1969 League Meetings

1969 League Meetings

THE KANSAS CITY ISSUE
Conversations about how to manage the developing situation in Kansas City were at the forefront of the league meetings. However, before the conversations got into full swing, the league confirmed that the Minneapolis team would be joining the NAAF on schedule for the 1969 season. Kris Matheson was very much relieved to know he would finally get to see his team take the field.

The first of the solutions was to see if there were other suitable stadiums available for the Kansas City team to play in until the stadium is finished. The first option was to play at the University of Kansas City, which had a smaller venue. The issue with this solution was the stadium was not built to house the slightly larger field size with pavement and fencing at the back of the endzone, which was deemed unsafe by the players. If they wanted to use the field, they would need to perform renovations which wouldn’t be a lot, however, the University wished to have a full-on renovation if they were going to do any changes, which would be costly and there was no interest to continue to throw more funds into a different stadium. 

The second option was to turn to Omaha, Nebraska, the other strong option for expansion that KC had beat out. The city had the option to play at Major Nebraska University’s football field, however, the state and university had also taken a hit due to the drought as well. On top of that, Jacob Cross was going to need some help keeping the team afloat and the ownership group behind the Omaha bid did not want to invest in a team that would not ultimately be theirs. 

The next option that was looked at was another bid in the Northeast to house the team for a couple of seasons. Not only giving a city that has been passed over multiple times a chance but could keep the current divisions intact. They looked at Quebec City, Portland, and Hartford, but once again there was not a lot of movement on that front. Some of the cities wanted a full-time team and not just be a stop-gap for another team, similar to the Omaha situation. Also, Mr. Cross didn’t want to own a team so far from his home in Kansas City.

Further options were discussed, but very briefly. None of the options seemed reasonable, so the league went ahead with a new decision. The Kansas City team would be postponed for the time being. If everything goes forward under a new ideal plan for the stadium’s completion it should be finished in time for the 1971 season, however, this is best case scenario and much of the funding is going to have to hope for a strong comeback crop next summer. Commissioner Ryan Jameson is expected to explore other options as well over the next season just in case the stadium’s production remains in limbo over the next year.

As for the 1969 season, Minneapolis will join the West Division for the upcoming season. However, Toronto will not have to make the shift to the East Division due to KC not joining the league. A 12-game schedule is expected, however, instead of the mid-season bye weeks, each team will get a bye week throughout the season as one team will be off each week. The actual makeup of a team’s schedule is yet to be determined, but ideas of a pure round robin or an all-divisional schedule have been tossed around along with a more balanced option. More news on the 1969 season will occur later.

MINNEAPOLIS EXPANSION DRAFT
With only one team taking part in the 1969 expansion draft, the NAAF has elected to follow the same expansion draft protection rules as the 1965 Blacksmiths’ expansion draft. Each of the established 12 teams will be able to protect 12 players of any age, with an additional 4 slots that can go to players that are 24 and under. After that the Minneapolis team will select 3 players from each team to make up their first roster. The expansion draft will occur prior to free agency in the early months of 1969.

HYBRID FOOTBALL COLLEGE
CANADIAN CONFERENCE CHANGES
After the shutdown of the OFU and the rise of the Canada East Hybrid Conference, there were several colleges that shut down their football programs, not desiring to continue with hybrid football. However, a couple of those schools have been desiring a return to football athletics. Conversely, the NAAF is open to continuing to grow the game and adding more schools to their hybrid conferences. In order to make some new moves, the league is moving some funds to help new programs get off the ground at these schools. There are expected to be a lot more changes down the line, but for this season, the CEHC will see 2 new schools join them for 1969.

Dominion University of Canada
Location: Kingston, ON
Abbreviation: DOM (some also call it the DUC, but the university prefers DOM)
Common Name: Dominion
Mascot: Knights
Rival: St. George
Notable Players: Edmund Landry, Gregory Ferrell, Hector Greenville
Dominion is the oldest school in Canada. Originally built just after the time the Dominion of Canada was formed in 1867. It’s a prestigious school with lots of history. It falls under the same category as St. George in Toronto and Cambridge of Boston in Boston, as a school that puts academics first. However, they have always been a surprisingly strong school in sports sharing rivalries with St. George, Toronto, and Rideau. 

