season of its existence).

Section30 wrote:

Buffalo... what happened man

at least y'all didn't lose to the gold stars. smh my shaking my smhing head

1965 Week 12

Boston Independents - 14, Halifax Mariners -  21 - Richardson Stadium - September 11, 1965 - 12 PM ET - Weather: Cloudy
1st Q
0-7 HFX - RTD RB Ronald O’Sullivan
2nd Q
7-7 BOS - PTD QB Nathaniel Braddock -> WR Chester Bennett
3rd Q
14-7 BOS - PTD QB Nathaniel Braddock -> WR Alexei Dubois
4th Q
14-14 HFX - PTD QB Michael Benedict -> WR Joshua Lafleur
14-21 HFX - DTD INT DB Aquilio Ruiz

The Mariners managed to pull off the upset to close out their season with Boston slipping all the way to 6-6.
DB Aquilio Ruiz was the hero picking off QB Nathaniel Braddock in the redzone before getting a couple of blocks and taking the ball the distance to give the Mariners the shocking lead.
Outside of the interception,  Braddock still had a good game and managed to close out his season with 24 passing touchdowns with a 2 touchdown performance.
Now, Boston must rely on help from some other teams in hopes of getting themselves into the playoffs.

Long Island Raiders - 23, Ottawa Royals - 7 - Long Island Stadium - September 11, 1965 - 3:30 PM ET - Weather: Cloudy
1st Q
7-0 LI - RTD RB Dareion Fields
2nd Q
10-0 LI - FG K Henderson Schumacher
13-0 LI - FG K Henderson Schumcaher
3rd Q
20-0 LI - RTD RB Dareion Fields
4th Q
20-7 OTT - PTD QB Lee Rogers -> WR Marshall Leonard
23-7 LI - FG K Henderson Schumacher

With Boston losing earlier in the afternoon, the Raiders jumped all over the opportunity to take the East Division.
Their defence rose to the challenge by shutting Ottawa down until the 4th quarter, and this week the offence managed to turn it up with RB Dareion Fields scoring a couple of majors and had 145 rushing yards to top that.
The Royals managed to hang in there until the last possible week, but they could not find their way past the Raiders defence in the end, even if QB Landon Ross had a couple of chances.
With only 7 points allowed, the Raider now beat the Thunder’s record for least PA in a 12-game season (146 in 1963) with 141 this season.
*LI clinches playoff spot and East Division

Pittsburgh Blacksmiths - 21, Buffalo Blue Wings - 47 - Riverfront Stadium of Pittsburgh - September 11, 1965 - SNF - 7 PM ET - Weather: Cloudy
1st Q
0-3 BUF - FG K Ryan Perch
0-10 BUF - PTD QB Charles Lemieux -> WR Julius Drake
0-17 BUF - DTD FUM DL William Sanderson
2nd Q
0-24 BUF - PTD QB Charles Lemieux -> TE Paul Arturberry
7-24 PIT - PTD QB Magnus Torrensen -> WR Jack Duncan
7-27 BUF - FG K Ryan Perch
3rd Q
7-34 BUF - RTD RB Jimmy Golden
14-34 PIT - RTD RB Carter Roy
14-41 BUF - RTD RB Jimmy Golden
4th Q
21-41 PIT - PTD QB Magnus Torrensen -> WR Moe Schafer
21-44 BUF - FG K Ryan Perch
21-47 BUF - FG K Ryan Perch

Buffalo took it to the Blacksmiths in their last-ditch effort to try and sneak into the playoffs, putting up 47 points in the win.
Being up 41-14, the team then turned to QB Jack Owens to play out the rest of the game and still continued to put up a pair of field goals.
Pittsburgh obviously got punched in the mouth, but on the bright side, they got to see some potential out of QB Magnus Torrensen who was making his first start.
Torrensen threw a pair of touchdowns and only 1 interception for an overall solid performance from a first-time starter.

Montreal Rouge - 20, Providence Gold Stars - 23 - Mount Royal Stadium - September 12, 1965 - 12 PM ET - Weather: Partly Cloudy
1st Q
7-0 MTL - PTD QB Rigobert St-Hilaire -> WR Yahui Sun
7-3 PRO - FG K Maurice Lafayette
2nd Q
7-10 PRO - PTD QB Terry Bourbon -> WR Cedric Peterson
10-10 MTL - FG K Arthur Kettinger
3rd Q
17-10 MTL - RTD RB Scott Mallard-White
17-17 PRO - PTD QB Terry Bourbon -> WR Cedric Peterson
4th Q
17-20 PRO - FG K Maurice Lafayette
20-20 MTL - FG K Arthur Kettinger
20-23 PRO - FG K Maurice Lafayette

The Gold Stars continued their party crasher run with their 4th in their last 5 games ruining the Rouge’s late-season comeback.
QB Terry Bourbon looked good again for the Gold Stars who feel some confidence behind the QB who has adapted the offensive playstyle better than QB Connor O’Rourke has this season.
WR Cedric Peterson also balled out in a 2-touchdown performance making some key plays in the win. 
QB Rigobert St-Hilaire gave it his best shot in replacement for the injured Gene Bishop, but his effort fell just short as the team will miss the playoffs after a severely disappointing season.
*BOS clinches playoff spot

