1969 Division Semi-Finals
EAST DIVISION SEMI-FINAL
1st Q
The Royals elected to kick the ball away to start and would get the result they wanted by quickly forcing the Serpents to a 2 and out. Once the offence got the ball, the Royals would move down the field and almost get into the endzone, but DB Ross Conroy was able to deflect the pass intended for WR Marshall Leonard. Ottawa would walk away with a field goal to open the scoring. Minnesota’s second drive would be more successful as they would tie the game up with a field goal of their own. Ottawa got back onto the field and once again the offence rolled down the field, with QB Drake Young leading the way. This time, Young would connect with WR Marshall Leonard to score the first touchdown of the game. Ottawa would go up 10-3 and maintain the lead into the 2nd.
OTT 10-3 MIN
2nd Q
The Royals maintained their momentum in the 2nd quarter, with the defence continuing to give QB Martin Keller a hard time. Offensively, the Royals would once again work their way into scoring range, before QB Drake Young would dump a screen pass off to RB Corbyn Knight. Knight would get a couple of blocks and would break some tackles on his way to the endzone to give the Royals a 17-3 lead. Minnesota would answer back very quickly on the ensuing kickoff, as RB Tyler Kuhn would weave his way through the entire Royals’ cover team to get into the endzone and cut the lead right back down to 7. Ottawa would end up using most of the remaining time in the half to get down and add a late field goal to make it 20-10.
OTT 20-10 MIN
3rd Q
In the second half, the Serpents would hope to get back into the game, however, they would need to stop the Royals, who would get the ball to start the half. The Royals would pick up a couple of 1st downs, but eventually, the Serpents would stall them out at midfield, forcing them to punt. Now with the ball, the Serpents would make some plays to get into field goal range and pick up 3 points to make it a 1-score game once again. The Serpents' defence remained strong and was able to keep the Royals off the board again, and would get the ball back. However, they would not get into the endzone as RB Hugo Hughes looked cut right through what appeared to be a hole, only to get lit up by LB Wallace Jordan. The hit would send Hughes back into DL Bernhard Hartmann who would hit Hughes’ arm and pop the ball loose. Ottawa would take over and would get into the endzone when RB Corbyn Knight ran in his 2nd TD of the game. Minnesota’s offence struggled after the turnover, and Ottawa would take the 14-point lead into the final quarter.
OTT 27-13 MIN
4th Q
Ottawa was once again driving to start the 4th. Unfortunately, they would not get into the endzone as QB Drake Young would throw a pass intended for WR Piers Key a little behind the WR cutting across the field. Key reached back and got a hand on it, but it popped up and into the arms of S Calvin Hobbes. Minnesota would take over and get down and into the redzone. QB Martin Keller would then hit WR Evan Clanton for an 11-yard TD pass to close the gap to 7-points once again. Ottawa would not be able to score on their next drive, and Minnesota continued to move the ball. Keller would get the Serpents down to the 32, but on 2nd and 4, the Royals would send the blitz and Keller tried to escape, but would still get brought down by DL Winfield Winchester for a 9-yard loss, forcing the Serpents to take the field goal. The Serpents would still have plenty of time, but the Royals would start eating away at the clock with a long drive that would get them down to the Serpents’ 23. RB Corbyn Knight had been the workhorse on the drive, picking up 47 yards on his own. At the 23, It looked like the Royals would continue to run the ball with Knight, but they would pull out the play action which had a lot of Serpents going the wrong way, leaving WR Colby Bancana 1-on-1 with DB Tyler Hill. Drake Young would fire the ball into the endzone to Bancana who had a step on Hill, giving the Royals an 11-point lead. Minnesota attempted to use the remaining time to score, but Keller would end up throwing an interception to DB Sergio Alvarez and then turning it over on downs on the final drive. Drake Young would kneel the game out as Ottawa earned their first playoff win since 1963, which is still the last and only time a crossover team has won a playoff game.
