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.

And then there were two…

It’s probably fitting that the Fieldturf IFL Israel Bowl I will be immediately followed by Shabbat. After all, the battle between the Big Blue Jerusalem Lions and the Real Housing Haifa Underdogs for IFL supremacy figures to be a survival of the fittest that will leave all those involved gasping for air, and in need of a well-deserved rest.

Friday’s action at Kraft Family Stadium in Jerusalem features a mouth-watering season-ending doubleheader.  The Dancing Camel HaSharon Pioneers take on the Mike’s Place Tel Aviv Sabres at 10:00 am in a clash for 3rd place, a game which will be followed by the main event, the inaugural Israel Bowl, scheduled to kick off at 1:00 pm. 

The highly anticipated championship match pits the top two teams in all respects against each other.  The Lions and Underdogs boast the league’s #1 and #2 offenses AND defenses respectively, as determined by points scored and allowed, and both teams have had a couple of weeks to prepare for this contest after coasting through their last few games in dominating fashion.

There are a myriad of intriguing storylines to watch out for, from the ability of the defensive units to handle the multi-faceted running approach employed by both teams to the comparatively different styles of the starting quarterbacks, Jerusalem’s Aryeh Bauman and Haifa’s Ori Shterenbach, who finished 1-2 in the IFL in yards thrown.

Both teams must refrain from being whistled for mindless infractions - indeed Jerusalem and Haifa were the most penalized squads over the season – and keep their turnovers to a minimum, if not to none at all.  Big Blue was a +10 in turnover ratio as opposed to Haifa’s -5 differential for the year.  These secondary stats often end up being the difference in a close game that is decided on a couple of big plays.

In the end, however, I believe we are in for an old-fashioned barnyard shoot-out that will showcase the immense offensive talent that both teams have displayed throughout the season.  Real Housing has erupted for 91 points in its past two games and has outscored opponents 236-103 on a current 6-1 tear, which includes a victory over Big Blue.  They are playing fantastic team football, are brimming with confidence and, perhaps most importantly, believe that they can and will beat the top-ranked Lions for the title.

Jerusalem, on the other hand, comes into this game as the decided favorites, having won the season series over Haifa 2-1 and come away triumphant in the teams’ most recent meeting by a convincing 38-22 score on February 7.  Putting points on the board has not been an issue for the Lions this year, having been held under 30 just once all season (in a 26-18 loss to the Underdogs, mind you!), and that shouldn’t change on Friday when they have had ample time to practice with a healthy roster and incorporate a couple of new wrinkles to their already aggressive play calling.

They possess an impressive array of offensive weapons that has the ability to burn Haifa at any time from anywhere on the field, including league MVP Moshe Horowitz at running-back, star tight-end Yoni Lehrer and the propensity of Bauman to come up with crucial yardage in key situations through either his arm or legs.  Expect them to come out with a scripted attack and run the ball down Haifa’s throat early to gain a lead before going to spread formations and relying on Bauman’s arm, their receivers, and their defense to seal the deal.

Much of the Underdogs’ offense depends on Shterenbach’s pre-snap reads and audibles and he will have to be at his visionary best to orchestrate a victory for his club.  Their top strategy will be to run the ball with the ‘thunder and lightning’ duo of MVP runner-up Niv Medlinger and Leor Subotnik, who tallied a combined 878 yards on the ground this season, to keep the Big Blue possessions to a minimum. Each should get equal opportunities and give the defense a variety of looks and speeds to keep them on their heels.  While they know they can score themselves, they also have to be able to stop an equally explosive Jerusalem team from getting in the end zone and will need to control the clock to do this successfully.

‘No one believes except us’ would be an accurate refrain to describe the sentiment in the Haifa camp and the team will use that as motivation to play with no fear, open up the playbook and let it all hang out.  They certainly have the firepower to match Big Blue’s intensity with their #1 ranked running game and individual playmakers such as Shachar Yeshurun and Omer Kedmi and could befuddle Jerusalem with an early break to set the tone.  While the Underdogs are the underdogs, to be sure, they cannot be dismissed by anyone who has observed what they’ve accomplished over the past few weeks.

If Haifa can manage to spread the field at the outset and proceed through the air, even on short tosses, to take advantage of their new-found offensive balance, it will help counter Jerusalem’s all-out pressure attack on both sides of the ball and make for a wide open juggernaut of a game.

