1972 Recap and Playoff Preview

* Note that the 3 stars on the McCallister Cup logo is for Buffalo's 3rd time hosting the game

(6) PIT (9-5) @ (3) LOU (10-4) - OCT 7 - 2:00 PM ET
1972 Head-to-Head: W1 - PIT 18-27 LOU
Historic Head-to-Head: PIT 6-4 LOU
Historic Playoff Head-to-Head: Have Not Played
The playoffs are going to kick off the same way the regular season began with Pittsburgh heading over to Louisville. The Thunder are beginning their title defence with a big home playoff game, which is the first playoff game since 1965 to be played in Louisville. The Thunder have been a little shaky down the stretch coming off of back-to-back losses after a near loss against the Predators, but they had a similar slump last season and still managed to pull it together in the playoffs. On the other side is a team looking to bounce back from last year’s shocking 1st round elimination against the Blue Wings following the unfortunate injury to QB Louis Vaughn in that game. Pittsburgh should be relatively healthy and should be more determined than ever to get back into the semi-finals. Overall, these two teams match up well, so expect a very good battle, however, the hot hand seems to be Pittsburgh having won 8 of their last 9 games, so I think they do find a way into the semis
My Pick: Blacksmiths

(5) VAN (9-5) @ (4) BOS (9-4-1) - OCT 7 - 7:00 PM ET
1972 Head-to-Head: W5 - VAN 18-23 BOS
Historic Head-to-Head: VAN 2-1 BOS
Historic Playoff Head-to-Head: Have Not Played
Vancouver and Boston have grown a bit of a rivalry in the early years, not only for being a cross-continent battle, but they have also played in every season since Vancouver joined the NAAF. Fitting that they get a chance to clash in the playoffs. Boston is easily the hottest team in the league riding a 7-0-1 record in their last 8 games. QB Nathaniel Braddock has led the way and is on a mission to try and capture his second McCallister Cup. On the other side, Vancouver is also trying to show that they belong at the top of the NAAF and will be looking to make their 2nd McCallister Cup appearance since joining the NAAF. Vancouver has dropped some close games to good teams this season, including Boston, but when this team is on, they can dominate a game, evidenced by their +134 point differential this season (which is 3rd best in the league). It’s going to be a good battle between two great QBs, but I just feel that at the end of the day Braddock and Boston are going to be more desperate and that will make the difference.
My Pick: Independents

(8) BUF (8-6) @ (1) PRO (11-2-1) - OCT 8 - 2:00 PM ET
1972 Head-to-Head: Did Not Play
Historic Head-to-Head: BUF 12-9 PRO
Historic Playoff Head-to-Head: Have Not Played
There are a lot of similarities to last year's 1v8 Quarter-Final matchup with Buffalo just sneaking into the playoffs in the final week of the season to face a top team that has dominated all season. Already the Gold Stars will be without their starting QB with Red King out until next week. Either way, going into the game, it is a familiar place for the Gold Stars who have either had a QB injured during or before their last now 3 playoff appearances. The hope is this season, the stronger team outside of the QB position can make up for King’s absence, although they will be missing LB Kurt Warlock as well. The Buffalo Blue Wings can also never be completely counted out with QB Charles Lemieux leading the charge. They will certainly put up a fight and will have some confidence behind their upset of the Blacksmiths last season, as well as seeing Providence slip, going 0-2-1 in their last 3 games. However, I think the Gold Stars will finally get past the first round and become the first #1 seed to advance under the new playoff format.
My Pick: Gold Stars

(7) OTT (9-5) @ (2) MIN (11-3) - OCT 8 - 7:00 PM ET
1972 Head-to-Head: W10 - MIN 14-24 OTT
Historic Head-to-Head: OTT 2-1 MIN
Historic Playoff Head-to-Head: OTT 1-1 MIN
For the 3rd time in 4 years, the Royals and Serpents will meet in the playoffs. Each team has won one of the two meetings, making this a rubber match, at least for the time being. Minnesota enters the game as the West Division champion for the 3rd year in a row but does come in hobbled with injuries. Luckily, several moves at the deadline have helped recoup a few positions, specifically at LB, but the team has gone 3-3 after starting the season 8-0. A strong run game and good coaching will take the Serpents a long way as they look to advance to the semis for the second year in a row. Conversely, the Royals are looking to grab a playoff win after back-to-back 1st-round exits. The good news this year is QB Drake Young is good to go after missing the playoffs last season due to injury. While Ottawa is the 7th seed, they have been a solid team all season, even beating Minnesota earlier in the year to end their unbeaten season. This growing rivalry should produce another solid game, but I just feel like the Royals are due for a win in the postseason.
My Pick: Royals

