Photo By Sgt. Eric Quintanilla | Players from the Recruit Training Regiment Rogues sign the championship trophy for the...... read more read more
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SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- Recruit Training Regiment came out on top during a fierce struggle in the fourth annual Powder Puff Football Tournament at Beeson Field aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, Oct. 19.
Although Headquarters and Service Battalion dominated the tournament the past two years, they fell short against RTR and Weapons Field Training Battalion this year.
Powder puff is played with flag football rules, and teams are comprised of female players. The tournament was set up so each team had the opportunity to play each other before determining who would play in the championship game. The top two teams, RTR and WFT Bn., moved on to determine who would take the trophy home.
The first match pitted RTR against WFT Bn. both teams had a lot to prove. In the fourth quarter, RTR was finally able to put points on the board with a safety. Ending the game 2-0, RTR proved they wanted it more.
“Defense is what wins games and the defense won this one,” said Charles White, coach for RTR. “They set a goal out there that no one was going to get them. They wanted to make sure no one scored on them and that’s what happened.”
Without slowing down, RTR moved right into their next game with H&S Bn. The game went on with no clear dominant side. After three quarters going back and forth with the ball, RTR finally put a player in the end zone ending the game 6-0.
With two wins under their belt, RTR had a guaranteed spot in the championship game, leaving H&S Bn., and WFT Bn., to duke it out for the chance to redeem themselves.
The third game went into overtime forcing the teams into a California tie-breaker. The California tie-breaker gives each team four plays, switching possession of the ball at each down. The team that advances the ball the farthest or scores is declared the winner.
H&S Bn. had first possession but quickly lost it with an interception by WFT Bn. that resulted in a touchdown. With that WFT Bn. won the game 6-0, giving them another chance against RTR.
“We lost because we didn’t execute in one or two areas,” said 1st Sgt. Charles Callahan, coach of H&S Bn. “We broke down mentally on a couple plays and that’s why we lost the game.”
The championship game was a constant struggle, each team getting close to the end zone but the opposing defense just wouldn’t let them through. Once again the two teams kept the spectators on the edge of their seats as they moved into overtime.
“The defense stepped it up to even another level along with the offense,” said White of his team’s overtime performance. “One mental error can lose the game for you.”
With both teams still unable to score a touchdown, the game went to RTR for moving the ball farther than WFT Bn. Although failing to beat RTR, WFT Bn. remained upbeat about their second place victory.
“We came out here positive, had a blast and we got to walk away with a trophy this year,” said Lori Abrego, the offense and defense captain for WFT Bn.
At a closing ceremony, players from both WFT Bn. and RTR were presented with trophies. Col. Michael Lee, commanding officer, RTR, presented the trophies to RTR and Staff Sgt. Vincent Landry, WFT Bn. coach, presented them to WFT Bn. After the trophies were presented to the teams, White presented the first place trophy to Lee to be displayed in the company office, signed by every player on the team.
White explained that the hard work his team put in during practice over the past few weeks really paid off. They were finally able to bring home the trophy this year, he said.
| Date Taken: | 10.19.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 11.02.2011 12:37 |
| Story ID: | 79435 |
| Location: | SAN DIEGO, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 88 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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