Pioneers dump Sabres to set up grand finale

If I were the Real Housing Haifa Underdogs, I would be feeling just a teensy bit nervous this morning! I don’t think even they would bet against the Dancing Camel Modi’in Pioneers these days. And with good reason, at that!

On Saturday night in Kiryat Shalom, the boisterous bunch from Modi’in traveled to face the Mike’s Place Tel Aviv Sabres and continued their two-month tear by putting a licking on the hosts. The 44-12 convincing final was the Pioneers’ sixth consecutive victory and guarantees that their season-finale against the undefeated Underdogs will have a first-place shot on the line.

Tel Aviv, meanwhile, dropped its sixth straight contest after an encouraging preseason that forecast better results than the club has thus far produced. While there were plenty of things done right by the last-place Sabres in what was always going to be a very tough match against a superior opponent, falling behind two (converted) scores early on busted plays that turned into Pioneers TDs really put Mike’s Place behind the eight-ball and it was just too much to overcome, even after calming down for a much stronger second half.

The top and bottom of the Kraft Family IFL standings still hold plenty of intrigue heading into the final month of the regular season. The second-place Pioneers can clinch first with a victory by at least 11 points in their final game on March 13 in Yokn’eam, regardless of what the Underdogs do in their penultimate match in Jerusalem. If the Underdogs (6-0) get beaten by the defending champion Big Blue Jerusalem Lions (2-3) their next time out, all it will take is a straight out win by Modi’in in the last game to hand them the top ranking.

On the other end, even though it has yet to strike its first victory, Tel Aviv can still qualify for the postseason in a number of scenarios if it can at least manage to defeat the Blue Sun Music Jerusalem Kings (1-5) in a must-win tilt in two weeks at home. Another victory in a game against the Lions to close out the regular season would vastly increase their chances, but the Kings encounter is truly vital to the Sabres’ survival hopes and nothing but a W in that one will keep them alive.

Keeping to a disciplined game-plan without much bells and whistles has done the 6-1 Pioneers quite nicely this season and Saturday night was no exception. In denying the Sabres their first win of the year, Dancing Camel relied on a super-efficient performance from QB1a Tal Brown, two short touchdown runs by multi-purpose back Asaf Katz and two longer scoring plays combined with their typical shutdown defense to coast to a victory that was never really in doubt after the first few exchanges.

After Tel Aviv went three-and-out on the game’s opening possession, it looked as if Dancing Camel was going to respond in kind after a combined-effort sack set up a long third-and-19 for Modi’in. However, Ron Moscona broke free of his coverage and was wide open to haul in a 36-yard catch-and-run for six points, which became an 8-0 advantage when Kobi Nimrod busted over the goal-line for the conversion. Nimrod would tally six points on the evening, through three two-point conversions, and was the team’s primary ball-carrier with 17 handoffs for 53 yards in the absence of Tomer Edrim who usually gets the bulk of the load.

Before the first quarter came to a close, the Pioneers extended their lead to 16 on just its second set of downs with a patented Shmuel O’Neil half-the-field scoring scamper, the ninth time he’s had a TD run of at least 30 yards in the past two years. O’Neil averaged over 10 yards a carry in this one, totaling 61 yards on just six attempts, and providing much-needed bursts of energy (and yards) to keep a number of drives going.

The Sabres’ got on the board early in the second frame after a muffed punt by O’Neil gave them their only good starting field-position of the day. Quarterback Tamir Elterman scrambled all the way to the Modi’in one-yard-line on first down and newcomer Hammude Kassas punched in the score on the subsequent play to make a game of it, if only for a short while. Kassas would carry the ball 10 times for 34 yards and was a welcome addition to the Tel Aviv squad, which can certainly use the bruising, downhill style of running he provides.

Having only let up six points in its previous 13 quarters, Modi’in was more angry than anything else to be scored on and responded with two more scoring drives, culminating in touchdown runs of one and three yards by Katz and both punctuated with Nimrod conversions, to take a 32-6 lead into the break. Katz also contributed on defense, taking part in 15 tackles and added an interception on the last play of the game.

Tel Aviv tightened up its defense in the third and fourth quarters, but the pigskin-intelligent Modi’in quarterback from Australia was more than up to the task. Brown, who splits time under center with the equally-adept Uri Schiff, completed a feather-touch pass over the shoulder of receiver Ben Gross to set up his own five-yard keeper to make it a 38-6 affair. Elterman got that one back with a nice nine-yard dart on the run to Liran Hovav for a TD to make it a slightly more respectable 38-12, but Brown nailed it shut with another run around the outside into the corner of the endzone to close out the scoring.

Brown finished a perfect 5-5 in the passing department, for 81 yards and the one TD strike to Moscona, to go along with no picks. He also ran three times for 17 yards and two more touchdowns, plus took on the added responsibility of kicking and punting. His all-around formidable effort earned him this week’s Mike’s Place player of the game. 

Even while employing a conservative offensive approach, throwing the ball only 12 times and distributing the play-calling over a 75/25, run/pass ratio, the Pioneers racked-up a season-high 384 total net yards by getting balanced production in each facet of the game. From interception returns for over 40 yards, to kickoff and punt returns that ate up large chunks of field and set the team up with good field position on a number of drives, to the usual over-150 yards rushing and close to 100 yards passing, all the aspects of winning football were, once again, present in another not-so-difficult-to-understand Pioneers’ romp.

The Sabres’ frustration must be mounting, with no wins to show for all the tireless work they have put in, however there were points of encouragement to take away on Saturday night. In addition to Kassas, a number of new players made an impact for Tel Aviv in the loss (Daniel Kachlon, Eyal Eyalbogen and Yoni Din to name just a few), and the club received strong outings from usual defensive stalwarts Josh Klein and Daniel Nissman, who took part in an astounding 17 tackles.

If the team can continue to stay positive amidst the storm, or at least continue to believe in the coaching staff, something is bound to break its way. Remember, all it may take is one supremely-well timed performance to thrust this club out of its tailspin and propel it towards an improbable playoff run. I know it sounds unlikely but, hey, this is football…don’t kid yourself, anything can happen!

The Kraft Family Israel Football League returns on Saturday night, February 28 with a 9 p.m. kickoff to what is sure to be a leave-it-all-on-the-field bout between the Sabres and Kings in Kiryat Shalom. In the teams’ first meeting, Blue Sun Music outlasted Mike’s Place 56-38 in a Jerusalem backyard brawl and the Sabres will have the added incentive of revenge to what is an already a must-win affair to keep their postseason chances kicking.