CANADA AND USA ARE TRIUMPHANT AT 2010 IFAF FLAG FOOTBALL WORLDS
Host Canada’s women’s team and the men from United States were crowned champions of the fifth International Federation of American Football Flag Football World Championship in Ottawa, Ontario.
The world’s premier senior 5-on-5 flag football players from eleven countries and three continents are competing in the biannual IFAF showpiece tournament for adults at the RA Centre, located in the Ottawa, Ontario. Flag Football female and male athletes representing the Austria, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Sweden and United States are competing in this year’s tournament.
The IFAF Flag Football World Championship has been held since 2002 and is the showpiece event for senior national teams competing in 5-on-5 flag football and has separate competitions for men and women.
The championship games were filled with athleticism and emotion. In the men’s championship game, United States faced Denmark who they beat previously in group play and the Danes came out with revenge in the Gold medal game. Denmark attacked first as quarterback Morten Weber threw a completion to Jakob Espersen for a quick first down and followed it will a touchdown pass to Michael Svane cutting across the endzone. And with a successful extra point, Denmark went up 7-0 over the favored United States.
But the United States showed why they went undefeated in group play, as quarterback Jorge Cascudo connected with his favorite receiver of the tournament, Carlos Jaime for a long touchdown but the US was unable to convert the extra point keeping Denmark in the lead.
The next couple drives, the US and Denmark traded defensive stops as Danny Sanabria and Luke McCaffrey kept continuous and suffocating pressure on the quarterback. Denmark also came up with a big defensive play as Lars Skytte got an interception.
US found their offensive groove on their next drive as Cascudo again found Jaime in the endzone who jumped over the defense to grab the ball landing in the back of the endzone to give his team their first lead of the game going up 12-7. US got the ball back down to Denmark’s own 5-yard line with nine seconds remaining in the half and Carlos Jaime caught his third touchdown of the game. Successfully going for two, the United States held a 20-7 lead after one half.
At the beginning the second half, the United States pulled ahead even more with a touchdown by Justin Romano to make the score 26-7. But Denmark refused to go away, cutting the deficit to 26-13 with a touchdown catch by Jakob Durr, but on the extra point Justin Romano intercepted the ball returning it for two points.
The US added one more touchdown late in the game as Cascudo – who had stellar performances throughout the tournament – connected with Billy Survillion. Denmark got another touchdown, but at that point it was too late as the United States claimed the gold medal with a 35-19 victory.
“This is a big accomplishment,” said USA’s John Rooney. “We have been here once already in 2008, and knew how hard it would be. There are a lot of really good athletes here and it means a lot to bring it home.
“We can’t say enough about our quarterback Jorge Cascudo. We saw him down in the tryouts in Florida, and we knew he was something special. He is amazing and I am just glad he is on my team and didn’t have to face him.”
The United States defeated Germany 33-0 in the quarterfinals and Canada 48-25 in the semifinals to reach the gold medal game.
The Canadian women claimed the IFAF Flag Football World Championship title defeating the United States 31-18 in the gold medal game.
Canada attacked first, as quarterback Vanessa Birri showcased her deadly accurate arm finding Emilie Pfeiffer-Badoux for a touchdown on Canada’s first drive of the game. The United States responded with a touchdown drive of their own as Shawntese Charles caught a pass from quarterback Karen Mulligan to even the score at 6 apiece.
The Canadians found some offensive momentum quickly moving the ball down the field with long gains to Avery Brevett and capped the drive with another touchdown catch by Pfeiffer-Badoux who scored back-to-back touchdowns for Canada building a 19-6 lead with only three minutes remaining in the first half.
The United States cut the deficit to seven, as Mulligan threw a perfect spiral to Chante Bonds down the middle of the field in stride for a touchdown with 4 seconds remaining the in half, but with a missed extra point Canada held a 19-12 lead after one half.
USA came out without determination in the second half, marching down the field with catches by Bonds to Canada’s own 5-yard line. Mulligan hit Donna Spilotras who powered her way into the endzone cutting Canada’s lead to one.
Canada immediately responded with a touchdown of their own ten seconds later with Birri’s impressive arm hitting Pfeiffer-Badoux for her third score of the game. The teams traded defensive stops for the next several drives and with five minutes remaining in the game, Canada sealed the win as Birri threw to Joanie Lanthier for her first touchdown of the game as the host Canadian women claimed the gold medal.
“After losing in the gold medal game in 2008, this year was our second chance to win, so the victory means a lot,” said Emilie Pfeiffer-Badoux. “We have a complete team. Our offense and defense are very strong and I think that is why we were successful.”
The men’s bronze game was a thriller as the Italian men threw a touchdown in the final seconds to defeat the 2008 champions Canada 28-24.
After one half of competition, Italy built a slim 15-12 lead with a touchdown catches by Sebastiano Pascolo and Enrico Leonardi. Italy got their first points of the game, as Pascolo intercepted an extra point attempt by Canada returning the ball for two points.
Canada opened the game with a touchdown as quarterback Shawn Johnson hit Marc Remillard for six points. Right before the end of the first, Canada cut the Italian lead to three as Jason Warren found the endzone.
The Canadian men regained the lead in the beginning of the second half as Shawn Johnson connected with an open Marc Remillard for a long gain and followed it with a 5-yard touchdown pass to Jason Bailey giving Canada a 18-15 lead. But continuing the back and forth affair, Italy took the lead back on their next drive as quarterback Marco Viani threw to Enrico Leonardi for a touchdown and a 22-18 lead.
With a minute and half remaining, wide receiver Aaron Tufford catch a touchdown pass from Johnson to give Canada a 24-22 lead and looked like the host country would claim the Bronze medal. But Italy had other plans in mind, as the cool and collective squad marched down the field and with four seconds remaining Fabrizio Rossi caught the game winning touchdown to give Italy the bronze medal.
“This victory is very important to us,” said Fabrizio Rossi. “No Italian team has accomplished it and we are very proud.
The Austrian women upset 2008 Champions Mexico in the Bronze medal game winning 33-20. Austria dominated in the first half and beginning of the second building a 27-0 lead as Therese Weigang recorded three touchdowns and one by Pia Pfaffenbichler.
Mexico would finally get on the board with 11 minutes remaining in the game as Roas Rivera put on a display of footwork making it into the endzone for a score of 27-6. Mexico scored two more late touchdowns by Jessica Jordan and Rivera but the deficit was too large as the Austriana claimed the Bronze medal.
IFAF Senior Flag Football World Championship Men’s Results & Schedule
Quarterfinals:
USA 33 Germany 0
Italy 39 Japan 6
Canada 36 Mexico 18
Denmark 33 Austria 14
Semifinals
USA 48 Canada 25
Italy 6 Denmark 45
Bronze Medal
Canada 24 Italy 28
Championship
USA 35 Denmark 19
Standings
- USA
- Denmark
- Italy
- Canada
- Germany
- Austria
- Mexico
- Japan
- Israel
- Sweden
- Korea
IFAF Senior Flag Football World Championship Women’s Results & Schedule
Quarterfinals
Austria 34 Japan 28
USA 24 Israel 19
Semifinals
Canada 48 Austria 19
USA 12 Mexico 8
Bronze Medal
Mexico 20 Austria 33
Championship
Canada 31 USA 18
Standings
- Canada
- USA
- Austria
- Mexico
- Israel
- Japan
- Germany
- Sweden
- Denmark
All of the scores, stats, and standings can be found at http://www.ffwc2010.com/.
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