Can Any Fieldturf IFL Team Stop the “Big Blue Machine”?
Under the Kraft Family Stadium lights on the fourth night of Hanukkah, Big Blue Jerusalem, after a very tightly-fought start to the game, once again wore down an opponent and cruised to victory, 46-18 over Real Housing Haifa. Big Blue has opened the first season of the new Fieldturf Israel Football League with their third straight lopsided win, improving to 3-0.
Led by inspired performances from linebacker Adam Lemberg and linemen Avigdor “Viggy” Moore and Asher Meckler, Big Blue capitalized on nine sacks and three fumble recoveries by their defense, to go along with three touchdowns from Yoni Lehrer and two from Moshe Horowitz, as Jerusalem dominated the second half of this highly anticipated matchup in the first annual Hanukkah Bowl in front of a vocal home crowd of about 350 fans.
The game began with a beautiful rendition of Hatikva, performed by talented vocalist Shira Kaplan, and a special lighting of the Hanukkiah by Jerusalem running back Ariel Back, who then led the stadium in the traditional holiday songs.
Big Blue waited until the end of the first quarter to strike first and Haifa was quick to respond with a 30-yard touchdown pass to Roy Rubin as the score was tied 6-6 midway through the second quarter, with the Underdogs dictating the pace early on.
Jerusalem went ahead 12-6 and it looked as if Haifa was going to counter once again and set up an old-fashioned offensive shootout. But, on what proved to be the turning point of the game, Shachar Yeshurun fumbled the ball at the Jerusalem 12 yard line after a long reception. Big Blue recovered and proceeded to score the next 26 points on its way to sending Real Housing to its second straight defeat and a record of 1-2.
Haifa couldn’t complain about a lack of breaks. It intercepted Big Blue quarterback Aryeh Bauman twice, the first interceptions Jerusalem quarterbacks had thrown all season, and Haifa benefited from a couple of big plays through penalties, once when a Big Blue interception and touchdown was called back, and also on a crucial pass interference call that gave Real Housing a first and goal when the game was still within reach. However, Haifa simply could not establish its running game, even with Niv Medlinger juking and slicing his way for a hard-fought 55 yards on the day. Quarterback Uri Shterenbach was forced out of the pocket all game by the powerful Jerusalem pass rushers, causing him to be mostly ineffective on his throws downfield.
At the end of the day, Big Blue was just too strong and deep for a Real Housing squad that was still missing a number of players to injury, but that even at full strength has a long way to go before it can hope to come away victorious against a Jerusalem team that, to all the teams in the new Fieldturf IFL, is looking more intimidating by the week.
Big Blue next plays Dancing Camel Hasharon (1-1) on Friday, December 21, at the Yarkon Sports Complex in Petah Tikva’s Baptist Village, while the next Fieldturf IFL game is scheduled for noon on Saturday, December 15, as Haifa looks to bounce back from the Hanukkah Bowl loss against Mike’s Place Tel Aviv (0-2) at Kibutz Ein Hashofet.
Game notes: Big Blue’s Yonah Misha’an had 3 sacks, giving him the IFL lead with 5 on the season; Yoni Lehrer’s 3 TDs give him a league-leading 7; Big Blue starting QB A. Bauman threw for 3 scores and ran for another while Haifa’s O. Shterenbach passed for 2 TDs; Todd Warnick, renowned basketball referee of over 2000 Israeli and international league matches, was a part of the game’s officiating crew.
Prepared by Uriel Sturm, Fieldturf IFL Statistician, who has viewed and recorded each and every down and game from the best seat in the house – the field! Please feel free to contact Uriel at uesturm@gmail.com.
זה כבר נהייה קל מידי להתקפה שלנו. אני לא יודע מה קורה אצל יתר הקבוצות אבל במשחקים הפתוחים של ימי שישי בספורטק (ז”ל) היו הגנות יותר טובות. שם ידענו שאם מישהו יוצא לתפוס כדור- שומרים עליו, ואם זה השחקן הכי טוב של ההתקפה אז על אחת כמה וכמה. אולי
הפער באמת כל כך גדול בין הקבוצות, וזה מן הסתם לא טוב לליגה.
(אני מקווה שהקפטנים שלנו לא יכעסו עלי שאני כותב את זה, אבל אני לא רואה פה שום דבר שלא הייתי צריך לכתוב)
נ.ב. תודה על הסיכום המעולה הזה.