Team Awards

Boston Independents
MOP: QB Nathaniel Braddock
OPOY: WR Al Allmendinger
DPOY: LB Byron Turner
OLOY: OL Carlton Vanderbilt
BPOY: RB Wesley Wu
ROY: OL Bradley Seed

Buffalo Blue Wings
MOP: QB Charles Lemieux
OPOY: WR Tracy Driscoll
DPOY: DB Ezra Power
OLOY: OL Artem Sobakov
BPOY: S Levi Brickshaw
ROY: LB Basti Gräbner

Calgary Predators
MOP: QB Emmitt Jackson
OPOY: RB John Drexel
DPOY: DL Damien Battles
OLOY: OL Charles Schwartz
BPOY: RB Rocco Peaks
ROY: WR Eric Norris

Edmonton Rangers
MOP: LB Frank St. John
OPOY: RB Gary Hubbard
DPOY: DL Caleb Cologne
OLOY: OL Matthew Miller
BPOY: DL Caleb Cologne
ROY: OL Callum Thomas

Halifax Mariners
MOP: LB Frederic Macnamara
OPOY: WR Shane Steadman
DPOY: DL Pat Butler
OLOY: OL Kane Warwick
BPOY: LB Alastair Glass
ROY: WR Oliver Shephard

Indiana Victors
MOP: WR Jake Abbredezzi
OPOY: QB Tom Applewhite
DPOY: DL Eugene Case
OLOY: OL Jean-Baptiste Desjardins
BPOY: LB Benjamin Page
ROY: RB Daniel Collins

London Tigers
MOP: RB Jeremy Royal
OPOY: WR Lloyd Lane
DPOY: LB Everett Lynch
OLOY: OL Shane Willis
BPOY: RB Jeremy Royal
ROY: S Marcus Harris

Long Island Raiders
MOP: QB Ivan Sanchez
OPOY: WR Larry Mossholder
DPOY: DL Johnathan Ellison
OLOY: OL Doyle MacInnis
BPOY: DB Levi Woodrow
ROY: RB Rudy Saunders

Louisville Thunder
MOP: WR Casey Coleman
OPOY: QB Buck Murphy
DPOY: DL Aaron Henderson
OLOY: OL Gordie Hammarstein
BPOY: DB Darian Quesada
ROY: S Brett Tavers

Minnesota Serpents
MOP: RB Tyler Kuhn
OPOY: WR Sebastian Dassler
DPOY: DB Austin Sherebernikoff
OLOY: OL Elias McCarren
BPOY: DB Chandler Gage
ROY: TE Xavier Francis Langford

Montreal Rouge
MOP: DB Lamar Brown
OPOY: WR Antonio Villanueva
DPOY: LB Jean-Christophe Bain
OLOY: OL Elliot Barrett
BPOY: DL Mateo Cousineau
ROY: LB Maxime St. Beaudoin

Ottawa Royals
MOP: QB Drake Young
OPOY: RB Corbyn Knight
DPOY: DB Sergio Alvarez
OLOY: OL Tommy Reynolds
BPOY: LB Wallace Jordan
ROY: DL Robin Lucas

Pittsburgh Blacksmiths
MOP: RB Max Tracy
OPOY: QB Louis Vaughn
DPOY: DL Arthur Bradshaw
OLOY: OL Erik Nelson
BPOY: DL Jeff Lamonte
ROY: LB Yuri Dragunov

Providence Gold Stars
MOP: QB Red King
OPOY: RB Tresean Jones
DPOY: LB Kurt Warlock
OLOY: OL Joseph Samberg
BPOY: S Murdoch Chesterman
ROY: DB Matt Maddux

Regina Wheat Kings
MOP: RB Deion Chapman
OPOY: QB Stanley Evans
DPOY: DB Madison McGhee
OLOY: OL Charles Hyland
BPOY: DL Derick Parks
ROY: LB Lewis Vander

Toronto Steelheads
MOP: RB Shannon West
OPOY: WR Cameron Kane
DPOY: LB Lincoln Webster
OLOY: OL Alan Farquharson
BPOY: RB Shannon West
ROY: DL Sam Reinkemeyer

