Football Friday (7/30/21)

Women's Football Alliance

Boston, Nevada and Derby City claim national championship titles from the Pro Football Hall of Fame stadium in Canton, Ohio last weekend.  

The Boston Renegades won their third straight title defeating the Minnesota Vixens, 42-26 for the Division 1 title.  The Renegades pulled away in the third quarter when they went on a 59-yard drive in 2:21 responding to a Minnesota score.  Boston QB Allison Cahill scored from 2 yards out to put the Renegades ahead 28-14.  

The Division 2 trophy went to the Nevada Storm which defeated the Detroit Dark Angels, 42-18.  After scoring first on a 32-yard field goal, Detroit gave up the next 22 points to Nevada and never got back into the game as the Storm won their second consecutive title.   Nevada's Sarah Colangelo was awarded the MVP for the game.

Dynamite QB LaEssence Houston Buckner scored from the two-yard line in the third quarter and the conversion gave Derby City the lead for good at 22-14.  The Dynamite won the Division 3 title 30-20 over the Arizona Outkast. 

European League of Football (ELF)

The Hamburg Sea Devils (5-0) were pushed hard by the Wroclaw Panthers (3-2) and found themselves trailing entering the final quarter. But two field goals, the second with just 41 seconds left, sealed the victory leaving Hamburg as the only undefeated team in the ELF as the second half of the season looms.

German Football League (GFL)

The 4-0 Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns did not have an easy time of it in beating the 3-3 Munich Cowboys 20-7 in the only game played in the GFL. The Cowboys kept the high scoring (51 pts/game) Schwabisch Hall offense in check for much of the game but only managed to score one touchdown late in the contest after trailing 20-0. 

British American Football Association (BAFA)

On June 27, British American football kicked off for the first time since September 2019. Twenty-one months ago, the London Warriors won their sixth National Championship in just seven years showing that they are undoubtedly the powerhouse of American football in Great Britain. The BAFA implemented a small regional system that was no longer split into divisions – bar London. Fourteen regions were outlined by the league with four to six teams in each, depending on how many teams, regardless of division, were in those catchment areas pre-COVID. The only exception was, and is, London as the league felt it would be unfair to force lower division teams to play the Warriors who were regularly beating Premiership (top division) teams by lopsided scores. Although restrictions in England have been completely lifted, they remain throughout the rest of the UK and the league has therefore seen it appropriate to have no Brit Bowl this year and instead simply crown regional champions based on wins and losses.

Arena/Indoor Football Top 10

1. Albany Empire (NAL) 6-1-0  Last Week:  defeated Columbus Lions 61-43.  The Empire clinched the top seed in the NAL playoffs.  The Empire got big contributions from two players who signed at the beginning of the week, fullback Jeramie Richardson and defensive back Varmah Sonie. Richardson rushed 15 times for 50 yards and two touchdowns. Sonie had nine tackles and a pass breakup.  Next:  Aug 7 vs. TBD
2. Arizona Rattlers (IFL) 8-2-0.  Last Week:  defeated Sioux Falls Storm 59-33.  QB Drew Powell ran for five touchdowns and the the defense came through during a 21-0 second-quarter run in the win over Sioux Falls  before 5,460 fans at Footprint Center. Next:  Jul 31 vs. Duke City Gladiators.
3. Omaha Beef (CIF) 9-4-0.  Won Champions Bowl VI.  Season Complete.
4. Idaho Horsemen (AWFC) 6-2-0.  Last Week:  Lost to Oregon High Desert Storm 33-23.  The Horsemen fell one again to the only team that has ever beat them, the Oregon High Desert Storm.  The game was evenly matched and very entertaining, but the Horsemen's offense couldn't get going as they put up many points.  The offense only put up 13 points as the other 10 points came from a safety and a blocked FG ran in for a TD. Next week: Jul 31 vs. Tri-City Rush
5. Frisco Fighters (IFL) 7-2-0.  Last Week:  Defeated Northern Arizona Wranglers 33-30.  The Fighters held on to defeat the 1-9 Wranglers at home.  Next week:  Jul 31 at Sioux Falls
6. Columbus Lions (NAL) 5-2-0.  Last Week:  Lost to Albany 61-43.  The loss snapped the Lions' five-game winning streak.  Next:  Jul 31 vs. Jersey Flight.
7. Massachusetts Pirates (IFL) 7-3-0.  Last Week:  Bye.  Pirates have won five of their last six games.  Next.  7/31 at Spokane Shock
8. Salina Liberty (CIF) 10-2-0.  Lost Champions Bowl VI.  Season Complete.
9. Spokane Shock (IFL) 6-3-0. Last Week:  Lost to Duke City Gladiators 68-61.  Duke City QB Nate Davis threw for 282 yards, eight TDs and one rushing touchdown.   Next:  7/31 vs. Massachusetts Pirates.
10. Oregon High Desert Storm (AWFC) 6-3-0.  Last Week:  Defeated Idaho Horsemen 33-23.  Oregon is the only team to beat Idaho this season.  Next:  7/30 vs. Yakima Canines

Gridiron Development Football League (GDFL)