Sudbury Provincial University
Location: Sudbury, ON
Abbreviation: SPU
Common Name: Sudbury Prov
Mascot: Miners
Rival: Kitchener-Waterloo Provincial
Notable Players: None
Sudbury Provincial is relatively new to football, but the NAAF is hoping their place further North will be able to bring in talent from other parts of the province. Sudbury had fielded some football teams in the past but had shut down several years before the OFU folded. Sudbury Prov is not expected to be all that competitive, but its goal is mainly to help grow the game and bring talent in from the Northern Ontario communities. 

POTENTIAL FOR FURTHER EXPANSION OF AEHC
In the US, it is certainly much harder to expand the influence of the game, especially with the strong-knit rivalries and traditions that many schools have, however, there are a few schools that seem to be interested in making a switch over to the hybrid game. The interest is coming from schools with NAAF teams nearby. The biggest chunk of schools are in Indiana and Kentucky. Louisville State and Northern Indiana (Fort Wayne, IN) both have become NAAF hotbeds as many prospects are choosing to make the transition to hybrid due to the Victors and Thunder. If those schools make the transition, it is expected that state rivals, Daniel Boone (Lexington, KY) and Indiana Tech (Indianapolis, IN) will join them. Allegheny University in Pittsburgh is also tossing around the idea due to the shift of the fan base from the Hammers to the Blacksmiths, however, that transition may still be a long shot for now. 

If the new schools are added, there could be a conference split where a few of the Western teams in the AEHC join the new schools to form a new conference as well. No changes will come to the AEHC this season, but be on the lookout over the next couple of years. 

ACFL
CHANGING COURSE
Last offseason, the ACFL saw a major change with Stephen Van Fossen being removed as commissioner of the league. Don Soriano, the owner of the Philadelphia Rebels, took his place and after 1 season at the helm, it was time to make some changes. The first changes were to pretty much undo the moves that Van Fossen had. Van Fossen’s biggest failure had been the expansion into Boston. The Shamrocks were a desperate attempt at trying to pull the Boston market back into American football, however, no one cared about the Shamrocks. Not only was the team bad, but fans preferred to just go to the Independents’ games instead and not spend more money on the Shamrocks. The Shamrocks barely ever broke 10,000 fans for any of their games in the 45,265-seat Richardson Stadium. Now, the Shamrocks had been improving on the field over the years, but in the stands, nothing changed. Soriano decided to merge the Shamrocks’ roster with the Pittsburgh Hammers, officially ending the ACFL’s venture into the city. As for the Hammers, they are hoping a better overall roster can help fight to keep the Hammers’ fans engaged with the city’s older team. Unfortunately, they are fighting an uphill battle, especially after the Blacksmiths showed that they can tango with the best of the NAAF and are certainly pulling in the disgruntled Hammers’ fans. 

The other move was with the Rochester Millers. While the team overall had not been as big of a failure as the Shamrocks. The owners did not see a strong market in Rochester and felt that the team would begin to fall behind in the near future, especially with the old stadium in the city. Soriano and the ACFL would buy out the ownership and fold the team, sending its players to the other ACFL teams. 

The ACFL and Soriano are hoping the moves can bring more focus to the central teams of the ACFL and regain some stability before they move forward with a new plan under Soriano.

BREAKING NEWS - EXTREME DROUGHT PUTS KANSAS CITY NAAF TEAM IN JEOPARDY

BREAKING NEWS - EXTREME DROUGHT PUTS KANSAS CITY NAAF TEAM IN JEOPARDY

During the summer of 1968, many parts of the central United States suffered an extreme summer drought. The heat and lack of rain hit the agriculture industry hard and left many businesses and farmers in tough spots. The most notable of the businesses affected was Powell Mills which was the primary financial backing to the Kansas City NAAF ownership group. Powell Mills had been the primary source of funding along with the city to help build the new stadium for the NAAF team, however, due to the drought, Powell Mills and the city had to pull funding, in mid-August. While there was an expected delay on the stadium’s completion, no one was expecting it to have completely stopped altogether since funding was pulled. The lead owner, Jacob Cross, had already spent a lot of his own wealth to help move the construction along during July and early August and was himself at a point of spending too much and the NAAF had already poured a lot of funds into Minneapolis’ new stadium. 

At this point, the stadium is only about 50% finished and will not be ready for a new team to play in next season even if funding is picked up again relatively soon. The NAAF is set to have its annual league meetings in the coming weeks and Kansas City will surely be the focus.