Vancouver Wolves
MOP: QB Kevin Westwood
OPOY: WR Keshawn Johnston
DPOY: LB Shawn Anderson
OLOY: OL David Brewington
BPOY: WR Tristian Lewis
ROY: S Gunpei Koizumi

Winnipeg Falcons
MOP: LB Claude Clarke
OPOY: RB Joe Rivers
DPOY: DB Vern Nowitski
OLOY: OL Claude Balderson
BPOY: DB Carl Odebell
ROY: DL Graham de Veres

Last edited by Wallflower (7/16/2024 10:42 pm)

TheEnigmaticOne wrote:

Just a question, I could be wrong, but isn't Xavier F. Langford in his second year? Love to hear he is doing well, but I thought I remembered not being a rookie.

In the NAAF, the rookie season is always the first season a player is on the team's active roster. Being on the Reserve list doesn't count toward a rookie season. So Langford was on the reserve list for his first season but was promoted to the active roster this season making him a rookie this season.  I also only count a season as a rookie year if the player is on the active roster for at least 3 weeks. So if a player gets called up for 1 or 2 weeks but then sent back down, that won't count. This happened for QB Red King since he was called up for the playoffs in 1970, which only lasted 1 week, so 1971 was his actual rookie season.

It's a little more like the NHL's rookie rules, which can be a little more confusing, but yea I do it this way so that there are more rookies on teams at a time, otherwise, you get like 0-2 per team which is not a lot to choose from. 

All of these Rookie of the Year Winners were not a part of the 1972 Draft class
OL Bradley Seed - BOS
LB Basti Gräbner - BUF
RB Daniel Collins - IND
RB Rudy Saunders - LI
S Brett Tavers - LOU
TE Xavier Francis Langford - MIN
LB Maxime St. Beaudoin - MTL
DB Matt Maddux - PRO
 

1972 Playoffs: Quarter-Finals

Roster Moves
BUF: TE Paul Arturberry | Injured Reserve -> Active Roster
BUF: TE Nino Duggets | Active Roster -> Reserve List
LOU: DL Aaron Henderson | Active Roster -> Injured Reserve
LOU: DL Bob Atkins | Reserve List -> Active Roster
MIN: TE Hunter Ziegelbauer | Injured Reserve -> Active Roster
MIN: TE Doug Pira | Active Roster -> Reserve List
MIN: DB Davey Woods | Injured Reserve -> Active Roster
MIN: DB Leonard Cannon | Active Roster -> Reserve List
MIN: RB Hugo Hughes | Active Roster -> Injured Reserve
MIN: RB Murdoch Washington (Debut) | Reserve List -> Active Roster
MIN: LB Enzo Morello | Active Roster -> Injured Reserve
MIN: DL Roland Sands (Debut) | Reserve List -> Active Roster
PIT: LB Patrick Hamilton | Active Roster -> Injured Reserve
PIT: LB Sefton Alfred (Debut) | Reserve List -> Active Roster
PRO: OL Gregg Rosenberg | Active Roster -> Injured Reserve
PRO: OL Tom Pillsbury | Reserve List -> Active Roster

(6) Pittsburgh Blacksmiths @ (3) Louisville Thunder - Thunder Stadium - October 7, 1972 - 2:00 PM ET - Weather: Partly Cloudy - 16°C | 60°F - Attendance: 46,084


1st Quarter
Louisville elected to take the ball to start the game, hoping to get the offence rolling out of the gate. However, Pittsburgh would put a quick stop to that after only 12 yards of offence. The Blacksmiths would answer that decision with a strong first drive led by RB Max Tracy. Tracy would pick up 41 yards on the drive, setting up WR Yahui Sun to catch the touchdown that would give Pittsburgh the early 7-0 lead. Louisville’s offence would eventually get a field goal after the Pittsburgh touchdown, but the Blacksmiths answered that with one of their own shortly after leaving the game 10-3 after 1.
PIT 10-3 LOU

