Games We Play: Hasharon edges Tel Aviv in nail-biter
Dancing Camel Hasharon Pioneers lose 8-6 to the Mike's Place Tel Aviv Sabres in he IFL over the weekend.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFflag football 298.88(photo credit: Jay L. Abramoff/ AFI)
The Mike's Place Tel Aviv Sabres were hoping for a low scoring affair in which they could hold their opponents to single-digit points in a must-win situation to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Well, they got part of what they wished for… but still came out on the losing end of an 8-6 nail-biter to the Dancing Camel Hasharon Pioneers in Fieldturf IFL action this past weekend at the Yarkon Sports Complex in Baptist Village.
With the victory, the Pioneers (3-5) clinched the third and final postseason spot and set up a first round date with the Real Housing Haifa Underdogs (5-3).
The two will face each other for a test run in the final game of the regular season for both teams in a couple of weeks in Haifa.
The Sabres (1-6), meanwhile, will not be invited to the dance this year but still have plenty to be motivated for in their last two games, both coming against the Big Blue Jerusalem Lions (6-1).
This Thursday they meet in Modi'in in the league's first foray into the region in a game for which a record IFL attendance is anticipated. The teams' final match-up will be played at Kraft Stadium in Jerusalem on March 6 in front of the field's namesake, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, and possibly a couple of surprise guests.
In this weekend's game, however, one of the only highlights for Mike's Place came on the first play of the day, when Daniel Gev took the opening kickoff from inside his own end zone for a 61 yard touchdown return, Tel Aviv's lone points of the game.
The game played out mostly as a battle for field position and featured 9 punts combined by both sides.
The Tel Aviv players were dejected after the game, it being at least the third time this season where they lost a game in which they played well enough to win.
Quarterback Roi Yair had his best day under the helm and he finished 15-26 for 115 yards, spreading the field by completing passes to six different receivers.
The IFL returns this Thursday to a special first-time venue with a Big Blue Jerusalem -Mike's Place Tel Aviv showdown at the new football stadium in Modi'in.
The country's fastest-growing city has the potential of becoming a partner in the IFL's future plans in terms of expansion and is an ideal neutral site for this game as well, situated exactly half way between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Kick-off is set for 7:30 p.m. and the gates will open at 7p.m.