1968 Award Winners

1968 Award Winners

Most Valuable Player - RB Max Tracy TOR
Tracy would easily win the league’s MVP award earning 75% of the vote. His dominance on the ground this season, carried the Steelheads to their second division title this season. Unfortunately, Tracy was unable to use his legs come playoffs, due to a late-season injury, but this season was one of the best. Tracy joins Jimmy Golden and Élisée Marchal as running backs who have won MVP awards.

Playoff MVP - DL Wayne Baxton HFX
The playoff MVP award was a difficult one to pick, as there were many players that performed well throughout the postseason, from DB Joe Robinson to QB Lyle Painter, or even DB Cameron Taylor or WR Shane Steadman, but in the end, Wayne Baxton continued to make a huge impact on the line. Causing a few turnovers and leading the playoffs in sacks. His play on the field often seemed to fuel the Mariners’ defence to continue to play at the elite level they had in all 3 of their games.

Offensive Player of the Year - QB Nathaniel Braddock BOS
Nathaniel Braddock takes home his second OPOY this season, winning with an 83% majority (with the votes for Tracy going to him). Braddock continues to show that he is one of the best in the game despite Boston’s shortcomings. His 25 passing touchdowns was a career-high this season. Braddock has still somewhat left a lot to be desired in his career despite his generational label coming out of the draft in 1958, but his second OPOY will certainly help his legacy.

Defensive Player of the Year - DL Bernhard Hartmann OTT
Hartmann takes home the DPOY for the first time in his young career and joins DB Neville Falkner as the only players to win the DPOY award in their second season in the league. The vote, however, was very close as Hartmann only had a 33% of the vote, only winning by a single vote. Hartmann has already become a staple in the Royals' defence and is likely to become the centrepiece for the future.

Special Teams Player of the Year - K Henderson Schumacher LI
For the second year in a row, Schumacher is the STPOY. Schumacher scored 111 points, leading the league in kicking points this season. This is the second time Schumacher has won the award in back-to-back seasons, doing the same back in 1958-1959. Schumacher joins Nimrod Handsworth and Thomas McFadden as the only 3 to have at least 4 STPOY awards. 

Rookie of the Year - DL Arthur Bradshaw PIT
Bradshaw took home the Rookie of the Year award beating out DB Lamar Brown with 58% of the vote. Bradshaw proved he was the best prospect coming out of the draft after the Steelheads passed on him at the #1 pick. Bradshaw already looks to be a deadly force of the D-line and should continue to be a defensive superstar for the future of the Blacksmiths. 

Coach of the Year - HC Jean Matieau OTT
Matieau’s legacy continues to grow as he takes home a Coach of the Year. Matieau took home 83% of the vote after leading the Royals to their best record since 1959. The former 3x MVP has clearly taken the team to the next level, most notably helping build the league’s best defence this season, something many would not have pinned the former QB to do. Matieau has impressed in his first season at the helm and brings a promising future to the Royals organization.

Breakout Player of the Year - QB Louis Vaughn PIT
Vaughn becomes the 8th QB to take home the Breakout Player of the Year Award. He cleaned up in the voting taking home 92% of the vote. Vaughn helped the Blacksmiths to a strong 6-6 season, while his second half of the season was not as sharp as the first half, Vaughn showed his abilities to bring a bright future to the city of Pittsburgh.

1968 All-Stars

WEST ALL-STARS
QB Charles Lemieux BUF (3)
RB Max Tracy TOR (2) 
OL Erik Nelson PIT (2)
OL Taylor Forbes LOU (5)
OL Viktor Stahl IND (4)
OL Jean-Baptiste Desjardins IND (5)
OL Emil Jennings LDN (4)
WR Ed Edwards IND (7)
WR Taylor Austin PIT (1)
WR Casey Coleman LOU (1)
TE Tranquille Rousseau LDN (2)

DL William Sanderson BUF (12)
DL Bjorn Sigmarsson LOU (6)
DL Richard Blunt LDN/TOR (3)
DL Arthur Bradshaw PIT (1)
LB Dallas Dillard LDN (6)
LB Orion Carter (2)
LB Marshall Langenbrunner IND (3)
DB Ezra Power BUF (3)
DB Cameron Taylor IND (3)
DB Bernard Wilkins LDN (1)
S Charles Clerk TOR (1)

K Ross Poindexter IND (2)

EAST ALL-STARS
QB Nathaniel Braddock BOS (3)
RB Dareion Fields LI (8)
OL Reynold Gilbertson BOS (2)
OL Gary Bies LI (1)
OL Joseph Samberg PRO (2)
OL Mathieu Roy MTL (1)
OL Millard Streety HFX (1)
WR Zachariah Pembroke BOS ()
WR Taylor Karis MTL (5)
WR Shane Steadman HFX ()
TE Tobias Lindholm BOS (2)