After all is said and done, we can sit and discuss past numbers, stats, and interesting storylines from today until tomorrow.  All of that is over now, however, and really doesn’t matter - it’s time to play the game!

So, strap on your cleats and get ready for a wild ride – this is Israel Bowl I and it’s sure to be super!

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.com

The Israel Football League Commissioner’s office yesterday released the members of the first ever All-IFL team.

“The inaugural FieldTurf-IFL Israel Bowl is a major achievement for our league. At the same time, we are also excited about many of the outstanding accomplishments made by individual players over the course of the season,” commissioner Eric Amkraut exclaimed.

“The performances of these individuals have set a high standard for the 2008-09 season, not only for our returning veterans but also for the many new players we look forward to welcoming to the league.”

In addition to league officials, coaches and team captains had input in the selection process. The closest voting was for league MVP honors. The award went to Big Blue Jerusalem running back Moshe Horowitz, who led the IFL in touchdowns with 16 and in all-purpose yards with 705 yards on the season. He narrowly edged out Real Housing Haifa’s Niv Medlinger for the top individual prize. Additionally, the IFL recognized its most improved player on the season. Real Housing Haifa lineman Erez Kaminski received this award, with the committee having noted his steady improvement over the course of the season on both sides of the ball.

Almost as impressive was the development of the Big Blue Jerusalem Linebacker and Running Back Marwan Simaan, runner-up to Kaminski for this award. The Nazareth native went from being a rarely used substitute at the season’s outset to one of the team’s most reliable lead blockers and an anchor of the linebacking unit during a stretch when the team’s defensive captain, Yonah Mishaan, was out due to injury.

Rounding out the starting lineup were, on offense, Aryeh Bauman, Lior Subotnik, Ben Friedman, Avigdor Moore, Yoni Lehrer, Liran Hovav and Ben Gross. The defense unit was anchored by Big Blue’s Mishaan and included Ben Lemberg, Itamar Levin, Idan Maor, Josh Klein, Mike Levy, Omer Kedmi and Gai Van Straten. Making the squad on special teams were Shy Hasan, Eli Patael and Adam Lemberg.

The second team was comprised of Adi Hakami, Medlinger, Levy, Dori Reichmann, Asher Meckler, Maor, Shachar Yeshurun, and Amit Benvenisti on offense; Moore, Raphael Bloom, Yaniv Yaron, Medlinger, Asaf Katz, Shmuel O’Neil, Uri Schiff and Dagan Sadrinas on defense; and Ori Shterenbach, Medlinger and Daniel Gev on special teams.

The IFL will wrap up its inaugural season on Friday, March 28, 2008 with a season-ending doubleheader. Dancing Camel HaSharon takes on Mike’s Place Tel Aviv at 10:00 am in a battle for 3rd place. That game will be followed by Big Blue Jerusalem versus Real Housing Haifa in the Championship game, the FieldTurf-IFL Israel Bowl, at 1:00 pm. Both games will be played at Kraft Family Stadium in Jerusalem.

Others receiving votes:

OFFENSE: Big Blue Jerusalem – Gai Van Straten (WR), Jon Hauser (C), Ben Lemberg (OL), Ari Gershon (OL), Yonah Mishaan (TE); Dancing Camel HaSharon – Shmuel O’Neil (RB), Rephael Bloom (WR), Yonatan Yifat (OL); Mike’s Place Tel Aviv – Tomer Sanikin (C), Omri Sha’anan (OL) Daniel Gev (RB), Baruch Malewich (OL); Real Housing Haifa – Igal Schneider (OL), Omer Kedmi (WR), Erez Kaminski (OL)

DEFENSE: Big Blue Jerusalem – Asher Meckler (DL), Adam Lemberg (OLB), Michael Amzalag (DB), Greg Tepper (LB); Dancing Camel HaSharon – Ben Gross (DB), Uri Heiman (MLB), Itai Katz (OLB); Mike’s Place Tel Aviv – Amit Benvenisti (DB), Raviv Faig (DE), Eli Patael (DB); Real Housing Haifa – Losha Ivlev (DL), Shachar Yeshurun (DB), Ben Friedman (DL)

