Football Friday (7/23/21)

The XFL and Canadian Football League (CFL) will no longer be pursuing a partnership in the short-term in recent reports. In March, the leagues announced they agreed to "collaborate" and "innovate" in a vague description of the partnership. The CFL will return to action Aug. 5 for the first time since 2019, as the COVID-19 pandemic canceled last season and prevented the Grey Cup – the nine-team league's championship – from being played for the first time since 2019. The XFL made its return under former owner Vince McMahon in 2020. But five weeks into the season, the pandemic shut down the campaign. The league, after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, was sold to Dany Garcia and investors at RedBirdCapital Partners that includes Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson for $15 million in August 2020.  The revived XFL is looking to return in the spring of 2023. 

Italy

Italian Bowl 40:  Parma Panthers 40, Milano Seamen 34 ot

The Seamen took the ball first in overtime starting from Parma’s 25. But after Luke Zahradka threw an incompletion on a deep ball, Elder got stuffed in the backfield, and Zahradka threw another incompletion, the Seamen were forced to attempt a field goal. The Panthers blocked it. Next up, Parma. Reilly Hennessey and Malpeli Avalli combined to pick up a first down. And then, with the championship on the line, Hennessey connected with Alinovi from the 10-yard line on a wheel route for the Italian Bowl-winning touchdown.

Poland

Polish Bowl XVI:  Bydgoszcz Archers 27, Tychy Falcons 7

Early scores lifted Bydgoszcz Archers to first ever Polish Bowl victory. Receiver Kornel Witkowski had eight catches for 86 yards and two touchdowns and Bartosz Gnoza carried 13 times for 144 yards and a score, but the game honors went to Dawid Magrean for his pair of interceptions and big tackle Jakub Krystecki for an outstanding day in the trenches. Arkadiusz Cieslok added to the celebration by being named Polish Football League MVP before hoisting the trophy.

Israel

Israel Bowl:  Tel Aviv Pioneers 13, Jerusalem Big Blue Lions 8

A season that began late in the wake of the coronavirus was interrupted by Operation Guard of the Walls, and was shortened due to the rush, heat and teams, came to a deserved end with a tense defensive game between two of the oldest teams in the league. The Tel Aviv Pioneers took a 13-0 lead in the first half and that advantage was enough for Ariel Beck's apprentices to win the third title in the club's history, 13-8 over the Big Blue Lions.

Women’s Football Alliance

With more than 60 teams across the country, the Women’s Football Alliance, WFA, is the largest women’s football league in the United States.  The league’s 2021 national championship is set to be held on July 23rd and 24th at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio. The WFA is divided into three divisions, and the Division 2 and Division 3 championship games are scheduled for Friday 23 July, with the Division 1 game to take place on Saturday 24 July.

In the premier, Division 1 title game, the defending champion 6-0 Boston Renegades are seeking to accomplish a three-peat against the 8-0 Minnesota Vixen.

In Division 2, the 5-3 Detroit Dark Angels play the 8-0 Nevada Storm.

The Division 3 game pits the 7-1 Derby City Dynamite (Louisville) against the 7-1 Arizona OutKast (Phoenix).  

The National Arena League officially announced that three of its teams have clinched playoff spots for the 2021 postseason. The Columbus Lions (5-1) and the Albany Empire (5-1) are currently tied for first and will host the playoffs this year as each team clinched the top two playoff seeds securing home field advantage in the playoffs. Even with the remaining games left in the season the rest of teams do not have enough victories or opportunities for wins to dethrone the Lions & Empire from the top two spots. This weekend will determine who gets the number one seed as the Albany Empire travels to Columbus, GA to play the Lions. Kickoff is set for 7pm and you can watch this “Game of the Week” on the National Arena League YouTube Channel or watch directly on the National Arena League website. This is the fourth straight time the Columbus Lions have made the NAL postseason. The Empire who entered their first year in the NAL will play their first playoff game in NAL history, the Empire last played in the Arena Football League in 2019 where they were the Arena Bowl Champions.

Here is the Indoor Football League coaches poll for this week:

1. Arizona Rattlers
2. Spokane Shock
3. Frisco Fighters
4. Massachusetts Pirates
5. Sioux Falls Storm
6. Bismarck Bucks
7. Iowa Barnstormers
8. Duke City Gladiators
9. Green Bay Blizzard
10. Tucson Sugar Skulls
11. Northern Arizona Wranglers

In the Champions Indoor Football league, the Omaha Beef edged the Liberty, 40-39, in Champions Bowl VI. The Beef sealed the victory with a blocked field goal in the closing seconds to deny the Liberty their first-ever Champions Indoor Football title.

This week's schedule in American West Football Conference:  Idaho Horsemen (6-1) vs. Oregon High Desert Storm (6-3), Wenatchee Valley Skyhawks (0-4) vs. Yakima Canines (0-7).  The Horsemen are currently in first place in the league.

Last week's scores in the Gridiron Developmental Football League (GDFL):

Columbus Fire 21, Ohio Gladiators 0

Mississippi Road Warriors 12, Memphis Blast 0

South Louisiana Tigers 21, Magnolia State Knights 0

Tri-City Outlaws 21, Middle Tennessee Bulldawgs 0

River City Pythons 21, Huntsville Rockets 0

Salt Lake City Senate 21, Montana Dawgs 0

Pittsburgh Bucccaneers 14, Steel City Bobcats 12

Ohio Elite Outlaws 24, Shenango Valley Truth 6

Pittsburgh Saints 16, Greensburg Golden Hawks 0

Erie Express 20, WPA Wildcatz 6

Cleveland Rams 30, Cleveland Cobras 0

Upstate Predators 18, Utica Nighthawks 0

East Penn Raiders 21, New York Wolverines 0

Ohio Phoenix 40, Lake Erie Explosion 0

The Georgia-lina Lions defeated the Peach State Cats 53-41 to win the United Arena League (UAL) title.