Chilly Sunday brought heated competition to NYS Flag Football

For the first time this season, cold and cloudy weather settled in at Niwot High School on Sunday morning, Oct. 16, for the last week of regular season games for NYS Flag football. Temperatures hovered around 50 degrees for the first game kick offs. The All-Pro division had a bye week, due to the school holiday weekend, and the Rookie division Vikings scrimmaged each other as they continued to work on football fundamentals.

Despite the chilly temps on the field, there was plenty of heat as close matchups were seen in both the Varsity and JV divisions all morning. In the varsity division, the Saints took on the Steelers with the Steelers coming away with the win, 37-12. In the second game, the Rams took on the Giants with a boisterous crowd on hand for both teams, and the Rams came out on top, 21-14. Going into the playoffs next week, the varsity standings are: Rams (6-1), Giants (4-3), Steelers (4-3), Broncos (4-4), and Saints (0-7).

The JV division saw a double header for the Rams, who took on the Bills in their first game and came away with a victory, 25-13. Rams running back/safety Ben Walker scored on both offense and defense, with a rushing touchdown and an interception that he ran back for six. Quarterback Victor Powell, new to the QB position, threw to Quinn Grossman for another touchdown and had two passing extra point conversions.

The Bills played tough defense all game, with standouts Jack Wilson and Odin Walstad pulling flags left and right to prevent the Rams from scoring any more points. On offense, the Bills also saw a breakout performance from Cylas Peppler who had a touchdown, extra point score, and an interception. Theo Wente was the steady receiver for the Bills, catching several passes to set up scoring opportunities throughout the game.

In the second JV matchup of the day, the Rams met the Broncos for the third time this season. The game was back and forth for the full 50 minutes of action, with the Rams squeaking out the win, 28-20. The Broncos were first on the board with their initial scoring drive that resulted in a rushing touchdown for Axel Corchado. The Rams came back and scored on a blistering run by Troy Niles and a 2-point extra point pass from Victor Powell to Ben Walker.

The Rams scored next with another rushing TD from Troy Niles. The Broncos responded with a great catch in the end zone to wide receiver Jake Carlson. Victor Powell gave the Rams a cushion with a flag pull that resulted in a safety, and Nolan Napp was solid on defense for the Rams, pulling two key flags late in the game. The Broncos came marching back with a final score but it was a little too late as the Rams ran down the clock and scored late in the game.

Broncos coach Ryan Costner is very proud of his team, as they have improved tremendously throughout this season and are an all first-grade team. "We went from getting blown out in the first weekend to winning our next four games straight and the kids are having a lot of fun," he said. Looking to the future, the Broncos are bound to be a formidable opponent in the JV Division next year.

The JV division (1st and 2nd grade) is full of both talented veterans and rookie players who are learning fast and playing excellent flag football in their first full season. Current standings are: Rams (8-0), Broncos (4-4), Cardinals (3-4), Bills (3-5) and Colts (1-6). The Colts are one of the youngest and most rookie teams this season. Led by coaches David Reeves and Josh Rembusch, the team has improved consistently in the last seven weeks and won an exciting game against the Bills earlier in the season on an interception by Brooks Blessing.

Quarterback Mason Reeves, a two-year veteran, has connected several times with his go-to receiver, Beau Neinaber, and they scored the team's first points earlier this season on a beautiful 10-yard TD pass. Ethan Lawson has been a consistent running back, gaining yards with most of his runs, and twins Ben and Sam Robinson have been quick on defense and a secret weapon on offense with their similar appearances, yet different styles of play.

The Cardinals, led by coaches John Getter, Galen Scheidenhelm, and Jody Proctor, have worked hard to make this season all about teamwork and ensuring that each player is involved in all aspects of the game. Getter highlighted that every Cardinals player has scored in some capacity this season. He is also very proud of how many players have become multi-position specialists and that his players have formed close friendships along the way. The Cardinals and Colts meet in a late season game this week prior to the playoffs Sunday, Oct. 23, at Niwot High School.