SPECIAL TEAMS: Dancing Camel HaSharon – Mike Levy (RET), Shmuel O’Neil (RET), Shy Hasan (P); Mike’s Place Tel Aviv – Eli Patael (K); Real Housing Haifa – Arbel Rom (RET), Niv Medlinger (K)

MVP: Big Blue Jerusalem – Aryeh Bauman, Yonah Mishaan; Dancing Camel HaSharon – Shmuel O’Neil; Mike’s Place Tel Aviv – Raviv Faig; Real Housing Haifa – Niv Medlinger, Idan Maor

MIP: Big Blue Jerusalem – Marwan Simaan; Dancing Camel HaSharon – Amir Asaelov; Mike’s Place Tel Aviv – Roi Yair

The Real Housing Haifa Underdogs squad that lost to the Dancing Camel Hasharon Pioneers in November was substantially different from the one that ran onto the field at Kibbutz Ein Hashofet on Saturday afternoon for their semi-final playoff game.

Either the Pioneers did not get the memo or, more aptly, they were simply helpless to fend off the powerful Real Housing attack and withered under the unyielding storm, going down by a final score of 38-14 in front of a spirited pro-Underdog crowd on a beautiful day for football in Haifa.

The game started out like a typical playoff contest with both teams a little tentative at the outset in their play-calling, neither wanting to make a mistake and give up a game-changing score. Haifa (7-3) got on the board first with a Leor Subotnik 14-yard touchdown scamper as the team went to the ground for run attempts on nine of its first 11 plays from scrimmage. Subotnik buoyed the offense all day long, finishing with a game-high 81 rushing yards and picking up four first downs by himself, just two less than the entire Hasharon side.

The Pioneers (3-7) knotted the game at eight late in the first quarter after a phenomenal 41-yard catch-and-run by Yaniv Yaron from QB Yoni Mayzel set up a first-and-goal for Hasharon, which Shmuel O’Neil punched in for a three-yard TD. The Underdogs responded, however, with a momentum-crushing 11-play, 45-yard drive culminating in a Niv Medlinger touchdown that began a run of 30 straight points by the Haifa squad to put the game out of reach.

Once Real Housing got going in full gear, the game changed drastically in their favor as they settled into their typical high-pressure style of play and started to take the advantage of mismatches in coverage that highlighted Hasharon’s inability to keep Haifa’s high-octane offense off the scoreboard. The turning point of the game occurred at the mid-way point of the second quarter, after the Pioneers, down by only six points, forced the Underdogs to punt from deep in their own territory.

Medlinger got off a towering kick that looked as if it would go into the endzone for a touchback, which would place the ball at the fifteen yard line and give Dancing Camel a chance for a game-tying drive. However O’Neil ill-advisedly fielded the ball at his own goal line and was immediately leveled by a charging Omer Kedmi, pinning the offense at the one-yard line. Two plays later, Mayzel threw an errant pass that Shachar Yeshurun picked off and high-stepped into the endzone for a touchdown, giving Haifa a 14 point lead on which they never looked back.

Yeshurun was undoubtedly the game breaker in this one, racking up a pair of interceptions, two touchdowns, three catches for 38 yards, two tackles and two pass break-ups. All three of his catches demonstrated his ability to use body position and long reach to prevent defenders from breaking up throws in tight coverage. The running game was also the other key difference in the game as Haifa out-ran Hasharon by an embarrassing difference of 199-16 total net yards.

Overall, the Underdogs were very efficient at taking care of business at home and careful to play ‘within themselves’, not becoming overconfident while allowing their superior preparation and talent to manifest itself on the field. The results speak for themselves – they came, they saw, they conquered. Now bring on the Big Blues!

The IFL takes this week off for the upcoming three day Purim festival and returns in two weeks on Friday, March 28 at Kraft Stadium in Jerusalem. The championship-weekend daytime double-header will feature an undercard 3 vs. 4 match-up between the Pioneers and the Mikes Place Tel Aviv Sabres (1- at 10:00 am, followed by the main event – a 1:00 pm kickoff of the inaugural Israel Bowl to determine the IFL champion between the Underdogs and the first-place Big Blue Jerusalem Lions (8-1).

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.com.

This Saturday at noon in Kibbutz Ein Hashofet near Haifa, the Fieldturf IFL kicks off its postseason festivities with an exciting battle between the Real Housing Haifa Underdogs and the Dancing Camel Hasharon Pioneers. The rematch between the second and third seeded clubs comes exactly two weeks after they collided in Haifa in what was a brutally physical game won in lopsided fashion by Real Housing 53-7, who took the season series with Hasharon 2-1.

