This past Saturday we once again defended our home field, this time against the Nokia Ghosthunters. Nokia is the team that we played in the first week, while I was still in Hartford. We started the game off on the wrong foot, as the Ghosthunters returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown. On the ensuing extra point I hurdled the center and blocked the PAT, I returned it a little ways but got caught so the score remained 6-0. Our offense immediately responded with our use of the wildcat offense. I stepped in at Quarterback, with the help of Nick Jones running effective sweeps, and great blocking all over the field, we marched down the field in just 5 plays. I capped the drive off with a 2 yard run for a touchdown.
Nokia, better known for their cell phones, responded by running the ball down our throats. Our defense simply couldn't deal with the onslaught, as Nokia methodically went down the field to score. Following a successful conversion the score was 13-7. The offense did not have a great amount of success for the rest of the half, but with just 30 seconds remaining Nesi Carpelan heaved the ball down field to Matt Shepherd, who made a great catch and run to put us up 14-13 going into halftime.
The team felt that we played one of the worst halves of football yet this season in this game, and we came out determined to play closer to our level of football. Defensively we switched to a 4-4 defense to stop Nokia's running attack. They never got into our red zone for the rest of the game. Our offense opened the half firing, and easily drove the ball deep into Nokia's red zone. Once there we called in the wildcat offense, and with some great blocking I had an easy time dashing 17 yards into the Nokia endzone to push the score to 21-7.
Defensively we continued to play strong, giving up minimal gains in the run game, knowing that the Ghosthunters did not possess a potent passing attack. In the fourth quarter our offense was on a good drive, and as we got into Ghosthunter territory we once again utilized the wildcat offense. A few plays into the drive I was running to the right hand side, as I jumped through a players arm tackle I landed on my left leg and tried to push off to my right. As I did this I felt my knee twist, and heard a loud pop come from my left knee. I immediately dropped the football and went down yelling and grabbing my injured knee.
The offense finished the drive with another touchdown catch by Matt Shepherd, and the Indians closed out with a 28-13 victory. I've visited with a doctor this week who drew blood out of my knee and explained that I either have damage to my Meniscus or ACL. One issue is that I cannot get an MRI done on my knee due to the metal plate that was inserted into the fibula of my left leg last november. My next scheduled visit is with a doctor on Tuesday, as well as a ultrasound test to try to see into my knee. I've been told that Finland shuts down during the month of July because everyone goes on vacation, it seems that is true of the medicine practice as well.
I put together a highlight reel predominantly of myself from this past game, it can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oePKp0Twg6w&feature=channel_video_title. I added Matt's long touchdown, and an interception by Jukka Lautamatti mostly for the celebrations that follow. My personal stat line was 7 rushes for 63 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 solo tackles along with 6 assisted.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Friday, July 8, 2011
Picture Blog
Matt in Stockholm: 
Views from the farm house in Moss, Norway
Pictures of/from the beach house in Norway
Small town on the coast of Norway
Something dyed the water green, sure the fish loved that.
Changing of the guard at the royal palace in Stockholm
Inside Stockholm's Royal Chapel
Monday, July 4, 2011
Game Five: Indians 4-1
This past Sunday we began our second half of the season with a home game against the Helsinki 69ers. Our first game against the 69ers was my first of the season and we won 13-7. Going into the game we were 3-1 and the 69ers were 2-2. The winner of this game would most likely lock down the #2 slot for the playoffs and host the first playoff game.
We began the game on defense and forced an immediate 3 and out. Our offense took the field and picked up two quick first downs. We got stopped short of the first down on 3rd down and decided to go for it on 4th and 1. The 69ers thought we were going to run a quarterback sneak so they brought everyone up to the line of scrimmage and forgot to cover Jukka Lautamatti. Jukka was able to scamper the rest of the way into the endzone for the games first touchdown.
The 69ers responded with a 14 play touchdown drive of their own, our defense did not have much of a solution for what the 69ers were doing, and they were able to move the ball at will during this drive. We were missing players on both sides of the ball due to injuries and vacations. In addition to this our newest import Nick Jones, RB/S, was not able to play because his paperwork from the United Kingdom had not come through yet.
Following the 69ers tying score our offense was able to get a first down, but was stopped on another 4th and 1. The 69ers were once again able to move the ball effectively down the field, but our defense stopped them finally and forced a 23 yard field goal attempt. The attempted kick was blocked, although it was basically kicked into the linemen in front of the kicker and had no legitimate chance of going in.
