The 26th annual Holyland Bowl of the American Football in Israel contact men's flag football league took place at the Kraft Family Stadium in Jerusalem on Saturday night. Big Blue, playing in its third title game in four years, outlasted Meridian Capitals 14-7 in a defensive battle that only saw Meridian score their first and only touchdown late in the game. Big Blue got an early score from the game's MVP, David Tover, on a spectacular diving catch in the endzone. A Jonathan Ephrat TD put Big Blue up 14-0, but Meridian responded and drove the length of the field for seven points to bring it within one score late. Big Blue, however, was able to run out the clock with well-executed QB runs by Dani Harow off left and right tackle with superb blocking up front by Alan Tover, Aryeh Bowman, and Mitch Mandell. Back-up quarterback and 16-year AFI veteran Josh Hasten took the last snap of the game as Big Blue sponsor Barry Liben received regular updates in New York and Moshiko Falafel owner and league sponsor Amir Shemtov was in attendance. With the win, Big Blue marked its return to the top of Israeli flag football, celebrating its eighth AFI title overall and second in the last four years.The 26th annual Holyland Bowl of the American Football in Israel contact men's flag football league took place at the Kraft Family Stadium in Jerusalem on Saturday night. Big Blue, playing in its third title game in four years, outlasted Meridian Capitals 14-7 in a defensive battle that only saw Meridian score their first and only touchdown late in the game. Big Blue got an early score from the game's MVP, David Tover, on a spectacular diving catch in the endzone. A Jonathan Ephrat TD put Big Blue up 14-0, but Meridian responded and drove the length of the field for seven points to bring it within one score late. Big Blue, however, was able to run out the clock with well-executed QB runs by Dani Harow off left and right tackle with superb blocking up front by Alan Tover, Aryeh Bowman, and Mitch Mandell. Back-up quarterback and 16-year AFI veteran Josh Hasten took the last snap of the game as Big Blue sponsor Barry Liben received regular updates in New York and Moshiko Falafel owner and league sponsor Amir Shemtov was in attendance. With the win, Big Blue marked its return to the top of Israeli flag football, celebrating its eighth AFI title overall and second in the last four years.