All of that, though, is in the rear view mirror. Now, we have a new season - the postseason. It’s a single elimination tournament in which all teams are both equally optimistic and desperate. The regular season was basically just an audition for the playoffs, and now it’s SHOWTIME. This is what really counts.

Haifa (6-3) comes into this game having yet to lose at home this year, with a perfect 5-0 record. Winning on the road in the playoffs is never easy, but the task for Hasharon (3-6) will be even more intimidating facing a team that has successfully defended its home turf every game throughout the season.

While the Underdogs may have a huge home-field advantage, the key to this game is going to be how well they protect the ball and minimize their mistakes and penalties. Turnovers, as always, will almost certainly be a factor upon which the match hinges. The team that best guards the ball - and makes the fewest critical errors - figures to come out on top, and the Pioneers definitely have the firepower to pounce if the opportunity presents itself with an untimely Haifa interception or fumble.

The Underdogs’ biggest concern defensively will be stopping running back Shmuel O’Neil, who has the elusive ability to break the first wave of tacklers for large chunks of yardage. Look for a huge dose of him in this contest as Hasharon tries to work the clock and hold on to the ball as long as possible to keep the vaunted Underdog offense off the field. If Haifa has to bring their safeties up to help against the run, however, it will force them to employ more single man coverage on the Pioneers’ receivers downfield.

Yoni Mayzel and the entire Hasharon offense has started to click and come into its own of late, with the exception of last game, and they might be able to connect on a couple big plays if the corners are exposed. Mayzel’s renaissance as a QB has been aided by the emergence of his wide receivers, specifically Ben Gross, who has been going after balls that might previously have resulted in an incompletion or interception. The passing attack will have to be on its A game to give Dancing Camel a chance.

Ultimately, however, I’m confident that the Underdog defense is up to the task. They have a strong defensive line and fast, ranging linebackers, like Itamar Levin, who will make plays all over the field. Their secondary should be good enough to shut down whatever passing game Hasharon hopes to mount. The unit may be nudged down the field, but ultimately excels at taking the ball away, and thus has been pretty effective at keeping opponents out of the end zone.

Offensively, Haifa often likes to throw the football at the outset to get leads, and then pound opponents on the ground to put them away. While neither Niv Medlinger nor Leor Subotnik is an especially speedy runner, both ARE powerful, able to break arm tackles, and adept at cutting back against the flow of defensive pursuit. As well, quarterback Ori Shterenbach has become adept at executing screens and draws, and has an uncanny knack for finding the ‘hot’ receiver when he encounters the blitz. Expect a number of short toss-and-runs to both Idan Maor and Shachar Yeshurun early on for long gains.

The Underdogs are playing the best football of their season right now and appear destined for a major clash with Big Blue Jerusalem in the IFL Championship in two weeks at Kraft. They have scored 127 more points than the Pioneers this season and have given up 94 points less than their first-round opponent overall. Add it all up by the numbers and the situation doesn’t seem to bode well for the Hasharon squad.

But that’s why we play the games, baby, that’s why we play the games!

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft with IFL President Steve Leibowitz and Commissioner Eric Amkraut, at the final regular season game of the first year of the Israel Football League

It was a Kraft and family affair at Kraft Family Stadium in Jerusalem on Thursday night as a sell-out crowd was on hand for the IFL regular season finale along with the New England Patriots owner and a couple of Patriots star players, defensive end Richard Seymour and tight end Benjamin Watson. All those in attendance were treated to an exciting and highly-entertaining football game as the Big Blue Jerusalem Lions roared out to an early lead and ran roughshod over a beleaguered Mike’s Place Tel Aviv Sabres squad for a 38-0 shutout victory, heading into the first round of the first-year league’s playoffs next week.

“I am thrilled to be in Israel watching tackle football for the first time. I get a special feeling in my heart every time I hear Hatikva sung on a football field and hope to help this sport grow in this country” exclaimed the NFL executive.

