American Football in Israel last week announced plans to host its first international flag football tournament, to be held February 23-25, 2006.
"Our national teams have competed at tournaments in Finland, France and Florida. We felt it was time to bring the excitement to Kraft Family Stadium in Jerusalem," explained AFI President Steve Leibowitz.
Tournament games will not be played on Shabbat, and the Israeli players will welcome guests into their homes for Friday night dinner.
"It is going to be the first of what we hope will become an annual Holy Land international flag football tournament," said Leibowitz, who co-founded the first American football league in Jerusalem 16 years ago. That league became the American Football in Israel non-profit organization six years ago.
In the past year, AFI joined the European Federation of American Football and was recognized by the government of Israel as the sport's national governing body.
Three Heritage Affinity AFI teams fall from unbeaten ranks
In a battle of unbeatens in the Heritage Affinity AFI league on Friday, the Out-of-Towners beat Misha'an Plumbers 32-20.
On Saturday, D & D Marketing and Yesodei.org suffered their first defeats of the season, while Klein Management improved its record to 3-1 with a 19-10 victory over Cobras.
Ziontours recorded one of the highest scores in AFI history with a 79-0 rout of Mug Club.
After the Heritage Affinity AFI first round, in which each team plays six games, the top 32 teams - 16 from Friday and 16 from Saturday - will be placed into eight divisions of four teams each. Each of these 32 teams will face the other teams in its division for a three-game second round, hoping to claim one of 16 spots in the Holyland Bowl playoff bracket.
Cleveland Friends 14, Waxman Warriors 12
Cleveland Friends' Yitzy Kolb threw two touchdown passes to Noam Block, while Cheski Steinhart had an interception and also gave his team a momentum lift when he knocked down a pass on a Waxman fourth down.
Other results from Week 6 of the Heritage Affinity AFI men's contact league: Forefingers 27, Amigo US 21; World Class Travel 62, Cafe Rimon 6; Holy Bagel 47, Wizard World 13; Jump Gym 40, T.C. Farbmans 6; Travaglini 46, JM in the AM 6; Pallorium 25, Norman's 20; Lobos 25, D & D Sugar 12; TLC Communications 23, Mass Mutual 13; Fairmont Funding 38, Meridian Capital 12; Cafe Net 39, METV 26; Kesher 34, Boston Friends 0; Tov Pizza 32, CardiaCare Rehab 26; Seidemann & Mermelstein 58, Sack Exchange 7; Uncle Bob's Boys 31, D & D Marketing 21; Croton Watches 55, Jerusalem Foundation 6; TLC Communications 34, Jerry's Kids 34; Olive 37, Yesodei.org 19; Mass Mutual 18, Canaan Studio 0.
Fieldturf WAFI's Ziontours wins thriller
The week three Fieldturf Women's American Football in Israel showdown between 2-0 Jump Gym and 2-0 Ziontours lived up to expectations. A total of seven touchdowns were scored, with Ziontours sealing a 25-19 victory with an interception in the final seconds.
Also last week, Diamonds.com recorded its first victory of the season. The Diamonds beat Eden's Eagles 12-0.
Ziontours 25, Jump Gym 19
Ziontours' quarterback Cindy Scarr threw four touchdown passes, including three to Emily Neilson and one to Esti Mandel, who also grabbed three interceptions on defense.
Misha'an Plumbers 47, Cafe Rimon 6
On defense, Estie "Baseball" Bernstein had four interceptions, returning three for touchdowns. "Baseball" added three more TDs on offense. Touchdowns were also scored by Elissa Sugoskin and Jesse Sugoskin. Plumbers' quarterback Meira Harow threw four TD passes, while Adena Brickman added an INT.
Cincinnati Friends 12, Pueblo Nuevo Productions 6
Cincinnati Friends upped their record to 2-1 with a close win over Pueblo Nuevo Productions. Quarterback Tali Koolyk threw two touchdown passes to receiver Talie Lewis. On defense, Avital "Watermellon" Kelin recorded an impressive four sacks, while the Cincy women had three interceptions on the night including one by Aviva Miller.
Also last week in the Fieldturf WAFI, it was Big Blue 48, Boston Friends/Haviva 0.
Oasis Management comes up with first win in HSAFI
After starting the season at 0-3, Oasis Management pulled off the upset of the week in the High School American Football in Israel league by knocking off the previously undefeated Chashmo Jaguars.
The loss by the Jags leaves the Pizza Sababa/Super Deal squad alone at the top of the standings with a 4-0 record.
Pizza Sababa/SuperDeal escaped with a victory over the Thunderbolts as a result of a last-minute controversial touchdown. In a battle of winless teams, the Dominators got their first victory of the season by knocking off the Bulldogs.
Oasis Management 24, Chashmo Jaguars 6
The Oasis defense dominated the game, recording six interceptions. Ariel Gilor had four of the picks, running one back for a touchdown. On offense, Elimeir Maltz and Uriel Ross each caught touchdown passes.
Pizza Sababa/Superdeal 28, Thunderbolts 24
In a game that saw the lead change three times in the final five minutes, Pizza Sababa's Binyamin Greenberg caught the winning score with thirty seconds left in the game. The Thunderbolts wanted an offensive pass interference penalty called on the play, but no flag was thrown. The Thunderbolts still had one last chance, but a Thunderbolts pass was intercepted in the end zone by Pizza Sababa/Super Deal's Dov Goldstein on the last play of the game.
Dominators 49, Bulldogs 17
QB Yehuda Nathen led his team with three touchdown passes to four different receivers, as a stingy Dominator Defense held the Bulldogs to just two offensive TD's.
Kfar Zippori rolls over HUC-YA in Tuesday night co-ed league
Defending Tuesday Night Football League champion Kfar Zippori (3-0) displayed its full potential with a 73-0 thumping of HUC-YA (0-4) last week.
Big Blue upped its record to 3-0 with a 49-8 victory over the HUC Mullet Men (1-2), while Josh Shuman PR dropped to 2-1 after a narrow 15-13 loss to Pardes (2-2). Josh Shuman PR had a chance to tie the game on the last play, but its two-point conversion failed.
Tuesday's games (all at Kraft Family Stadium in Jerusalem): HUC Mullet Men vs Kfar Zippori, 8 p.m.; Pardes vs Big Blue, 9 p.m.; Josh Shuman PR vs HUC-YA, 10 p.m.
For more information on American Football in Israel, visit www.israelfootball.net, or contact league coordinator Jay L. Abramoff at jay@israelfootball.net or 0544 402 659
