Blackhawks showing no signs of Flagging!
FLAG AMERICAN FOOTBALL
THE Newcastle Blackhawks Flag American football team has taken a nother major step towards an historic season.
Three wins enabled the squad to win its division of the MEC North League for the second successive year, qualify for the play-offs and secure a place in the 2018 National Premiership.
The Blackhawks also have a chance to go undefeated for the regular season when they travel to Sheffield on July 8 for the last day of league fixtures.
Their three-match programme started with a clash against Leeds Samurai, who caught the Blackhawks cold with a score on their opening possession.
From there on however, the Tyneside outfit took control with quarterback Ewan Miller throwing touchdowns to a variety of receivers to eventually take the game 37-12.
The second game was a straightforward affair, the Blackhawks proving too strong for the Calderdale Knights, running out 48-0 winners.
The final game of the day was an eagerly-anticipated derby against the Darlington Steam.
Miller started strongly, leading the Blackhawks to three touchdowns, connecting with his receivers Mantas Ceckauskas, Mike Dunn and Andy Davies.
The Steam hit back when a broken play resulted in a full field run for a touchdown to bring them back to within two scores.
Miller kept the pressure on with pinpoint passes, marching the offence down the field drive after drive.
Darlington were struggling to keep pace, although they did manage to tack on another touchdown to keep hopes of a comeback alive.
The Blackhawks’ nickname is the “Legion of Broon”, a Geordie take on the famed “Legion of Boom” Seattle Seahawks defence of the NFL in recent years.
That defence has been key to their success this season and they are the second best unit in the country for average points conceded - and much of that success is down to defensive captain Phil Watson.
His pace and athleticism have proved a constant menace to opposition quarterbacks and Darlington were not immune.
Steam’s faint hopes of a comeback were dispelled in a stunning three- play spell.
Watson sacked the Steam quarterback on back-to-back plays, following that up with a knocdown of the next pass which forced a long fourth down play.
That fourth down was not converted and the Blackhawks saw out the game for a 32-13 victory.
Head coach Ben Forster said: “I am massively proud of the guys, they have worked really hard to get where we are. However, they know we are not done yet this season as there is still everything to play for.”
Flag football combines the skill and speed elements of American football but is a non-contact game, where tackles are made by removing a players ‘flag’ attached to his hips.
The Blackhawks were formed in 2010 by Alan Bartholomew, who still plays for the club.
The first training session had three strangers, united by sport, throwing a ball to each other in a corner of a public park. Now there are players from Haydon Bridge to Hartlepool on the roster.