With Seymour and Watson on the sidelines as honorary team captains for each side, Jerusalem jumped out to a lead on the first drive of the game with a Moshe Horowitz touchdown run. Horowitz owned the first half, adding another score on the ground to boost his league-leading total as Big Blue never let Tel Aviv find their bearings en route to an insurmountable 32-0 half time lead. Starting Aryeh Bauman QB also chipped in with two rushing TDs as well and Big Blue simply dominated the contest from outset.

The crowd came out to see Mr. Kraft, who brought a delegation from Boston to witness tackle football in Israel for the first time and the home-town Lions certainly did not disappoint, getting on the board early and often to finish the regular season at 8-1. Tel Aviv, meanwhile, were forced to start third-string quarterback Raviv Faig and could muster only 4 first downs all game, finishing a dismal 1-8 on the year.

The IFL will return next week with Week One of playoff action as the Real Housing Haifa Underdogs (6-3) and Dancing Camel Hasharon Pioneers (3-6) meet in the first round. Big Blue has a bye week coming up and will anxiously watch the outcome of that 2 vs. 3 match-up, which will determine their opponent in the first annual Israel Bowl on March 28 at Kraft Stadium.

Prepared by Uriel Sturm, IFL League Statistician, who has (objectively) viewed and/or 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.com.

Photo Courtesy Shmuel Weisfeld

Both the Dancing Camel Hasharon Pioneers and the Real Housing Haifa Underdogs had better pay close attention to what transpires on the field this week in their tilt at Kibbutz Ein Hashofet on Saturday, as the two teams will be lining up and doing it all over again in the first round of the Fieldturf IFL playoffs in two weeks.

This match is just practice – the next meeting will be the real deal, and lessons about opponents’ tactics learned now, in the final game of the regular season, could go a long way in dictating which team emerges victorious when it’s all on the line in a win-or-go-home affair in the postseason.

The Underdogs (5-3) come into the game, ironically name-wise, as the clear favorites, having established themselves over the course of the long season as the league’s second-best all-around squad next to Jerusalem. Haifa has matured in all aspects of its game, from basic offensive and defensive fundamentals to more complex strategy and play-calling, and steady improvements have been made almost every week. They come in brimming with confidence, despite having lost their last game, to Big Blue, by a wide margin.

The Pioneers (3-5), as well, enter this contest full of optimism, after securing the final spot in the playoffs with a defensive-minded 8-6 triumph over Tel Aviv their last time out and having won their last two overall. While Hasharon was spanked by Real Housing 36-6 in the clubs’ most recent meeting, they remain emboldened by the knowledge that they can, and have, beat the Underdogs, already having conquered them in convincing fashion early in the season by a score of 28-13.

After the disappearance of all-IFL talent Mike Levy, Dancing Camel spent a couple of frustrating games working their new personnel into the rotation and trying to gel again as a cohesive unit. It seems that they have gotten it all together just in the nick of time and are now poised to make a run at the top teams in the league.

Running back Shmuel O’Neil has found his stride once again and is looking like his early-season self, finding small holes in the defense and moving the chains for crucial first-down conversions. As well, an emerging physical receiving corps, including Ben Gross and Raphael Bloom, have developed a burgeoning chemistry with quarterback Yoni Mayzel and the trio have combined for at least one touchdown in each of the past five games.

Look for the Pioneers to employ a balanced and conservative game-plan, while sprinkling in a number of experimental plays to test out against the Haifa defense. In tandem with their own defensive unit, which has enjoyed some success blanketing opponents’ passing attack of late, they will look to keep the scoring down and sneak away with a close victory.

Real Housing, on the other hand, will be looking to make a strong statement with this game that they are the far superior team to Hasharon and, more aptly, belong in a conversation comparing them to Big Blue than to the lower-tiered clubs.

I anticipate them trying to run up the score through an aggressive blend of a play-action-based aerial assault and by feeding their star running back duo of Niv Medlinger and Leor Subotnik on a healthy array of off-tackle run attempts. It is important for them to get starting quarterback Roey Ziv, who has not seen all that much time taking snaps, experience in pressure situations to see how he will respond before sending him out in upcoming games, which will have much more at stake.

In addition, the Underdogs are still hoping for another reliable receiver option to surface and take some of the load off wide-out Shachar Yeshurun, who has not been himself the past couple of games. Look for Omer Kedmi and/or Roy Rubin to step-up and fill this role to give some variety to a passing game that has become somewhat lackluster in recent weeks.