DL Bernhard Hartmann OTT (1)
DL Wayne Baxton HFX (6)
DL Pat Butler HFX (3)
DL Lucas Kipling MTL (3)
LB William Washington II LI (4)
LB Byron Turner BOS (1)
LB Victor Falkensteig PRO (2)
DB Neville Falkner PRO (8)
DB Rutherford Winters LI (2)
DB Sergio Alvarez OTT (2)
S Marc Bellecourt OTT (1)

K Henderson Schumacher (6)

1968 League Leaders

Passing Touchdowns
1 - QB Nathaniel Braddock BOS - 25
2 - QB Louis Vaughn PIT - 22
T3 - QB Charles Lemieux BUF - 21
T3 - QB Lyle Painter HFX - 21
5 - QB Buck Murphy LOU - 20

Rushing Touchdowns
1 - RB Max Tracy TOR - 22
2 - RB Jimmy Golden BUF - 18
3 - RB Dareion Fields LI - 16
4 - RB Raymond Green IND - 12
5 - RB Corbyn Knight OTT - 11

Receiving Touchdowns
1 - WR Zachariah Pembroke BOS - 13
2 - WR Ed Edwards IND - 12
3 - WR Taylor Austin PIT - 11
T4 - WR Shane Steadman HFX - 8
T4 - WR Cole Fletcher LDN - 8
T4 - WR Casey Coleman LOU - 8

Interceptions
1 - DB Neville Falkner PRO - 8
2 - DB Ezra Power BUF - 7
3 - DB Rutherford Winters LI - 6
4 - DB Sergio Alvarez OTT - 6
T5 - DB Oliver Langstrom BOS - 5
T5 - DB Joe Robinson HFX - 5
T5 - DB Bernard Wilkins LDN - 5
T5 - S Garet deVale MTL - 5

Forced Fumbles
1 - DL Wayne Baxton HFX - 6
T2 - LB Byron Turner BOS - 4
T2 - LB Marshall Langenbrunner IND - 4
T2 - LB Dallas Dillard LDN - 4
T2 - LB William Washington II LI - 4
T2 - DL Craig White PRO - 4
T2 - DL Richard Blunt TOR/LDN - 4

Field Goals
1 - K Henderson Schumacher LI - 27
2 - K Albert Wickerweaver HFX - 26
T3 - K Ross Poindexter IND - 23
T3 - K Ira Foster OTT - 23
5 - K Al Highlander PIT -22 

Kicking Points
1 - K Henderson Schumacher LI - 111
2 - K Albert Wickerweaver HFX - 107
3 - K Ira Foster OTT - 102
T4 - K Ryan Perch BUF - 99
T4 - K Al Highlander PIT - 99

NEW FORMAT FOR McCALLISTER CUP HOST SELECTION
Starting with this season, the NAAF has decided to change its selection process for cities. They have split the potential host cities into regions which will be rotated through year-to-year to help bring a generally local championship game to each region every 3rd year. The regions will be the Midwest (Buffalo, Indianapolis, Louisville, Pittsburgh), Canada (Halifax, London, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto), and New England (Boston, Hempstead, Providence). Cities like Halifax and London are not expected to be picked much if at all, due to the smaller markets and stadiums as the league wants to continue to play their championship games at larger venues. Pittsburgh is also another that may not see a game played due to potential conflicts with the Pittsburgh Hammers (it is easy to assume the ACFL may try to schedule a game the day of or before the McCallister Cup). The rotation will begin this season with the Midwest, however, the decision does follow the pattern with the Canada region hosting in 1967 (Ottawa) and the New England region in 1968 (Boston).

51st McCallister Cup Host - Victory Stadium - Indianapolis, IN - Capacity: 48,500

Victory Stadium had been long talked about getting a second crack at the McCallister Cup game, and just over a decade later, the city will host the championship game. Victory Stadium’s circular and large makeup makes it a strong visual representation of the big stage. Victors’ owner, Sammy Kirkdale was very excited about bringing the game back to Indiana, especially considering his team had just made their first appearance in the final.

