IFL Football

In the world of football, really sports in general, nothing is more exciting to player and spectator alike than the all-out battle for the championship at the end of each season. The greatest of these title contests are retold for years in vivid detail, focusing on the plays and players that have helped turned a roughneck pastime into a tactical and strategic on-field chess game, as well as an awe-inspiring spectator sport.

Those in attendance this past Friday at a packed Kraft Family Stadium in Jerusalem for Israel Bowl I, the finale of the Israel Football League’s inaugural season, were treated to a thrilling roller coaster ride of a game between Big Blue Jerusalem and the Real Housing Haifa Underdogs that they will most assuredly remember as the true inspirational emergence of tackle football in this country.

“What an exciting day for our league - the fans, the players and all involved,” exclaimed Eric Amkraut, commissioner of the IFL.  “The true winner today, ultimately, is the sport of tackle football in Israel as it continues to grow and find a foothold in the sporting culture here in this region of the world.”

In the end, Big Blue, in search of a team name all year, captured the only nickname they ever wanted, that of IFL champions, with a highly entertaining and dramatic 24-18 overtime victory, cementing their place in immortality as the league’s first title holder.

With perhaps their greatest defensive performance of the season, despite giving up 18 points, Jerusalem was able to overcome a 12-6 half time deficit by stymieing the Haifa offense for much of the second half, holding them to just three first downs and 49 total yards in the frame to give their own offense a chance to get to overtime and pull out the victory.

“The defense has been doing it all year and never, ever gotten the credit,” Big Blue co-captain Yonah Mishaan said, “But there’s one thing that can never be taken away from us: we got it done in the end and that’s all that matters.”

In the opening game of the day’s season-ending double-header the Mike’s Place Tel Aviv Sabres saved their best for last as they secured third place with just their second win of the season with a 40-20 spanking of the Dancing Camel Hasharon Pioneers, coming back after being down 12-0 early.

Running back Asaf Katz, out with a separated shoulder for the past two months, returned and led the way for Tel Aviv with an eye-popping four touchdowns, combining with teammate Josh Klein, who racked up an interception, a touchdown and eight tackles, for game co-MVP honors, netting them a complementary case of beer from opposing team sponsor, Dancing Camel breweries.

In the Israel Bowl title game, both Jerusalem and Haifa certainly came ready to play and from the opening kickoff settled into a tightly-fought, pound-for-pound fight for the finish line.  Big Blue slowly marched down the field on an opening 10-play, 45-yard drive culminating in a 19 yard rumble into the endzone by Mishaan to open the scoring at 6:53 of the first quarter.

Haifa countered with a touchdown of their own to start the second on an a 9 yard quarterback scramble by backup Roey Ziv and took the lead 12-6 four minutes later when running back Leor Subotnik was able to turn the corner on the defense with the help of his blockers and scamper 30 yards down the sideline for a score.

Going into the half it looked as if Haifa had the momentum and the energy to pull off what would have been a big upset after losing the season series to Jerusalem, who only lost one game all year.  The crowd of over 300 was delighted with a half-time performance from acclaimed junior gymnastics troupe Solto by Tzippor from Mevaseret.

Facing the prospect of being defeated by the second-place Underdogs on their home field for the championship crown, league MVP Moshe Horowitz showed why he was so deserving of the award, taking his Big Blue team on his broad shoulders with two successive touchdown runs in the third quarter of 28 and two yards, respectively to restore Jerusalem’s lead at 18-12 going into the fourth quarter.

Haifa refused to concede the game, regrouping as a team just like they’ve done all season, and they mustered the game tying drive with just 3:08 remaining on another Subotnik TD just three plays after a desperation fourth-and-long completion for a first down by Ori Shterenbach to Idan Maor.  When Jerusalem failed to score on its final chance in regulation, the game was sent to overtime.

In the extra session, the teams were to trade possessions back and forth from their opponent’s 25-yard line, with each team getting an attempt, until a winner was produced.  Big Blue won the coin toss and scored on their opening drive on a fourth-down, 15-yard game-winning touchdown pass from Aryeh Bauman to Gai Van Straten that somehow found its way through a myriad of defensive traffic.

Haifa valiantly tried to match with a score of their own to keep the game going, getting all the way to the Jerusalem 7-yard line. However, Shterenbach’s last-effort pass on fourth down was broken up by Uri Schiff, sending the Big Blue players streaming jubilantly onto the field - champions, at last.

All told, the Israel Bowl was a great football game that capped off a great inaugural season for the IFL. Forget who won and who lost and all that – although I’m sure the players won’t – it was a well-played game between two excellent teams that was never a two-score game.

One can lament the outcome as a Haifa fan or celebrate the victory as a fan of Big Blue Jerusalem, but one thing is for certain – football is here to stay and is just getting started!

Prepared by Uriel Sturm, IFL League Statistician, who has (objectively) viewed and recorded each and every IFL down and game ever played from the best seat in the house – the field! Please feel free to contact at uesturm@gmail.