2nd Quarter
Louisville’s defence would begin to step up in the 2nd quarter, slowing down RB Max Tracy and bringing the pressure to QB Louis Vaughn, who would be sacked twice. The offence, on the other hand, was struggling to sustain many drives, still being shut down by the Blacksmiths. WR Casey Coleman was having trouble being shadowed by DB Zed McLaughlin throughout the game. However, the Blacksmiths’ focus on Coleman would allow WR Ben Graham to eventually leak behind the defence. QB Buck Murphy’s cannon of an arm would get the ball over everyone and into the hands of Graham who would take in a big touchdown to tie the game. With the time left in the quarter, Pittsburgh would get back into Thunder territory, hoping to get some points. However, WR Edward Washington would take a big hit from LB Le'Darius Wynn, which created a fumble, allowing the Thunder to keep Pittsburgh off the board.
PIT 10-10 LOU

3rd Quarter
Pittsburgh would get the ball to start the 3rd, and they would take back the lead with a strong drive that ended with a field goal. After the teams traded a couple of scoreless drives, the Thunder’s turnover troubles would rear its ugly head. QB Buck Murphy would be facing some of his own pressure now from the Blacksmiths’ front which would cause some mistakes. Murphy escaped a tackle and looked to hit WR Casey Coleman, but his pass was behind him. Coleman reached out and got one hand on it, but the ball popped up and landed in the arms of S Jarrett Sutherland. Pittsburgh would grab a field goal off of the ensuing drive. Not long later, Murphy tried to go back to Coleman, but this time, Coleman was covered well and DB Zed McLaughlin got in front of the pass for another interception. McLaughlin was able to then take it back into Louisville territory. From there, QB Louis Vaughn would get the team down to the 5, before RB Max Tracy would cut it up into the endzone, jumping into a summersault/front flip over LB Dylan Hill who went for the low tackle.
PIT 23-10 LOU

4th Quarter
Louisville hoped to rally after a brutal 3rd, and they would get the game under control. Eventually, they would get back deep into Pittsburgh territory with around 6 minutes to go. WR Casey Coleman nearly caught an all-important touchdown, but McLaughlin was right there to knock it away. However, Louisville would still come away with a touchdown with RB George Seahorse punching it in on 3rd and Goal. Louisville would get the ball back a minute later, however, they would still not escape the turnover problems as DL Arthur Bradshaw would knock the ball out of QB Buck Murphy’s hands, allowing DL Jeff Lamonte to land on it. RB Max Tracy would kill some of the clock for the Blacksmiths before they would tack on another field goal to make it a 2-score game. Louisville would have 2:34 left in the game to work with. They would manage to get into Pittsburgh territory, close enough for a field goal, but a sack would push them back. K Rhys Kupp would attempt a long field goal but would come up short, keeping it a 2-score game. Louisville would be unable to answer back and Pittsburgh would secure the win to advance to the Semis.

Scoring Summary
1st Q
7-0: PIT - PTD QB Louis Vaughn -> WR Yahui Sun
7-3: LOU - FG K Rhys Kupp
10-3: PIT - FG K Nigel Stewart
2nd Q
10-10: LOU - PTD QB Buck Murphy -> WR Ben Graham
3rd Q
13-10: PIT - FG K Nigel Stewart
16-10: PIT - FG K Nigel Stewart
23-10: PIT - RTD RB Max Tracy
4th Q
23-17: LOU - RTD RB George Seahorse
26-17: PIT - FG K Nigel Stewart


(5) Vancouver Wolves @ (4) Boston Independents - Richardson Stadium - October 7, 1972 - 7:00 PM ET - Weather: Cloudy - 16°C | 60°F - Attendance: 44,883


1st Quarter
The opening drive would go to the Wolves, and they would get into Boston territory. They would be stopped a ways from the endzone, but K Sterling Brooks would nail a 44-yarder to open the scoring. Boston would take a bit longer to get going, but they would eventually break into Vancouver territory with a 20-yard pass to WR Tyreek Flores. After getting down to the 23, QB Nathaniel Braddock would hit WR Al Allmendinger for a touchdown to take the lead going into the 2nd.
VAN 3-7 BOS

2nd Quarter
Following the Boston score, the Wolves’ offence would get to work. QB Kevin Westwood was dishing out the ball through the air, attacking the weaker Boston secondary. It would get them down to the 8 where RB Jeremiah Morrow would slip around the outside and into the endzone to regain the lead for Vancouver. Shortly after, Boston would nearly take back the lead, but a 2nd down pass to the endzone was broken up by S Takuya Sasaki forcing Boston to settle for a field goal and tie the game. Boston was able to stop Vancouver’s next drive and get the ball back with 3 minutes left in the half. They would get to about midfield before WR Al Allmendinger would cough up the football when LB Jaylen Murray caught up to him from behind and ripped at his arm. Vancouver would recover and the Wolves would march back the other way and grab a field goal before the half came to an end.
VAN 13-10 BOS