50th McCallister Cup

50th McCallister Cup

Roster Moves
IND: S Clarence Sale - Injured Reserve -> Active Roster
IND: S Chase Penrod - Active Roster -> Reserve List

Halifax Mariners VS. Indiana Victors - Richardson Stadium - Boston, MA - October 6, 1968 - 6 PM ET - Weather: Cloudy - 12ºC | 54ºF

Pre-Game
In the week leading up to the big game, an interesting story out of Halifax . Tickets for the 50th McCallister Cup were available at the box offices at Atlantic Stadium and many came paired with a ticket for a ferry to Boston. Boston owner, Benjamin Harris, was the one behind the task, helping his friend and owner of the Mariners, Elliot Hudson, to get his fans into the city of Boston. It certainly made the crowd in Boston quite loud in favour of the Mariners. Indiana fans did make the trip as well, but it was far less than the Mariners. There was even the audible sound of the classic “JAV! JAV! JAV!” chant as WR Jav Kerrigan’s name was called during team introductions.

1st Q
The Indiana Victors elected to kick the ball to the Mariners to start the game in hopes of creating some momentum with their defence and quiet the Mariners’ faithful. The strategy would appear to work with the Mariners’ only picking up 1 yard on their first drive. The Victors would get the ball and Tom Applewhite would take the field. Indiana’s first drive would end with WR Ed Edwards making a stellar catch over his head in the back of the endzone. The Mariners’ offence retook the field and once again were stuffed by the Victors’ defence. While Indiana failed to score on their second drive, they would have another strong drive following yet another defensive stop. Applewhite led the Victors down to the Mariners’ end before hitting WR Ed Edwards on an out route. Edwards turned up field and planted his foot for a cut, however, LB Bear Donnelly’s helmet would ram right into his leg. Edwards’ ankle got twisted during the tackle and he struggled to get off the field following the play. Edwards would be taken out of the game and would not return, a huge blow to the Victors. Luckily, Indiana’s drive didn’t stop there as Applewhite would soon find former Boston WR, Evan Clanton, to take the lead much to the dismay of some Boston fans in attendance. Indy’s strong first quarter would leave them in control heading into the 2nd.
HFX 0-14 IND

2nd Q
The Mariners’ fans were quiet following the rough opening quarter, but they would have a reason to cheer early in the 2nd quarter. QB Tom Applewhite’s strong start would see its first bump in the road, as he would be picked off by DB Joe Robinson. The Mariners’ offence would take advantage of a shorter field and get to the endzone. RB Ronald O’Sullivan would catch the eventual TD pass out of the backfield and make a great spin move around LB Lucas Gladwell. Following Halifax’s score, the game would tighten up with both defences taking control of the game. Indiana would manage a field goal near the end of the quarter, but Halifax would sneak in a field goal as well just before the break.
HFX 10-17 IND

3rd Q
Indy was starting with the football in the second half, and they would be able to get into field goal range to regain their 10-point lead on their first drive. They would continue to hold the lead with their defence continuing to play well, however, more bad news would come their way. After RB Ronald O’Sullivan made a catch out of the backfield for the Mariners, DB Cameron Taylor would fly in to make the tackle. Taylor was just about to grab O’Sullivan when TE Dylan Chowder, going helmet first, ploughed into Taylor’s torso. Taylor would struggle to get up and would eventually be taken out of the game with what is likely some broken ribs. Without Taylor, the Victors struggled to contain QB Lyle Painter. Painter was starting to get comfortable and moved the Mariners’ offence down the field with confidence. Eventually, Painter would connect with WR Shane Steadman for the touchdown to pull Halifax to within 3 points heading into the final quarter.
HFX 17-20 IND