OTT - #99 DL Bernard Hartmann
MIN - #23 RB Hugo Hughes
WEST DIVISION SEMI-FINAL
Indiana Victors VS. Pittsburgh Blacksmiths - Victory Stadium - September 21, 1969 - 6 PM ET - Weather: Clear - 20ºC | 68ºF
1st Q
The atmosphere in Indianapolis was electric as many fans came down from Pittsburgh to see their first playoff game, mixing in with the Victors fans also in attendance. The Blacksmiths would get the ball to start. They would end up scoring on the first drive with K Al Highlander picking up the field goal. Indy’s offence was a little slow to get started, but on their second drive of the game, they would get down to the redzone with a WR Jake Abbredezzi catch that would pick up 38 yards. Shortly after, QB Tom Applewhite would hit WR Ed Edwards in the endzone to give them a 7-3 lead, which they would hold onto going into the 2nd quarter.
IND 7-3 PIT
2nd Q
The Victors would start to take over as QB Louis Vaughn would get picked off by DB Neville Falkner who was doing a fantastic job shutting down Vaughn’s favourite target in WR Taylor Austin. Indiana would turn the interception into a second touchdown with Applewhite hitting TE Eric Peterson for the score. Indiana was in control, keeping the Blacksmiths offence at bay with a couple of 2 and outs, while the offence would add a field goal to go up 17-3. As the half was coming to a close, Pittsburgh would manage to get into Indiana territory. Indiana still managed to hold off the attack and force a field goal attempt. K Al Highlander would get out there, but he would push his kick wide right. The Victors would take the ball out of the endzone to maintain their 14-point lead, which they will take into the half.
IND 17-3 PIT
3rd Q
Pittsburgh HC, Ted McMahon, would make many adjustments at the break to try and solve the Victors’ defence that had controlled the game to this point. The changes seemed to help, as on Pittsburgh’s second drive of the half, QB Louis Vaughn started to pick apart the Victors’ defence. They would get down to the 3-yard line before RB Tresean Jones would push his way into the endzone to cut the lead in half. The Victors looked to bounce back with a score, and were making progress, however, it would be halted when QB Tom Applewhite would over throw WR Silas Peyton, leading to a pick from DB Ole Snurlson. Pittsburgh would take advantage of the pick soon after as WR Orlando Barrack would slip behind DB Cameron Taylor. Vaughn would hit Barrack in stride who was then able to avoid the tackle attempt from Taylor before taking it the rest of the way for a touchdown to tie the game heading into the final quarter.
IND 17-17 PIT
4th Q
Both teams would be in a deadlock to start the 4th. Neither team got very far until the Victors would get over midfield with 7 minutes to go. The Indiana offence was starting to make their mark on the Blacksmiths’ defence with WR Ed Edwards making a pair of catches to get the Victors into the redzone. Indy would get down to the 12 before RB Raymond Green would run the ball into the endzone to give them the lead once again with time running low. QB Louis Vaughn would be tested to make a clutch drive down by a TD. The MVP candidate would get on the field and would promptly throw an interception to DB Cameron Taylor. Luckily, the play would be called back as Taylor would pull WR Orlando Barrack to the ground before making the pick, leading to a pass interference flag on the play. Vaughn gathered himself and would get the Blacksmiths rolling, going right back to Barrack to challenge Taylor who was playing less aggressively after the call. Barrack would pick up 17 on the play. Vaughn continued to pick apart the Victors getting the Blacksmiths down into the redzone with just under a minute to go. On 1st down, Vaughn would look for WR Taylor Austin, but Falkner still had him locked down and Vaughn’s pass would sail out of bounds. On 2nd down, Vaughn would feel some pressure but managed to slip away and get the ball to RB Ronald O’Sullivan who was being utilized in the passing game in the second half. O’Sullivan picked up the 1st down, setting up Pittsburgh for 1st and Goal. On 1st and 2nd down Vaughn’s pass attempts would be incomplete putting the Blacksmiths’ season in the balance on 3rd and Goal. Vaughn would drop back with less than 30 seconds to go, and would face pressure with no options open. Vaughn would have to keep the play alive long enough to see an open man. WR Justin Dubuque would slip into an open spot over the middle and Vaughn would fire it into his chest to get the game-tying touchdown, forcing overtime in the playoffs for the first time since 1965.