3rd Quarter
Both teams came out of the half with their defences turning it up, forcing short drives both ways. Eventually, Boston’s defence would make a big play with DL Wayne Baxton getting to RB Jeremiah Morrow in the backfield. Baxton wrapped around his waist and nearly suplexed him. As Morrow was pulled back the ball would come loose and Boston would get on top of it even with Vancouver arguing that the ball came out when Morrow hit the ground. The call stood as a turnover. Boston would take advantage and score a field goal to tie the game back up. Vancouver had a solid drive in response to get back into field goal range, however, K Sterling Brooks was not able to connect on the kick. WR Craig Nunnery would return the missed kick nearly to midfield out of the endzone. Boston didn’t have to get much further to be back in field goal range and would take the lead heading into the final quarter.
VAN 13-16 BOS

4th Quarter
A couple of tough bounces for Vancouver in the 3rd would not deter them in the 4th as they would eventually get into Vancouver territory with WR Keshawn Johnston making a big play, escaping from DB Tim McGovern for a 33-yard reception. Not long after, Westwood would then hit WR Tristian Lewis towards the sideline, where Lewis would reach out and get into the endzone to give Vancouver the lead back. The pressure was now back on the Independents as their home fans were becoming increasingly nervous. Time winded down as Vancouver was able to turn away Boston’s first attempt at a drive. After a defensive stand, Boston was able to get a drive going. Braddock would chip away at the Wolves’ defence slowly but eventually getting inside the 20. Braddock remained composed and hit WR Tyreek Flores cutting through the zone coverage to give Boston back the lead with 1:43 to go. The time was still plenty for Westwood and the Wolves. The veteran QB would do exactly what Braddock just did and chip his way into Boston territory, using the time well. They would eventually get to the 35 when the clock wound down to :00, leaving just one more play to go. K Sterling Brooks would make up for his earlier miss and nail the 42-yard kick to send the game to overtime.
VAN 23-23 BOS

Overtime
Boston came into Overtime and was able to build off of their late touchdown drive from the 4th. Braddock continued to spread the ball out and RB Reggie Whitehead would also pick up some big chunks of yards. Their opening drive would net them a field goal to go up 23-26. Much like Boston, Vancouver was also able to build off of their own drive, taking their time to get down and kick a field goal to tie the game once again. There was still 5:23 left in overtime for Boston to work with. They would try and kill the clock a bit on the drive but were often forced to pass immediately with Vancouver clamping down on Whitehead. Despite that, Braddock was able to get Boston back into Vancouver territory. However, they would get stalled at around the 32 after WR Tyreek Flores was unable to bring in what would have been a catch for a first down. Boston would settle for the field goal, however, K Woody Woodstock’s kick would slip wide of the post, and RB Nikki Yang would return it, getting out of the endzone to not sacrifice a point, up to the 22. Vancouver had a long field with time running out. Luckily for them, QB Kevin Westwood would lead a prolific drive down the field. Vancouver got down to the Boston 41 before the Independents’ defence would make a big play with DL Joseph Kerr getting a big sack to push Vancouver back to the 48. On 2nd and 17, WR Keshawn Johnston would make the clutch play, reeling in an 18-yard catch to get another first down. Vancouver would inch a little closer, killing the rest of the clock, and setting up K Sterling Brooks for the win. Brooks’ kick would sail through the uprights as Vancouver was off to the Semi-Finals for the 2nd time in 3 years.

Scoring Summary
1st Q
3-0: VAN - FG K Sterling Brooks
3-7: BOS - PTD QB Nathaniel Braddock -> WR Al Allmendinger
2nd Q
10-7: VAN - RTD RB Jeremiah Morrow
10-10: BOS - FG K Woody Woodstock
13-10: VAN - FG K Sterling Brooks
3rd Q
13-13: BOS - FG K Woody Woodstock
13-16: BOS - FG K Woody Woodstock
4th Q
20-16: VAN - PTD QB Kevin Westwood -> WR Tristian Lewis
20-23: BOS - PTD QB Nathaniel Braddock -> WR Tyreek Flores
23-23: VAN - FG K Sterling Brooks
Overtime
23-26: BOS - FG K Woody Woodstock
26-26: VAN - FG K Sterling Brooks
29-26: VAN - FG K Sterling Brooks