4th Q
The Mariners’ defence was finally holding down the fort as the Victors' offence struggled without WR Ed Edwards. However, Halifax was also struggling to move the ball as their former head coach, Urick Wilkins, now defensive coordinator of the Victors, had made strong adjustments to the defence to manage the loss of Cameron Taylor. However, as the game was nearing its end, the Mariners were threatening to score. QB Lyle Painter had led them into Victors’ territory, but it would be all for nothing after his pass to WR Shane Steadman would be bobbled by the receiver and then caught by S Tom Parrish. The Victors would push the ball out of their end and then punt the ball back to Halifax. The Mariners would end up with the ball at their own 14-yard line. Time was not on their side. The Mariners would pick up a pair of first downs quickly to get out of the shadow of their own goalposts. At about their own 47, they would hit a snag getting forced to a 3rd and 4. Seeing the time winding down, the Mariners’ elected to go for it. On the important snap, Painter would drop back and look for a quick throw. He hoped to get WR Shane Steadman cutting to the sideline, however, as he pulled back to throw, DL Ron Prumple nailed him from behind. The ball squirted loose and DL Fred Webster would pick it up and then hand it over to DB Adam Levesque who would break it into the endzone to put the nail in the coffin. The Mariner fans were chattering like crazy, some shocked, but others noticed the flags on the field. Head referee, Braidy MacBride, signalled the call which was an offside on Ron Prumple, who had jumped a split second too early. The Mariner fans cheered as they were given a new set of downs. Painter and the Mariners were fueled with new life as they continued their march down the field. Painter in particular was playing some of the best football of his career on the drive seemingly finding every target. They would arrive at the Indiana 26, needing to pick up a first down on 2nd and 5. Painter would drop back and look to throw. He would feel the pressure from the Indiana D-line, but he would stand his ground and step up to throw down the field. Painter had seen WR Jav Kerrigan gain a step to the outside against DB Kelly Kirkland. Painter’s pass would go right over Kirkland and into the arms of Kerrigan. Kirkland would attempt to make the tackle, but Kerrigan fought him off and took a couple more steps before getting into the endzone. The Mariners’ fans in attendance shouted “JAV! JAV! JAV!” as Kerrigan scored what would be the game-winning touchdown, giving Halifax their first McCallister Cup in the NAAF. 

HFX - 62 DB Joe Robinson

IND - 89 WR Ed Edwards

Injury Report

DL Chauncy Overstreet HFX - 4 Weeks
WR Ed Edwards IND - 2 Weeks
DB Cameron Taylor IND - 5 Weeks
DB Tim McGovern IND - Day-to-Day
OL TJ Overton IND - 4 Weeks

McCallister Cup MVP

QB Lyle Painter HFX - 3 Passing Touchdowns, 275 Passing Yards

Other interesting facts about this championship:
The Mariners’ run to the final was a trip down memory lane for Lyle Painter, who beat the team that drafted him in Long Island, then beat the Royals, the team he faced in both of his previous 2 McCallister Cup appearances, and then Indiana, the second team he was a member of.
To make it worse for Indiana, remember that Painter won an MVP award in 1965 with Indiana before they selected Applewhite over him for the future, which led to him signing with Halifax.
Mariners’ coach Ben McMillan, who had coached the Independents between 1960 and 1965, returned to Boston and would win the McCallister Cup in front of the city and team that let him go. To make it worse for Boston fans, McMillan is still the last guy to coach Boston in a playoff game.
Halifax also now has the worst record of any championship-winning team in the history of the NAAF after finishing 6-6 this season.
Now if we count Worcester's whole history along with the Mariners this would be the team's overall 7th McCallister Cup as the Athletics had won the cup 6 times prior to the NAAF's first season.

1968 McCallister Cup Champions

1968 NAAF Season Recap 

1968 NAAF Playoffs

1968 NAAF Playoffs

1968 Division Semi-Finals

Roster Moves
RB Max Tracy TOR - Active Roster -> Injured Reserve
RB Dylan Robertson TOR - Reserve List -> Active Roster

East Division Semi-Final
Halifax Mariners VS. Long Island Raiders - Atlantic Stadium - September 21, 1968 - 7 PM ET - Weather: Clear - 25ºC | 78ºF
1st Q
The Halifax Mariners had much to prove in their first home playoff game since moving to the city. There was a quiet intensity from most of the players, showing little to no emotion throughout warmups. They knew they had to win the game, or many jobs would be in jeopardy. As for the Raiders, they were quite loose, thriving in being the underdog this season, after coming back from a 2-5 start to make the postseason. Both offences struggled to move the ball out of the gate, with the opposing defences showing up to lock them down. By the 5-minute mark of the opening quarter, there was a total of 31 yards of offence between the teams. Finally, a play would cause the silence to break. RB Dareion Fields looked to pick up a first down on 2nd and 6, only to have DL Pat Butler shed his block with speed and hit Fields just after getting the handoff from QB Landon Ross. Fields didn’t have a full grip on the ball and it popped right out. OL Forrest Green jumped to get onto the ball, but it slipped out of his clutches and DL Bernard King would come up with it for Halifax. QB Lyle Painter only had 22 yards to reach the endzone, so it was a couple of quick plays before WR Shane Steadman was able to get separation from DB Lauri Hayha to score the first points of the contest.
HFX 7-0 LI