The attitude that each squad takes away from this weekend will almost certainly set the tone for their next, all-important, square-off. While both sides will be careful not to tip their hand’s too much as to what to foresee in the postseason, the opposite approaches that the teams will take towards this game could provide a very interesting sub-plot to look out for in what, otherwise, should be a game that is more prelude than main event.

The IFL returns next week for the final game of the regular season with a rematch between the Big Blue Jerusalem Lions (7-1) and the Mike’s Place Tel Aviv Sabres (1-7). The highly-anticipated contest will be played at Kraft Family Stadium in Jerusalem in front of the field’s namesake and New England Patriot’s owner Robert Kraft, who has indicated that he will be bringing a couple of surprise guests. Kickoff will take place at 6:30 p.m. next Thursday evening and a sell-out crowd is expected for what should be a very special event.

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.com.

The setting may have different, but the result was an old story in Fieldturf IFL action last week.

Tackle football arrived in Modi’in on Thursday night as Israel’s first league kicked off under the city’s new stadium lights with a game between the Mike’s Place Tel Aviv Sabres and the Big Blue Jerusalem Lions. The energized local crowd of about 150 witnessed an entertaining match which Big Blue won in convincing fashion by a tally of 40-8 in a game that played much closer than the final score indicates. The game was also attended by special guests Modi’in Deputy Mayor Alex Weinreb and Modi’in Matnas Director Chanan Danziger.

“What a great welcome Modi’in gave the IFL and our players from both teams. The crowd was really excited!” said IFL Commissioner Eric Amkraut, who worked closely with Modi’in officials and community members to bring the game to this new venue. “The enthusiasm of the local fans speaks volumes for the future of the sport in the region.”

Tel Aviv (1-7) fought the first place Lions head-to-head for most of the first half, even jumping out to an 8-0 lead with a pair of early scores. An errant Jerusalem snap late in the first quarter went for a safety for the first points of the game, and that was quickly followed by another six for the Sabres on a touchdown pass to receiver Liran Hovav. After being held off the scoresheet for the last couple of games, Hovav had a strong outing, catching six balls for 85 yards to go along with his TD.

Jerusalem (7-1) was able to bounce back and go into the locker room with a 14-8 lead on a pair of Moshe Horowitz touchdown runs. Horowitz took over the IFL lead in that category with three scoring runs on the day of five, 13 and 15 yards respectively.

The Lions took the momentum and ran with it in the second half, pouring on 26 unanswered points and managing to play prevent defence to stop Tel Aviv in almost every crucial situation. They forced five punts and a missed field goal and turned what had been an early battle for field position into a one-sided affair. The main problem for the Sabres seemed to be their fatigue level, which increased drastically as the game went on with a number of players seeing action on both sides of the ball due to injuries.

Jerusalem quarterback Aryeh Bauman had a rare off game personally, throwing for only 30 yards and two interceptions. However his team more than compensated and allowed Big Blue to cruise to a relatively easy victory even on a day when the air attack was subpar. The Lions also benefited from their usual touchdown by receiver Yoni Lehrer, who has seen the end zone in every game he has played.

Big Blue effectively ran the football at the Sabres’ recently lauded defence by incorporating more single-back sets into the game plan. By using a mixture of double tight end sets and three-receiver formations, they were able to limit the three and four-man looks that Tel Aviv could use to defend the running game. Enjoying sizable contributions from Adam Lemberg and Uri Schiff, in addition to Horowitz, they managed to pile up 173 yards on the ground for the game.

The Big Blue defence not only played an outstanding coverage game, holding the Mike’s Place to single digits for the second straight week and holding them off the board completely in the second half, but also contributed two scores of their own with Michael Amzalag and Ido Ben Dayan each returning picks for TDs. Amzalag had another interception as well on the final play of the game and played a strong game overall, racking up two tackles and three pass break-ups.

The two teams will meet once again this year in the final regular season game on March 6 in Jerusalem in a game that will be attended by new England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and a couple of surprise NFL players. The IFL returns next week with a Saturday game at Kibbutz Ein Hashofet near Haifa. The 12:00 noon kickoff will feature a first round playoff preview between the second-place Real Housing Haifa Underdogs (5-3) and third-place Dancing Camel Hasharon Pioneers (3-5).

prepared by Uriel Sturm, IFL League Statistician, who has (objectively) viewed and/or 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.com.