(8) Buffalo Blue Wings @ (1) Providence Gold Stars - New Providence Stadium - October 8, 1972 - 2:00 PM ET - Weather: Clear - 20°C | 68°F - Attendance: 65,215


1st Quarter
There was some worry in the air in Providence with their team limping into the playoffs and facing a still dangerous Buffalo team. The Gold Stars would head on defence to start and set the tone. They would set the tone with a quick 2 and out pushing the Blue Wings backwards. Unfortunately, Providence’s offence was slow to get the engines rolling themselves and the game remained scoreless throughout most of the 1st quarter. The lone point of the 1st would come after Providence’s defence would come up with a forced fumble when DL Bartolo Cruz got a hand on QB Charles Lemieux as he attempted to throw. The Gold Stars would take over in Buffalo territory but only came away with a single after K Gilbert O’Neill’s field goal attempt would go wide and through the endzone.
BUF 0-1 PRO

2nd Quarter
Providence’s defence did an incredible job holding off the Blue Wings’ offence in the opening quarter, but as good as the defence was, they couldn’t stop their own offence from making mistakes. Early on in the 2nd, QB Michael Miranda, who was making his playoff debut and only 5th career start, would make a costly decision trying to lob a pass to WR Owen Paisley. He didn’t quite get enough on it and DB Dean Hawkins would settle underneath it for the interception. Buffalo’s offence then got into field goal range to get on the board with a kick from K Ryan Perch. The game continued as a 3-1 game for most of the 2nd, but then Providence’s defence would make a big play again with DB Michael Cope hitting WR Tracy Driscoll hard enough to knock the ball loose, allowing LB Nathaniel Lovelady to fall on top of it in Buffalo territory. The Gold Stars would stick to the ground attack on the next drive, getting down to the 6 off of a 13-yard run from RB Ronnie Byers, before RB Tresean Jones powered his way to close out the final 6 yards.
BUF 3-8 PRO

3rd Quarter
Heading into the 2nd half, both teams hoped to make adjustments to get the offence turned up. It would work early on for Buffalo as they were able to get into Providence territory on their first drive of the half and put up a field goal. Providence took a little longer to get going, but eventually, they would find some success. QB Michael Miranda settled a little more and got the ball out quickly to their various weapons allowing them to pick up chunks of yards. Providence would eventually find themselves in striking range, where Miranda would hit TE Kairos Knight across the middle. Knight would then break 3 tackles en route to a massive touchdown to give Providence a 9-point lead. In response to the touchdown, the Blue Wings would drive down to the red zone themselves threatening to cut into the Gold Stars’ lead. However, on 2nd and 7 from the 16, Lemieux would take a stab at the endzone, looking for WR Jimmy Jack. DB Neville Falkner would jump in front and get his hands on the ball for a sure pick, but Jack was able to get a hand on Falkner’s arm and break it up. Buffalo would settle for the field goal to cut the lead down to 6.
BUF 9-15 PRO

4th Quarter
The start of the 4th saw a bit of a return to the 1st with both defences stepping up again. The teams would trade several drives before Buffalo’s special teams came up big. Providence would punt from their own end, however, DB Phillip Joachim would come flying around the edge and block the punt from K Gilbert O’Neill. Buffalo would get the ball deep in Providence territory. QB Charles Lemieux took full advantage and hit WR Tracy Driscoll up the seam for a touchdown to take the lead, 16-15 with 4:45 to go. Providence now needed some offence and they would get a little with WR Justin Palmer picking up 14 yards after an 8-yard catch. However, they wouldn’t get over midfield before being stalled out. They pinned Buffalo deep in their own end and the defence did their job to force another punt. Punt would send the ball back into Providence’s end, but WR Mark Taylor would weave his way through the Blue Wings to get the ball into Buffalo territory on the return. Then, it was about keeping the ball under control for QB Michael Miranda. He would deliver just one pass, while RB Tresean Jones got the rest of the touches, setting up K Gilbert O’Neill for a go-ahead field goal. O’Neill wouldn’t miss on the 27-yard kick to put the Gold Stars out in front. Buffalo would still have time left to try and regain the lead. QB Charles Lemieux would keep New Providence Stadium on edge with a couple of first downs to get to midfield, but on 3rd and 3, DB Neville Falkner was able to break up the pass intended for WR Jimmy Jack forcing the turnover and sealing the game for the Gold Stars, giving them their first playoff win since 1967. 