The following drive I came in on offense for almost the entire series and we started to move the ball pretty well. A nine play drive seemed like it would be a great one when Nesi Carpelan found Jani Keinisalo for a 35 yard touchdown. Unfortunately, this was brought back due to a holding call, and the drive fizzled out from there. We punted to the 69ers and they only had 30 seconds left on the half so they decided to take a knee, and we went into the half 7-7.
I started on offense for the second half and we again moved the ball effectively with a nine-play drive. Unfortunately, it once again ended in a failed 4th and 1 attempt, so the 69ers got the ball once again. Both teams then exchanged punts as no offense was able to find any room, and the 3rd quarter ended with the score still deadlocked at 7.
Early in the 4th quarter the 69ers had good field position and took advantage by throwing the ball down the field behind one of our corner backs for the go ahead touchdown. On the extra point the snap was too high so the holder had to try to run it in himself. He failed, which proved to be a pivotal play in the game.
We responded with an eight-play drive of our own, that was capped off by a pass from Nesi to Jani to tie the game at 13. As our kicker Ari stepped in to take the kick, he said to our holder Matt Shepard, “This is pretty important huh?” Matt responded, “Yeah, if you make this we will probably win the game.” He did make the go ahead kick, and these points ended up being what won us the game.
The 69ers were not able to do much offensively, and we were helped by a big interception by Jani as well. Offensively we tried to run the ball and grind the clock, but this resulted in only one first down for us in our final two drives. The game ended when the 69ers quarterback heaved the ball deep into our territory, and I was able to come down with the interception. After that it only took one kneel down by Nesi to end the game. The game MVP was given to Jani for his efforts on both sides of the ball.
This Saturday we host the Ghosthunters of Nokia, this is the game that I missed in the first half of the season, so it is a new opponent for me. Personal stat line: 15 rushes net 74 yards, 3 solo tackles, 1 assist, 1 interception.
We began the game on defense and forced an immediate 3 and out. Our offense took the field and picked up two quick first downs. We got stopped short of the first down on 3rd down and decided to go for it on 4th and 1. The 69ers thought we were going to run a quarterback sneak so they brought everyone up to the line of scrimmage and forgot to cover Jukka Lautamatti. Jukka was able to scamper the rest of the way into the endzone for the games first touchdown.
The 69ers responded with a 14 play touchdown drive of their own, our defense did not have much of a solution for what the 69ers were doing, and they were able to move the ball at will during this drive. We were missing players on both sides of the ball due to injuries and vacations. In addition to this our newest import Nick Jones, RB/S, was not able to play because his paperwork from the United Kingdom had not come through yet.
Following the 69ers tying score our offense was able to get a first down, but was stopped on another 4th and 1. The 69ers were once again able to move the ball effectively down the field, but our defense stopped them finally and forced a 23 yard field goal attempt. The attempted kick was blocked, although it was basically kicked into the linemen in front of the kicker and had no legitimate chance of going in.
The following drive I came in on offense for almost the entire series and we started to move the ball pretty well. A nine play drive seemed like it would be a great one when Nesi Carpelan found Jani Keinisalo for a 35 yard touchdown. Unfortunately, this was brought back due to a holding call, and the drive fizzled out from there. We punted to the 69ers and they only had 30 seconds left on the half so they decided to take a knee, and we went into the half 7-7.
I started on offense for the second half and we again moved the ball effectively with a nine-play drive. Unfortunately, it once again ended in a failed 4th and 1 attempt, so the 69ers got the ball once again. Both teams then exchanged punts as no offense was able to find any room, and the 3rd quarter ended with the score still deadlocked at 7.
Early in the 4th quarter the 69ers had good field position and took advantage by throwing the ball down the field behind one of our corner backs for the go ahead touchdown. On the extra point the snap was too high so the holder had to try to run it in himself. He failed, which proved to be a pivotal play in the game.
We responded with an eight-play drive of our own, that was capped off by a pass from Nesi to Jani to tie the game at 13. As our kicker Ari stepped in to take the kick, he said to our holder Matt Shepard, “This is pretty important huh?” Matt responded, “Yeah, if you make this we will probably win the game.” He did make the go ahead kick, and these points ended up being what won us the game.
The 69ers were not able to do much offensively, and we were helped by a big interception by Jani as well. Offensively we tried to run the ball and grind the clock, but this resulted in only one first down for us in our final two drives. The game ended when the 69ers quarterback heaved the ball deep into our territory, and I was able to come down with the interception. After that it only took one kneel down by Nesi to end the game. The game MVP was given to Jani for his efforts on both sides of the ball.
This Saturday we host the Ghosthunters of Nokia, this is the game that I missed in the first half of the season, so it is a new opponent for me. Personal stat line: 15 rushes net 74 yards, 3 solo tackles, 1 assist, 1 interception.
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