IND 24-24 PIT
OT
In the extra frame. Pittsburgh would win the toss and take the ball to start, hoping to capitalize on a tired Victors' defence from their long drive at the end of the 4th. It appeared to work, especially to allow WR Taylor Austin to get a couple of looks against DB Neville Falkner. Austin would make a pair of clutch catches to pick up 23 yards on a drive that got Pittsburgh back into scoring range. Indy once again looked to hold off the attack in their own redzone, but Vaughn would dump the ball off to RB Ronald O’Sullivan and he would get a block and into the endzone to give Pittsburgh their first lead of the game. Indiana’s offence took the field to try and tie the game again. Indiana would pick up a 1st down on their first play. On the next play, Pittsburgh would send pressure after QB Tom Applewhite who dropped back to throw. The pressure did give the Victors a great opportunity with WR Jake Abbredezzi getting open, and Tom Applewhite would fire the ball. However, he was hit by DL Arthur Bradshaw as he threw and the ball went straight off of the helmet of DL Sammy Pickett and popped up into the middle of the field. LB Quinn Masters, who remained in coverage got underneath it and caught it. He started to run but didn’t get very far before pitching it to DB Zed McLaughlin. The DB would slip by the Victors’ offence and would score a touchdown to give Pittsburgh a 14-point lead. The score was back-breaking for the Victors who would not be able to get into the endzone as Pittsburgh pulled off the comeback and upset to win their first-ever playoff game.
IND - #46 DB Neville Falkner
PIT - #90 DL Arthur Bradshaw
IND: LB Lucas Gladwell - 7 Weeks (Season)
IND: OL Barry Florence - 1 Week
MIN: DB Ross Conroy - 3 Weeks (Season)
MIN: OL Elliot Owen - 3 Weeks (Season)
MIN: WR Ferdinand Matthews - Day-to-Day
OTT: TE Wayne Bruce - 9 Weeks (Season)
PIT: OL Erik Nelson - 1 Week
PIT: DB Aiden Sargent - 3 Weeks (Season)
Players of the Week
Division Final Preview
East Division Final - Boston Independents VS. Ottawa Royals
Head-to-Head: W5 OTT 34-20 BOS, W13 BOS 32-17 OTT
All-Time Playoff Head-to-Head: OTT leads 3-2
After meeting in Boston just 2 weeks ago, the Royals and Independents will battle to represent East for the 3rd time in their history (also meeting in the 1959 and 1960 East Division Final). Boston will be hoping to return to the McCallister Cup for the first time since 1961 and can do so with their 8th straight win. QB Nathaniel Braddock has been getting the offence rolling, while the defence has finally figured it out. On the other side, Ottawa will also be hoping to make it back to the final for the first time since 1960, and they are certainly going to put up a fight against the Independents. I think it is a close game, but I think the Royals will bounce back from the final game of the season and get back to the Cup.
My Pick: Royals
West Division Final - Buffalo Blue Wings VS. Pittsburgh Blacksmiths
Head-to-Head: PIT 10-21 BUF
All-Time Playoff Head-to-Head: 1st Meeting
Buffalo is aiming to get to their 4th McCallister Cup in 6 years, as they welcome the Blacksmiths in their first-ever Division Final appearance. The Blue Wings have had one of the best teams all around, with the most points for and least points against this season. The team is expected to give it to the Blacksmiths, who should still make it a game after they showed resilience in against the Victors. I still think the Blue Wings are just too good not to come away with a win but I expect it to be a close one.
My Pick: Blue Wings
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