Football Friday (9/10/21)

Check out these stories and results from some obscure football leagues from around the world...

Gridiron Development Football League

 

Express wins Gridiron Bowl XII

With 18 seconds left in the game and Erie clinging to a 42-40 lead, the Inglewood Blackhawks were threatening to score inside the 10-yard line the Express defense sacked Blackhawks’ quarterback Robert Fuller for an 18-yard loss. There was some controversy with the time as the clock expired before the Blackhawks could line up to attempt a potential game winning field goal.  Erie wins their first national championship.

Past Gridiron Bowl Results:

I (2010) 

at Memphis, TN

Carolina Warriors 15, Kentucky Wolverines 7

II (2011) 

at Jonesboro, GA

Chambersburg Cardinals 19, Oklahoma Thunder 14

III (2012) 

at Chambersburg, PA

Central Penn Piranha 49, South Buffalo Celtics 14

IV (2013) 

at Memphis, TN

Oklahoma Thunder 56, Lehigh Valley Storm 8

V (2014) 

at Cordova, TN

Central Penn Piranha 21, Oklahoma City Bounty Hunters 19

VI (2015) 

at New Orleans, LA

Nashville Storm 31, Crescent City Kings 28

VII (2016) 

at Tulsa, OK

Oklahoma Thunder 29, Nashville Storm 16

VIII (2017) 

at Memphis, TN

Oklahoma Thunder 51, Chattanooga Eagles 12

IX (2018) 

at Birmingham, AL

Oklahoma Thunder 38, Middle Tennessee Bulldawgs 15

X (2019) 

at Joplin, MO

Oklahoma Thunder 24, Middle Tennessee Bulldawgs 12

XI (2020)

Canceled due to COVID-19

XII (2021) 

at Erie, PA

Erie Express 42, Inglewood Blackhawks 40

 

ARENA/INDOOR FOOTBALL TOP TEN:

#1 - Arizona Rattlers (IFL) 14-2-0

Last week: Defeated Duke City Gladiators 58-55 in IFL semifinals.  Arizona scored with 18 seconds remaining to take the lead, then forced a Duke City missed field goal as time expired.  

Next: Sep 12 vs. Massachusetts Pirates (13-3) in United Bowl

#2 - Albany Empire (NAL) 9-1-0. Won National Arena League championship. Season Complete.

#3 - Omaha Beef (CIF) 9-4-0. Won Champions Bowl VI. Season Complete.

#4 - Massachusetts Pirates (IFL) 13-3-0.

Last week: Defeated Frisco Fighters 43-22 in IFL semifinals.  Pirates running back Justin Stockton rushed for 109 yards and scored twice while the Massachusetts defense limited Frisco to just 23 yards rushing for their 10th straight win.

Next: Sep 12 at Arizona Rattlers (14-2) in United Bowl

#5 - Frisco Fighters (IFL) 11-4-0.

Last week: Lost to Massachusetts Pirates 43-22 in IFL semifinals.  The Fighters jumped out to a 9-6 lead in the second quarter.  The Pirates scored the next 17 points in the first half to take a 23-9 lead at halftime and never looked back.

Next: Season complete

#6 - Salina Liberty (CIF) 10-2-0. Lost Champions Bowl VI. Season Complete.

#7 - Tri-City Rush (AWFC) 9-2-0

Last week: Defeated Idaho Horsemen 36-27 in AWFC Championship game.  Leading 29-27, Rush Quarterback Les Obie broke loose for a 40-yard touchdown with less than two minutes to play to put Tri-City up for good. 

Next: Season complete

#8 - Columbus Lions (NAL) 7-3-0. Lost National Arena League championship. Season Complete.

#9 - Idaho Horsemen (AWFC) 7-5-0.

Last week:  Lost to Idaho Horsemen 36-27 in AWFC Championship game.  The Horsemen closed within 29-27 with four minutes left in the game.  The Rush drove down the field but was stopped at the Horsemen’s 1-yard line.  Idaho took over on downs and drove down the field but Rush Linebacker A.J. Smiley had his second interception of the game which led to 40-yard touchdown by Quarterback Les Obie to seal the win for the Rush.

Next week:  Season complete.

#10 - Oregon High Desert Storm (AWFC) 7-4-0.  Season complete.

Final Regular Season Standings:

Division North

Hamburg Sea Devils (7-3)

Wroclaw Panthers (6-4)

Leipzig Kings (5-5)

Berlin Thunder (3-7)

Division South

Frankfurt Galaxy (9-1)

Cologne Centurions (5-5)

Barcelona Dragons (3-7)

Stuttgart Surge (2-8)

Semifinals:

Frankfurt vs. Cologne

Hamburg vs. Wroclaw

Finland

The Helsinki Roosters were merciless in their semifinal matchup with the Porvoo Butchers in Finland’s Maple League pummeling them 49-7 after taking a 35-0 third-quarter lead. The Roosters move on to face the Kuopio Steelers in the Maple Bowl.

Germany

The Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns (10-0) simply overwhelmed the undermanned Stuttgart Scorpions (1-9), blanking them 43-0 to finish the German Football League season as the only unbeaten team in the league.

Canadian Football League

Current Standings:

East Division

Hamilton Tiger-cats (2-2)

Montreal Alouettes (2-2)

Toronto Argonauts (2-2)

Ottawa Redblacks (1-3)

West Division

Winnipeg Blue Bombers (4-1)

Saskatchewan Roughriders (3-1)

Edmonton Elks (2-2)

British Columbia Lions (2-2)

Calgary Stampeders (1-4)