Kansas City Bulldogs Hoist CPFL Championship SWMO Voodoo Comeback Falls Short We’ve all done things that were easy at first and became more difficult each time we do them. That was the case for the Kansas City Bulldogs in the Central Plains Football League Championship game Saturday, June 29 at North Kansas City District Stadium. The Bulldogs claimed the title with a 58-56 win over the favored Southwest Missouri Voodoo, but the championship game was much closer than first quarter action indicated. The Bulldogs took an 8-0 lead to cap a nine-play opening drive which was highlighted by a two-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Johnson to Matt Thompson. On the drive, and throughout the first quarter, Johnson had excellent protection which allowed him to pick apart the Voodoo defense. Johnson completed each of his first four passes for 34 yards and the game’s first touchdown. Southwest Missouri answered the Dogs score with a three-play, 40-yard drive that ended with an 18-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Justin Gerald to Taylor Short. The two-point conversion attempt failed and Kansas City maintained it’s two-point lead 8-6. In the game the Bulldogs were successful on their first four two-point conversion attempts as they went five-for-eight overall. The Voodoo were four-for-eight overall. Before the first quarter was over the Dogs had mounted a 24-6 lead. On their second drive Johnson went over from a yard out on fourth down and, in his only carry of the evening, Marcus Pressler added the two point conversion, increasing the KC lead to 16-6. The first Voodoo play from scrimmage, following the kickoff, Southwest Missouri fumbled and the Bulldogs Louis Gary III ran it in for a score. The two-point conversion run by Eric Washington padded the Kansas City lead to 24-6. Before the first frame ended the Voodoo were back on the board when Short hauled in a 23-yard scoring pass from Gerald for his second of three touchdowns on the evening. The quarter ended with the Bulldogs leading the Voodoo 24-14. In the second quarter the Voodoo outscored KC 16-14 making it a one-possession game at the half as the Bulldogs were up 38-30 at the break. Southwest Missouri entered the second half with the opportunity to tie the game on their first drive as they would receive the kickoff trailing by eight points. The Voodoo put together a long drive to begin the third quarter but were snuffed out with a turnover. The Bulldogs then took the ball and put together a drive that ended with a three-yard touchdown run by Julian Batts. The conversion failed but the Dogs had made it a two-possession game 44-30. Batts, who scored the touchdown but used sparingly in the second half ended the contest with 68-yards rushing on 14 carries. After the Bulldog score the Voodoo again put together another long drive which was stalled on downs deep in Kansas City territory. Again the Dogs put six points on the board, this time it was Johnson hitting Cooper Moore with a seven-yard touchdown pass. The third quarter ended with Kansas City holding a seemingly insurmountable 20-point lead 50-30. It was at this point the Voodoo put together perhaps the greatest comeback in league history scoring the next 26 points as their next four drives resulted in touchdown runs. The first three scores were on runs of six, three and three yards by Gerald and Marcell Abrams went over from six-yards on the final drive. The only two-point conversion following the touchdowns came on the second score as Alvin Jackson added the two extra points. When the dust had cleared the Voodoo had a 56-50 lead, but time still remained. In a must score drive the Bulldogs made good on a march that was capped by a two-yard plunge by Rodney Curren with a touchdown that tied the score at 56-56. The Bulldogs, who were successful on their first four two-point conversion attempts, but had missed on their previous three, lined up for the attempt that, if successful, would give them the lead. Behind outstanding blocking Eric Washington went into the end zone for what would prove to be the winning score giving Kansas City a 58-56 lead. With less than 30 seconds remaining the Voodoo got the football with nearly the length of the field to navigate to the end zone. Their first three passes resulted in incompletion. After one play the Voodoo picked up a first down but were still in their own territory. A lengthy discussion was held to determine where the ball would be spotted. League Commissioner Terry Winfree was summoned to the playing surface to take part in the discussion. Finally with time for one play Voodoo kicker blasted a 47-yard field goal attempt to win the game. The boot was short and run out of the end zone by Frankie Ibarra. The game was over and the Bulldogs hoisted the CPFL 2013 Championship trophy.
Posted on: Wed, 03 Jul 2013 14:17:50 +0000
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