2nd Q
The Raiders bounced back from their mistake with a field goal early in the 2nd quarter. Their defence also stepped up again to keep the Mariners’ offence quiet. Eventually, the Raiders would get their own defensive break with Mariners’ QB Lyle Painter facing pressure from DL Ilya Mikaelov, he would make a poor throw that would flutter into the arms of DB Lauri Hayha, who would take it back into Mariners’ territory. The Raiders would march the rest of the way down to the 6-yard line before the Raiders decided to throw the ball instead of making the obvious handoff to RB Dareion Fields. The Mariners’ defence was not prepared and WR Larry Mossholder would catch QB Landon Ross’ pass to give the Raiders the lead.
HFX 7-10 LI

3rd Q
The Mariners came out of the break and looked like a completely different team. After receiving the kickoff, the offence made up 33 yards on 2 plays to get to midfield. The Raiders' defence would be able to hold them up there, but they would be pinned deep in their own territory. The Mariners would force a quick 2 and out and get the ball back near midfield. The offence continued to click and they moved down to the 4-yard line before RB Ronald O’Sullivan would take a pitch around the edge and into the endzone to give the Mariners the lead again. The Raiders’ offence continued to sputter after DL Wayne Baxton would crush QB Landon Ross on 2nd down to force another punt. Lyle Painter went back to work and got the Mariners back into Raiders’ territory. From the 42, Painter would finally take a big shot down the field to WR Jav Kerrigan, who had been quiet all game. Kerrigan, while having one of the best DBs in the game, Rutherford Winters, right on him, was able to come down with a stellar grab to put the Mariners within 10-yards of the endzone. “JAV! JAV! JAV!” shouted the crowd as Kerrigan returned to the huddle. From there, Painter would then find former Raiders’ WR Troy York in the endzone to extend the Mariners’ lead to 11.
HFX 21-10 LI

4th Q
The Raiders just had no answers for the Mariners’ 3rd quarter resurgence. QB Landon Ross was certainly feeling the pressure, especially when needing to pass more. Ross would be sacked 2 more times in the game, giving him more reason to be frantic. With the struggling QB, the Raiders would decide to switch in Ivan Sanchez for plays here and there. They would eventually pin the Mariners deep before they would catch a break when WR Shane Steadman would lose the football on a hit from LB William Washington II. The Raiders would get excellent field position, however, their offence couldn’t get any further and would get just a field goal off of the play. The game was now at 8-points, and the Mariners looked a bit nervous despite having the lead. Their offence became more conservative as they would run the ball a lot more, and passes would be short or just tossed out of bounds. While this did give the Raiders many possessions, the Mariners’ defence was playing like they had at the start of the season and was stopping everything from the Raiders. The game would crawl to a finish as the Mariners would win just the 2nd playoff game in the franchise’s NAAF history. Their last one had come at home in Worcester in 1956 against the Gold Stars.

HFX - 16 WR Jav Kerrigan
LI - 54 LB William Washington II

West Division Semi-Final
Buffalo Blue Wings VS. Indiana Victors - Milton Charles Stadium - September 22, 1968 - 7 PM ET - Weather: Cloudy - 19ºC | 67ºF
1st Q
The Blue Wings entered their first West Division Semi-Final since 1961 with hopes of topping the Victors to get to their 4th West Division Final in 5 years. QB Charles Lemieux and company got off to a strong start, as they drove the field on their first drive of the day. RB Jimmy Golden would be the one to get into the endzone, running over DL Brandon Hall for the score. To make matters worse for the Victors, Hall would not return to the game following the play. The Victors' offence was not as sturdy out of the gate, as they would only pick up 11 yards before being forced to punt. Buffalo kept up the pressure in the first, picking up a field goal to take a 10-0 lead into the second.
BUF 10-0 IND

2nd Q
Indiana aimed to get their offence going in the second quarter. QB Tom Applewhite decided to finally take a shot down the field and it would work with WR Ed Edwards making a great catch before breaking away from DB Ezra Power. Luckily for the Blue Wings, S Wesley Jones was able to stop Edwards from scoring. However, Indiana would be in the endzone a few plays later with WR Evan Clanton diving over the goal line. Buffalo’s offence kept up their production, getting themselves back into Indiana territory, but once again was stopped after DB Kelly Kirkland broke up a pass intended for WR Sebastian Dassler, and would settle for a field goal. Time winded down in the quarter, but the Victors would get a break when rookie WR Jake Aberdezzi would return a punt all the way into Buffalo territory. The short field would be taken advantage of by Applewhite and the Victors as RB Raymond Green would power his way into the endzone to give Indiana the lead at halftime.
BUF 13-14 IND