The Lions (6-1) come into the contest on an emotional high, having clinched first place in their last game over the Real Housing Haifa Underdogs (5-3) and getting a boost of fresh energy with the return of more players from the IL each week. The impact of injuries on any football club cannot be understated, and Big Blue getting back to full strength just as the playoffs are approaching should be a scary image for the rest of teams in the league.

The Sabres (1-6), on the other hand, must be feeling discouraged by this point, having drastically improved many aspects of their game over the past month after the departure of starting quarterback Adi Hakami, yet having nothing to show for their efforts in the win column. They are coming off a pair of tightly-fought, crushing losses to their closest rival, the Dancing Camel Hasharon Pioneers (3-5), by a total combined margin of five points, leaving them looking in from the outside of the playoff picture in this, the IFL’s inaugural season.

Despite the teams’ seeming inequality, judging by their inverse mirroring records, the Lions must be careful not to overlook Mike’s Place, which has the ability to play the type of blanketing, shut-down defense that could disrupt the offensive flow of the game for Big Blue. While the Sabres’ are playing simply for pride, with no chance of qualifying for the post-season, if they are able to force a couple of turnovers in critical situations and take adavantage of the element of surprise that comes with being cast in the position of big underdogs, they may be able to pull of the huge upset.

Moving on to an unrelated issue, I have been getting quite a bit of feedback over the past few weeks regarding my tendency to overlook the defensive stars of the IFL in my weekly recaps and previews of the games and focus on players who have performed well offensively, at the expense of not giving credit to those on the other side of the ball who have been just as responsible for their teams’ success.

In a word (or two) to my critics - you’re right! Looking back at my previous columns, I must concur that I have given short shrift to some of the bright stars, or even total defensive units, of the league for whatever reason, maybe due to the ‘team-first’ nature of defensive football which tends not to focus on the individual or maybe due to my own ignorance and preoccupation with high-scoring offensive performances. In any case, I would like to redeem myself slightly by devoting a couple of paragraphs here to highlight the defensive accomplishments I have seen so far this season in the IFL.

I must say at the outset that, undoubtedly, the defensive football talent in the league far outweighs the offensive profiency being displayed on a weekly basis and that the development of skills and positioning on what may be the less glamerous side of the ball is nothing short of remarkable in such a short period of time, with many players who, as recently as eight months ago, had never been on a football field before in their lives.

On the front lines, Big Blue’s top pass rushing tandem of Avigdor Moore and Asher Meckler have been the league’s most explosive duo. While lacking explosive initial quickness and a top-speed closing burst, Meckler has a knack for getting to the quarterback off the edge by using his athleticism to gain leverage on opposing players. Despite being one of the IFL’s oldest players, Moore’s size, strength, dedication and position flexibility makes him a dominating interior force on the pass rush and many a quarterback’s worst nightmare.

When looking at the packages being employed, we have seen a influx of the 3-4 defense due to the formation’s flexibility of personnel and opportunity for creative zone blitz packages. Middle defenders around the league, from Jerusalem’s Tomer Shacham and Marwan Sima’an to Hasharon’s Yaniv Yaron to Haifa’s Idan Maor and Losha Ivlev, have been successful all year blowing up the oposition’s running game and creating long-yardage situations that have allowed there team to pressure the passer.

Additionally, the league has featured an array of top-notch safeties who have emerged as their teams’ top playmakers. The Lions’ Adam Lemberg, Hasharon’s Mike Levy, Haifa’s Arbel Rom and the Sabres’ Eli Patael are just a few of the difference-makers who have starred in various games this season. Each has the combination of cover skills and blitz ability to be used in multiple ways. This versatility has become a premium and teams will continue to place an added emphasis on finding players with this combination of talent to develop into shutdown defender.

The popularity of the cover two and zone blitz have minimized the need for a classic ’shut down’ corner on most rosters. Both schemes place a premium on pressuring the quarterback and emphasize the importance of pass rush over coverage. This has been one of the key defensive philosophies that has been effective at overpowering blockers at the point of attack and completely disrupting the offensive balance of the opposing team.

What has been most impressive by far for an observer of this upstart league on the defensive side of the ball is the fundamentally sound and ferocious tackling form being exhibited by almost all of the teams. Outstanding instincts, awareness, relentlessness and toughness have been the characteristics that most aptly describe so many of the league’s first-time participants in the sport, and I look forward to seeing the further development of talent and football philosophy in the future.

