Underdogs 7, Pioneers 6
The Kraft Family Israel Football League was back in Modi’in on Saturday night, this time with a local team for the lively home crowd to cheer for, as the newly-relocated Dancing Camel Modi’in Pioneers hosted the Real Housing Haifa Underdogs in the first preseason game of the 2008/09 season for both teams.
In an affair that the visitors pretty-much controlled from the get-go, an ill-advised fourth-quarter decision almost proved fatal for Haifa and the difference was ultimately a thwarted two-point conversion for Modi’in that could have given the Pioneers a shock upset, given the way the match had played out.
In the end, though, behind the arm of quarterback Itai Ashkenazi, the relieved Underdogs escaped with a narrow 7-6 victory in a game that could have gone either way, despite the clear advantage Haifa seemed to have, both talent- and otherwise, right from the opening whistle.
Back in familiar roles on this year’s Underdogs, Shachar Yeshurun, Idan Maor and Omer Kedmi all factored prominently in the win. Yeshurun and Ashkenazi seem to have developed an early chemistry with each other as the big wide receiver was thrown to, successfully, on three of the first four downs from scrimmage.
Haifa was able to march down the field with apparent ease, picking up two quick first downs to start the game before the drive stalled in the Modi’in red zone on account of a crucial holding penalty on the offense.
The Pioneers, on the other hand, displayed a complete ineptitude at executing any sort of offensive game plan throughout the game, going three-and-out on more than half of their possessions for the contest.
The Underdogs opened the scoring on their second drive of the game, with a Lior Subotnik one-yard touchdown scamper after the heralded rookie-QB had driven his team down the field with two successive completions. Ashkenazi showed uncanny poise for a first-year starter and a knack for making the correct decisions on the fly when his pocket collapsed. Haifa should win a couple of games this season on his football-smarts alone.
After getting on the board and staking itself to a 7-0 lead, Haifa seemed to turn down its intensity a notch and began to play down to the level of the Pioneers. From the end of the first quarter until mid-way through the fourth, the team only compiled two first downs and less than 50 yards of total offense. Such lapses cannot become a pattern for a team with a championship in its sights.
Modi’in wasn’t able to get into any sort of rhythm on offense, relying on the legs of Shmuel O’neal and Asaf Katz, who transferred from the Tel Aviv Sabres this year. O’Neal had a tough day on the ground, time and again coming up against the bone-crunching tackling of Maor and Kedmi, who each ended up with five solo tackles and a sack, but he was still able to churn out almost 30 yards rushing, plus almost 40 more on kick and punt returns.
As dismal as its offense was, the Pioneers’ defense managed to stand tall and hold the Underdogs to a lone score, stepping up and forcing punts or turnovers-on-downs on six straight Haifa possessions to finish the game and give themselves a shot to pull out the victory when the opportunity arose.
Early in the fourth quarter, on a routine punt by the Pioneers deep into their opponents’ zone, the ball came to a stop at the Haifa 14-yard-line. Rather than wait for a Modi’in player to down the ball, however, the Underdogs tried to pick it up and return it. Immediately after bone-headedly touching the ball, the returner was decked by the oncoming horde, causing a fumble that was recovered by Modi’in, giving it a first down deep in Haifa territory. Three plays later, Katz pounded into the endzone for a 3-yard TD that brought the Pioneers to within a single point.
Rather than going for the tie, the Pioneers went for the glory, knowing this would be their only chance to sneak away with the win, and a QB draw was sniffed out by Haifa and prevented on the enduing two-point conversion attempt that would have given Modi’in an 8-7 lead. One more defensive hold by the Underdogs and they were able to run out the clock and bring the game to a merciful conclusion.
The IFL kicks off its regular season this Saturday night, November 22 at 7:00 p.m. with a rematch between the Underdogs and Pioneers, once again at the new Sportek Modi’in. All fans are invited. Please check out the new and improved Kraft Family IFL Web site at www.ifl.co.il for the latest league information, schedule and updates.
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