Scoring Summary
1st Q
0-1: PRO - Single K Gilbert O’Neill
2nd Q
3-1: BUF - FG K Ryan Perch
3-8: PRO - RTD RB Tresean Jones
3rd Q
6-8: BUF - FG K Ryan Perch
6-15: PRO - PTD QB Michael Miranda -> TE Kairos Knight
9-15: BUF - FG K Ryan Perch
4th Q
16-15: BUF - PTD QB Charles Lemieux -> WR Tracy Driscoll
16-18: PRO - FG K Gilbert O’Neill



(7) Ottawa Royals @ (2) Minnesota Serpents - Midgard Stadium - October 8, 1972 - 7:00 PM ET - Weather: Clear - 8°C | 46°F - Attendance: 49,903


1st Quarter
The Royals started the game off with the football. However, their first drive would not last particularly long with QB Drake Young tossing a pass right to DB Austin Sherebernikoff for an early interception. Minnesota took over, but they also had a short drive when QB Martin Keller’s first pass got deflected by DL Bernhard Hartmann and fell into the arms of LB Gerrard Miller. Young was the first to thank Miller for getting the pick back for him and then proceeded to lead the Royals down the field to the 7. RB Corbyn Knight would then power his way in to give Ottawa the early 7-0 lead. The Serpents would answer back with a long methodical drive that would also end with a touchdown via RB Tyler Kuhn. The offence would slow a bit after both touchdowns, but Ottawa would still get a field goal on the board to take the lead into the 2nd. 
OTT 10-7 MIN

2nd Quarter
A little way into the 2nd, Minnesota was starting to make their way over midfield when LB Wallace Jordan landed a momentum-shifting hit on RB Tyler Kuhn. The blitzing linebacker hit Kuhn with enough force to send the ball flying way behind the line of scrimmage. QB Martin Keller was the first to the ball and secured it, but Minnesota’s promising drive now turned into a punt. The Royals’ offence fed on the momentum and was able to get into Minnesota territory on the ensuing drive. Then, from the 35, QB Drake Young would hit WR Sterling Underhill towards the front right corner of the endzone for a big play score to make it 17-7. Ottawa’s defence fed off of the momentum and was able to squander the Serpents’ offence for the rest of the quarter, taking the Royals into halftime with a 10-point lead.
OTT 17-7 MIN

3rd Quarter
After being shut down in the 2nd, the Serpents’ offence made some adjustments and came out of the break swinging. QB Martin Keller would find WR Sebastian Dassler for a 42-yard gain on their 2nd play of the half. A few plays later, Keller would connect again with Dassler, who scored the touchdown to cut the lead down to 3. Their defence also got the message and was able to stop the Royals rather quickly, returning the ball to the amped-up offence. Their next drive wasn’t as explosive as the previous, but they still managed to get into field goal range and tie the game up at 17. Ottawa was now reeling from the sudden shift in the game, but they remained composed, getting a field goal to answer back and regain the lead. Minnesota still hoped to hold on to their momentum, but they faced a great pushback from the Royals. DL Bernhard Hartmann would stop RB Tyler Kuhn in the backfield before QB Martin Keller was dropped for a sack by DL Mathieu Tremblay. Following a punt, Ottawa was back on and they would once again find themselves threatening to score. This time, QB Drake Young would find WR Marshall Leonard in the endzone, who had found a nice pocket in the zone defence. Just like that, Ottawa had regained their 10-point lead.
OTT 27-17 MIN

