Post Summer Break

Summer break ended and we played our first game. We got together and had 4 practices the week before so we knew we would be beyond prepared for this next game against the Towers. Our last game was touted as one of the best football games ever played in Denmark when we came out on top with a 41-40 victory, scoring withing the final minute. With all the hype from the last game, and the opening of our new stands, this game would surely not disappoint!

The spectators game out to support, and the atmosphere was great for a game of football. The weather was a bit warm by Danish standards, but a beautiful day it was. After a very solid week of practice for the DL, I was super excited to play this game. I knew we would be prepared more than the guys would know, and I truly felt we would win by 2-3 scores, but did not really want to seem so positive.

The game started out with the Towers receiving the opening kickoff. The very first offensive play of the game went for a 70 yard passing TD, 6-0 Towers. While it was a blazing start and not the way we wanted to start, a lot of the guys had the same feeling--it's just one play. They ended up rolling out on the PAT for an easy 2 to go up 8-0. The high powered Gold Diggers offense took the offense and put together a beautiful 8 play, 85 yard drive highlighted by a 40 yard reception that led to an easy running score for our QB on a keep from the 2 yard line.  We kicked the PAT and the defense readied itself. Surely they would not score right off the bat again.

They came out and ran on first down and we stuffed it. The next play was a pass down the sideline picked  off by our DB. The offense couldn't put another beauty together and punted back to the Towers, who were stymied by the Gold Digger defense and forced to punt. A major frustration on my day was again how close, but so far I was from blocking punts. I was a step away from all of them, but I'll get that back soon enough, since I could still feel the traveling during the summer really holding me back. My favorite part of punt return, is that I am usually lined up on a DB or WR, so that's kind of fun, and they seem to freak out, when all they really need to do is just get in my way for .5 seconds. I digress though. After receiving the punt, the offense put together a 7 play drive with a failed PAT to put us up 13-8. We would never lose that lead throughout the day, as the Towers could not move the ball with any consistency on offense, and really couldn't figure out how to stop out offense.

The first play of the Towers next drive, the RB coughed up the ball after getting destroyed by our LBs, including one of our U19 guys stepping up. I loved watching this play on HUDL, because you see him going one speed all the way to the play. Our DB scooped, and was  practically one on one with the QB at about the 20 going in, but instead of cutting to the field to get behind blockers, he decided to try to truck the QB and was knocked out at the 2. I told him about the blockers, but with a smile, as usual, he says come on if you're one on one with the QB, what are you going to try to do. Good answer I thought. The Towers defense came up tough and held us to a FG, making it still a one score game at 16-8.

To sum up the rest of the half without using too many words, the Towers offense didn't record 1 first down, and our offense was rolling, putting up 33 points, and the defense allowed 8, however a kickoff return for a TD for the towers made the halftime score 33-14 in favor of the Gold Diggers I believe.

We received the ball after the half, and as expected at this point, marched down the field and scored, going up 40-14. The Towers then seemed to have something going, moved the ball to the Gold Diggers 30, before an huge interception by our LB, killing any momentum they may have been trying to swing in their favor. The offense put together some crazy long drive before a blocked FG ended it at the Towers 5 yard line. They may have been down, but they showed some pride in their team by fighting to keep points off the board any way possible.


After forcing a 3 and out again, our offense went on a 3 play drive to score their last TD of the day to put us ahead 47-14. The Towers answered their next drive connecting on a 40 yard TD pass for the last score of the day to make it 47-20. The rest of the game was back and forth, as our offense ate up clock, and they couldn't piece much together.

When all was said and done, the Gold Diggers defense was on the field for 40 plays, while the offense had an astounding 90 offensive plays. That is a huge number and definitely played a major role in our ability to blow them away.

After the game I met up with some of the guys and had a pretty wonderful night out. We played this game which required like flicking (although some cheaters would push it) a wooden circular car piece around a made up race track. It's extraordinarily difficult to play, but I was absolutely miserable at it. Despite being so terrible, it was a blast hanging out with the guys.

This week, we had a family day type event at our practice, as the whole club practiced together. The U13, U16, U19 and Senior team shared the field and did some work together. It was kind of an odd practice for me to plan, but I did it based on thinking, what would I think is cool if I were 13 playing with older guys. I figured they would really enjoy working in with the older guys so I tried to get them as many reps with the Seniors as possible. Also, the Senior guys did a really good job coaching up the youngins. Afterwards was a BBQ, and it was a truly fun evening of football.

The weekend both the U19 and Senior Teams travel to Helsingor to take on the Kronborg Knights. It will be a weekend packed with football, which is what I love!