London Tigers - 14, Louisville Thunder - 17 - Western Fair Stadium - September 12, 1965 - 3:30 PM ET - Weather: Clear
1st Q
3-0 LDN - FG K Nimrod Handsworth
3-7 LOU - RTD RB Rodney Clark
2nd Q
3-14 LOU - RTD RB Rodney Clark
6-14 LDN - FG K Nimrod Handsworth
3rd Q
12-14 LDN - PTD QB Riley Kiernan -> WR Russell Wilcox
14-14 LDN - 2PT - RB Austin Andrews
4th Q
14-17 LOU - FG K Frank Hughes

The Thunder were able to grab their 6th straight win on the road against the Tigers, closing out what looked like a disastrous 2-4 start that turned into an 8-4 finish.
The Tigers were close in the game, but they were unable to score in the final quarter and would fall short.
However, the good news for the Tigers is they do get the crossover which may mean they get a slightly easier path through the East.
As for the Thunder, they do get into the playoffs with a shot at a home game, while the defending champs of the Blue Wings will sit out of the playoffs.
*LOU clinches playoff spot
*LDN clinches crossover to East Division playoffs
*(also time to feel bad for DL William Sanderson who could not make the playoffs with the Victors, but then moves to Buffalo only to miss while Indy makes it...the sim is cruel.)*

Indiana Victors - 17, Toronto Steelheads - 23 - Victory Stadium - September 12, 1965 - 7 PM ET - Finale - Weather: Partly Cloudy
1st Q
7-0 IND - PTD QB Lyle Painter -> WR Orlando Barrack
2nd Q
7-3 TOR - FG K Bob Randall
7-6 TOR - FG K Bob Randall
10-6 IND - FG K Ross Poindexter
3rd Q
10-13 TOR - RTD RB Max Tracy
10-16 TOR - FG K Bob Randall
4th Q
17-16 IND - PTD QB Lyle Painter -> WR Ed Edwards
17-23 TOR - PTD QB Todd Baker -> WR Edmund Landry

The Steelheads continued their shocking season with a division-clinching win over the Victors.
It was a close duel but Baker’s game-winning touchdown to Landry was the decider that the Victors' offence was unable to answer.
Both teams will be ready for their playoff matchups, with the Victors now having to go on the road in the playoffs while Toronto gets some rest ahead of the West Division final.
*TOR clinches West Division

Injury Report
TE Paul McDowell TOR - Day-to-Day

Players of the Week

OFF: RB Dareion Fields LI - 2 Rushing Touchdowns, 146 Rushing Yards

DEF: DB Aquilio Ruiz HFX - 1 Interception, 1 Defensive Touchdown, 4 Tackles, 3 Passes Defended

Standings
WEST
Toronto 9-3 -y
Louisville 8-4 -x
Indiana 7-5 -x
London 7-5 -xc
Buffalo 7-5
Pittsburgh 2-10

EAST
Long Island 7-5 -y
Boston 6-6 -x
Montreal 5-7
Ottawa 5-7
Halifax 5-7
Providence 4-8

Power Rankings
1 - Toronto -
2 - Louisville +3
3 - Indiana -1
4 - London -1
5 - Long Island +1
6 - Boston -2
7 - Buffalo -
8 - Montreal -
9 - Providence +2
10 - Halifax -
11 - Ottawa -2
12 - Pittsburgh -

1965 Division Semi-Final Preview
EAST DIVISION SEMI-FINAL - Boston Independents VS. London Tigers
Head-to-Head: W10 - LDN 27-17 BOS - OT
These two teams are very similar. They both feature a solid, consistent QB that will likely dictate the game, they also have solid offensive weapons in support and solid defences that can potentially make a difference. It is likely going to be a very close battle, as their regular-season matchup proved, that will likely come down to whoever gets the last say in the 4th quarter. If I have to put my bets on any QB, I would likely take Braddock at this point, who has consistently been able to lead a last-minute drive as if it was nothing.
My Pick: Independents

WEST DIVISION SEMI-FINAL - Louisville Thunder VS. Indiana Victors
Head-to-Head: W6 - LOU 13-20 IND; W11 - IND 24-28 LOU
We finally get to see the battle of the midwest in the playoffs with Indiana making their first-ever playoff appearance. Louisville will be their opponent and they certainly will not be an easy team to play as they have quietly rattled off 6-straight wins to go from 2-4 to 8-4. Indiana was the last team to beat Louisville (in Louisville) back in their week 6 battle. I think both teams will have a great shot at winning this game, however, I do think the Thunder will have a slight advantage in both their experience and the current hot streak they have been riding. 
My Pick: Thunder

Indiana finally made the playoffs! This is not a drill! The Victors actually won enough things to make the thing!!!