4th Quarter
It was a frustrating turn of events for the home crowd, who now had to hope their team could rally again from 10 points down. The defence would step up for the Serpents keeping the Royals on their side of the field throughout the start of the 4th. It was now up to the offence to get some points. Keller and Kuhn were both struggling to get the offence rolling, so a different player stepped up in RB Austin Andrews who would take a screenplay and turn it into a 42-yard play with Ottawa more focused on Kuhn. The shock play gave Minnesota some hope and kept on the pressure getting down to the 12, facing a 2nd and 4. This time Kuhn would take it and then beat DL Obert Roux around the edge to pick up the 1st and then kept rolling, shifting past LB Sam Wheeler en route to a touchdown. The crowd was back into it after the score, and the defence fed off of them, stalling out the Royals and getting the ball back. The Serpents took the field and started to move again, getting the crowd excited again. They had the momentum on their side, however, it would be thrown away literally. QB Martin Keller would get some pressure and his pass would sail a bit too high over the head of WR Ferdinand Matthews and then into the arms of S Marc Bellecourt. The air was sucked out of Midgard Stadium as Bellecourt returned the ball into Minnesota territory. With 4 minutes left, the Royals would go aggressive and Drake Young would hit TE Luiss de Brands to regain the 10-point lead. Minnesota still had some attempts to come back, but Ottawa’s defence shut them down to secure the win.

Scoring Summary
1st Q
7-0: OTT - RTD RB Corbyn Knight
7-7: MIN - RTD RB Tyler Kuhn
10-7: OTT - FG K Ira Foster
2nd Q
17-7: OTT - PTD QB Drake Young -> WR Sterling Underhill
3rd Q
17-14: MIN - PTD QB Martin Keller -> WR Sebastian Dassler
17-17: MIN - FG K Ray Bough
20-17: OTT - FG K Ira Foster
27-17: OTT - PTD QB Drake Young -> WR Marshall Leonard
4th Q
27-24: MIN - RTD RB Tyler Kuhn
34-24: OTT - PTD QB Drake Young -> TE Luiss de Brands


Injury Report
BOS: QB Holland Oates - 1 Week
BOS: OL Natsuki Ogawa - 3 Weeks (Season)
LOU: LB Daniel Timothy - 3 Weeks (Season)
MIN: OL Elias McCarren - Day-to-Day
PIT: WR Edward Washington - Day-to-Day
PIT: LB Yuri Dragunov - 10 Weeks (Season)
VAN: WR Akira Sakamoto - Day-to-Day
VAN: OL Aaron Wilkinson - 12 Weeks (Season)
VAN: OL Ralph Allison - 6 Weeks (Season)
VAN: LB Blake Dawson - 9 Weeks (Season)

Players of the Week


OFF: QB Drake Young OTT - 3 Passing Touchdowns, 276 Passing Yards
Aside from the early interception, Young played a fantastic game, leading the Royals to a big playoff win


DEF: DB Zed McLaughlin PIT - 1 Interception, 2 Passes Defended, 4 Tackles
McLaughlin had one of the toughest tasks any defender could have in shutting down WR Casey Coleman, and he excelled, keeping Coleman off the board and bringing back an interception as a bonus

Semi-Finals Matchup Preview
(6) PIT @ (5) VAN - OCT 14 - 8:30 PM ET
1972 Head-to-Head: Did Not Play
Historic Head-to-Head: PIT 2-0 VAN
Historic Playoff Head-to-Head: PIT 0-1 VAN
It is a rematch of their 1970 Semi-Final matchup. Pittsburgh has done well against Vancouver during the regular season, but Vancouver has the win in the postseason. Vancouver will also now become the second team not to host a game during the Quarter-Finals, but host a game during the Semi-Finals since the playoff change. The first of course was themselves in 1970. Vancouver hopes a win will mean a second chance at a 1st McCallister Cup while Pittsburgh will be looking to make their first McCallister Cup ever. 

(7) OTT @ (1) PRO - OCT 15 - 7:00 PM ET
1972 Head-to-Head: W11 - OTT 18-28 PRO, W15 - PRO 22-29 OTT
Historic Head-to-Head: OTT 18-2-14 PRO
Historic Playoff Head-to-Head: OTT 2-0 PRO
The Royals roll into Providence for the 3rd playoff meeting between the East Division rivals. It will be their first meeting in the postseason since 1958, back when QB Jean Matieau and QB Connor O’Rourke were on the field. Providence will be getting QB Red King back for the big game which should provide a boost to the offence. While Ottawa remains relatively healthy. The two split the season series, though King was out during their second meeting. Providence hopes to make their first McCallister Cup since 1963 and take a shot at ending the drought, while Ottawa will look for their record 9th McCallister Cup appearance and second under HC Jean Matieau.

Last edited by Wallflower (7/27/2024 9:06 pm)

Happy Underhill got a TD in the playoffs. Hopefully he can help Ottawa win a title.

LET'S GO PROVIDENCE!!!!!! Just one more game to glory!!!!