I know, I know, not *more* Malik? But yes, this was the best game.
The Pirates took the opening kickoff back 96-yards for a TD, Dimon Fan Jr. on the return:
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=1698668&pbp_id=3358291
I am going to skip all the rest of the nonsense leading up to the 4th quarter and pick it up there for a truly exciting finish.
This early 4th quarter FG by Marcus Roman of Somalia put the Pirates up 37-20 with 12:13 to go in the game. Let's pickup the action there:
Somalia 37 - East St. Louis 20
Malik comes out, clearly in better shape already than he was in week 1, and hits two medium completions, 14 and 17 yards respectively, each pass caught by Crash Lighting:
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=1698668&pbp_id=3364319
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=1698668&pbp_id=3364339
The Pirates know they can't just sit back and wait, so they start to bring some pressure. Mad Bum sacks Malik on 1st down:
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=1698668&pbp_id=3364387
Then a deflection by Endless Rage sets up a 3rd and long:
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=1698668&pbp_id=3364419
But Malik converts it hitting Hopey Jones for 15:
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=1698668&pbp_id=3364448
More heat, 1st down Vladimir Ivanov makes like mad Russion and sacks Malik:
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=1698668&pbp_id=3364464
Malik shakes off the dust and hits Swift Swizzle for 26:
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=1698668&pbp_id=3364487
1st down, and again it is the big Russian for the sack:
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=1698668&pbp_id=3364507
But Malik says, bring it on scrubs, and hits Swizzle for a 19-yard TD:
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=1698668&pbp_id=3364528
Suddenly it is game on!
Somalia 37 - East St. Louis 27
Somalia knows they need to do two things: 1-Eat Up Clock, 2-Score. And what do you know, they do just that. Josh Rector goes to work, hitting Kurogane Hayate for 13:
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=1698668&pbp_id=3364668
Then Rector hits Hayate again, this time for 35-yards:
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=1698668&pbp_id=3364729
But on 3rd and 4 the PIrates try a screen pass and it is stuffed by Bossman Jr.:
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=1698668&pbp_id=3364810
The Pirates settle for a FG, but they have taken the clock down from 8:22 remaining to only 3:30 remaining:
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=1698668&pbp_id=3364832
Somalia 40 - East St. Louis 27
Things are looking good for Somalia. All they need to do is avoid a kickoff return for a TD and make the Tire Fires march slowly down the field. Here's the kickoff! And #25 Rocket blasts off and takes it ALL THE WAY back for an 83-yard TD return and dow we have a ballgame:
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=1698668&pbp_id=3364917
Somalia 40 - East St. Louis 34
Now there are still 3 minutes left and East St. Louis has not used a single timeout so the Pirates need to run their regular offense and pickup at least two first downs. But the Tire Fire defense is, well, fired up. Rector looks to Flash Fenwick but James Demoralizer Pironciak deflects the pass:
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=1698668&pbp_id=3365023
Then two runs are stuffed by Bossman Jr and Jameson Powers forcing a punt:
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=1698668&pbp_id=3365042
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=1698668&pbp_id=3365105
So East St. Louis takes over with 1:52 left and all of their timeouts. And with the game on the line, Malik hits four straight passes, 15-yards, 32-yards, 21-yards and a 5-yard TD to Hopey Jones. Damn, just like that the 17-point lead is gone and East St. Louis is back on top:
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=1698668&pbp_id=3365186
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=1698668&pbp_id=3365210
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=1698668&pbp_id=3365236
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=1698668&pbp_id=3365251
East St. Louis 41 - Somalia 40
There is still a minute left but Rector throws four straight incompletions and just like that the game is over. Malik seals it with this 3rd and 4 yard to go pass for 9-yards to Hopey Jones with :30 left:
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=1698668&pbp_id=3365529
Nice job Rusty and crew! So what were the highlights from your game?
The Pirates took the opening kickoff back 96-yards for a TD, Dimon Fan Jr. on the return:
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=1698668&pbp_id=3358291
I am going to skip all the rest of the nonsense leading up to the 4th quarter and pick it up there for a truly exciting finish.
This early 4th quarter FG by Marcus Roman of Somalia put the Pirates up 37-20 with 12:13 to go in the game. Let's pickup the action there:
Somalia 37 - East St. Louis 20
Malik comes out, clearly in better shape already than he was in week 1, and hits two medium completions, 14 and 17 yards respectively, each pass caught by Crash Lighting:
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=1698668&pbp_id=3364319
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=1698668&pbp_id=3364339
The Pirates know they can't just sit back and wait, so they start to bring some pressure. Mad Bum sacks Malik on 1st down:
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=1698668&pbp_id=3364387
Then a deflection by Endless Rage sets up a 3rd and long:
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=1698668&pbp_id=3364419
But Malik converts it hitting Hopey Jones for 15:
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=1698668&pbp_id=3364448
More heat, 1st down Vladimir Ivanov makes like mad Russion and sacks Malik:
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=1698668&pbp_id=3364464
Malik shakes off the dust and hits Swift Swizzle for 26:
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=1698668&pbp_id=3364487
1st down, and again it is the big Russian for the sack:
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=1698668&pbp_id=3364507
But Malik says, bring it on scrubs, and hits Swizzle for a 19-yard TD:
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=1698668&pbp_id=3364528
Suddenly it is game on!
Somalia 37 - East St. Louis 27
Somalia knows they need to do two things: 1-Eat Up Clock, 2-Score. And what do you know, they do just that. Josh Rector goes to work, hitting Kurogane Hayate for 13:
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=1698668&pbp_id=3364668
Then Rector hits Hayate again, this time for 35-yards:
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=1698668&pbp_id=3364729
But on 3rd and 4 the PIrates try a screen pass and it is stuffed by Bossman Jr.:
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=1698668&pbp_id=3364810
The Pirates settle for a FG, but they have taken the clock down from 8:22 remaining to only 3:30 remaining:
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=1698668&pbp_id=3364832
Somalia 40 - East St. Louis 27
Things are looking good for Somalia. All they need to do is avoid a kickoff return for a TD and make the Tire Fires march slowly down the field. Here's the kickoff! And #25 Rocket blasts off and takes it ALL THE WAY back for an 83-yard TD return and dow we have a ballgame:
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=1698668&pbp_id=3364917
Somalia 40 - East St. Louis 34
Now there are still 3 minutes left and East St. Louis has not used a single timeout so the Pirates need to run their regular offense and pickup at least two first downs. But the Tire Fire defense is, well, fired up. Rector looks to Flash Fenwick but James Demoralizer Pironciak deflects the pass:
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=1698668&pbp_id=3365023
Then two runs are stuffed by Bossman Jr and Jameson Powers forcing a punt:
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=1698668&pbp_id=3365042
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=1698668&pbp_id=3365105
So East St. Louis takes over with 1:52 left and all of their timeouts. And with the game on the line, Malik hits four straight passes, 15-yards, 32-yards, 21-yards and a 5-yard TD to Hopey Jones. Damn, just like that the 17-point lead is gone and East St. Louis is back on top:
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=1698668&pbp_id=3365186
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=1698668&pbp_id=3365210
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=1698668&pbp_id=3365236
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=1698668&pbp_id=3365251
East St. Louis 41 - Somalia 40
There is still a minute left but Rector throws four straight incompletions and just like that the game is over. Malik seals it with this 3rd and 4 yard to go pass for 9-yards to Hopey Jones with :30 left:
http://goallineblitz.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=1698668&pbp_id=3365529
Nice job Rusty and crew! So what were the highlights from your game?