All eyes have turned towards the upcoming playoffs in the IFL and this week’s game between the Dancing Camel Hasharon Pioneers and the Mike’s Place Tel Aviv Sabres could clear up the picture of what match-ups to expect in the postseason…or it can muddle it even more. The teams have split their two games against each other thusfar, most recently a thrilling 24-21 Dancing Camel win just two weeks ago, and this, the rubber match, may ultimately decide who makes the playoffs should both end the regular season with the same record.  The contest will be played at the Yarkon Sports Complex in the Baptist Village near Petah Tikva with kickoff at noon. Looking forward, in a scenario where the teams finish tied at the end of the season, the winner of this game will determine who make the playoffs and who goes home.  If Tel Aviv (1-5) can emerge triumphant they will bring their record to 2-5 while sending Hasharon (2-5) to a 2-6 mark with one game remaining against the Haifa Underdogs (5-3).  Mike’s Place will still have two games left to play, however both will come against the mighty Big Blue Jerusalem Lions (6-1), a daunting task, to say the least, in their hope to pick up an additional victory, or two, on the year. With a win, the Pioneers would clinch the third and final spot in the “Fight for the Israel Bowl” as they would be up by two in the win column and will have taken the season series even in the case of a then-unlikely dead-heat finish with the Sabres. All told, this means that we can anticipate a leave-it-all-on-the-field balls-out battle for gridiron supremacy in what should be an emotional and impassioned game of pigskin on the (almost) frozen tundra of Baptist Village.   With Mike Levy still expected to be out of the lineup, Dancing Camel must continue to run the slight adjustments to their game plan that they have done in recent weeks.  Look for them to keep on calling more isolations and powers between the tackles to get Shmuel O’Neil running downhill.The key for the Tel Aviv defense will be to stuff the box.  The Pioneers average more rushing attempts per game than any other team in the league, so stopping the run will be the Sabres’ top priority. Expect them to use several five-man pressure packages with Josh Klein playing the role of a quasi-linebacker in the middle to keep the running game in check. In response, Hasharon must try and build upon its success in the passing game last time out and feature more three and even four-receiver sets to help the quarterback, likely Yoni Mayzel, run an efficient, ball-control passing game featuring short underneath throws to receivers Ben Gross, Yaniv Yaron and Raphael Bloom. Without their most explosive weapon in Levy, the Pioneers will continue to use this formula throughout their playoff push.As for Mike’s Place, it will have to find a way to get star receiver Liran Hovav more involved than he has been in the past few games, despite the likelihood of him having some form of double coverage directed his way for most of the day. While the Hasharon secondary has played well in recent weeks after struggling as a unit during the early part of the season, Hovav has the ability to create separation with his elusive agility and speed in running routes, and Tel Haviv will have to exploit that advantage at a key skill position.In addition, the Sabres’ offense should be encouraged by the glimpses of the quickness and cutback ability displayed by their running game with backs Daniel Gev and Gabe Kaplinsky. In the absence of Asaf Katz with a separated shoulder, this resurgence comes at a much-needed time, with defenses opting to relentlessly blitz quarterback Roi Yair with more two and three-man pressures. If Tel Aviv can put up the appearance of a viable running game, they will be able to incorporate more play-action passes to alleviate the pressure off Yair in the pocket.Defensively, Dancing Camel will look to stem this strategy with their second-level defenders (linebackers and safeties) making sure they do not over-run their assigned gaps and either allow runners to utilize the over pursuit by attacking soft spots or give time for  the QB to find a open man downfield after a delayed dropback. By having a backside safety flow through the weak side A-gap before chasing the ball, they will be able to defend both the run and the pass more effectively. This is a game that, decidedly, means more for Tel Aviv than it does for Hasharon, as even with a loss they remain in the playoff hunt which is not the case for the Sabres. Looking to avenge a heart-breaking last minute loss at the hands of their opponent two weeks ago, I think that extra motivation will play a role. The prediction here is that Mike’s Place will ride the wings of a Hovav and Amir Benvenisti, who is looking to redeem himself after his defensive gaffe last game, to victory and keep the post-season suspense alive into the final month of the regular season. 

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.com.