3rd Q
The Buffalo fans were a little shocked to find themselves down at halftime, but they had faith the team would bounce back in the 3rd. Especially after their defence would force Indiana to a 2 and out. WR Tracy Driscoll would receive the Victors' only to lose the ball while being tackled. Indiana was on top of the fumble and would add to their lead just a few plays later with a field goal. Driscoll rebounded from the fumble with a solid return on the next drive. Buffalo’s offence got up the field as well and was back in scoring range. However, another mistake on Buffalo’s behalf would cost them points. QB Charles Lemieux would be looking to take a shot at the endzone, however, WR Jimmy Jack would make an error on his route, cutting out instead of in. DB Cameron Taylor read it and had no contest for the ball, grabbing the interception. Indy would push the ball out of their end, before kicking it back to Buffalo, but a couple of drives later, they would be in the endzone again with RB Raymond Green’s second of the game. 
BUF 13-24 IND

4th Q
There was a nervous energy at Milton Charles Stadium as the Blue Wings reeled from a 24-3 run by the Victors over the last two quarters. Lemieux aimed to ease those nerves with a strong drive early in the 4th. Once again, the Blue Wings were in scoring range and this time they would get into the endzone with Lemieux finding Jimmy Jack on what appeared to be a very similar play as the earlier interception. Buffalo would go for 2 to try and make it a 3-point game, but RB Jimmy Golden was unable to get in being held up by LB Marshall Langenbrunner. Indy took advantage of the momentum off of the stop and had another strong drive themselves to get another field goal to extend their lead to 8. Buffalo still had time to work with, but the Victors’ defence was not letting up. Stalling out back-to-back Blue Wings’ drives. The Victors’ offence would push the ball close to midfield before K Ross Poindexter would pin the Blue Wings at their own 12. QB Charles Lemieux would go to work with just under 3 minutes to go. Slowly the Blue Wings found ways to gain yards. Just past midfield, the Victors would get the Blue Wings to 3rd and 7. Lemieux would stare the pressure in the face and toss the ball 17 yards to WR Sebastian Dassler to pick up the first down. Buffalo continued to roll now and would get down to the 8 with 43 seconds left. On first, RB Jimmy Golden would be stopped on the screen pass for a gain of 2. Second down, Lemieux would see an open WR Julius Drake for a slant, but as the ball got into his hands, LB Mike Francis stepped up and hit him, knocking the ball away for an incomplete pass. On 3rd down, needing to score, Lemieux would take the snap before getting away from DL Fred Webster and would toss it towards WR Sebastian Dassler, but the WR couldn’t grab it and DB Kelly Kirkland would interfere enough to cause an incompletion and a turnover on downs. Indiana would run the clock out and seal the win and hand Buffalo their first playoff loss since 1961.

BUF - 7 QB Charles Lemieux
IND - 19 DB Cameron Taylor

Injury Report
DL Brandon Hall IND - 3 Weeks
DL Howard Grant IND - Day-to-Day
DL Keith Gavelstein LI - 3 Weeks

Players of the Week

EDSF: DL Pat Butler HFX - 1 Forced Fumble, 6 Tackles

WDSF: DB Kelly Kirkland IND - 3 Passes Defended, 4 Tackles

Division Final Preview
East Division Final - Ottawa Royals VS. Halifax Mariners
Head-to-Head: W13 - HFX 23-26 OTT
The Mariners will have a chance to exercise the franchise’s demons when they take on the Royals in the East Division Final. The two teams have met twice in the postseason, and both games were won by the Royals. One of those games, of course, being the ‘56 McCallister Cup which the Royals won in overtime. In terms of this game, this will be a battle of two of the league’s best defences. There are expectations that this game could be a close, but low-scoring affair. However, the advantage could come on offence and the Mariners have more experience under centre with QB Lyle Painter, while QB Tyrion Gainsborough is entering his first career playoff game. The Mariners look to have a slight advantage and I think they will squeak out a win.
My Pick: Mariners

West Division Final - Toronto Steelheads VS. Indiana Victors
Head-to-Head: W12 - IND 20-31 TOR
One of these two teams will get their first shot at the McCallister Cup. Toronto this season was one of those teams that seemed to be able to win games, even when they were outmatched at times. Unfortunately, the key reason for that was RB Max Tracy who is out for the remainder of the season. Toronto will have a tough task to take down the Victors who shocked the Blue Wings this past week. Indiana is one of the hottest teams remaining having won 7 of their last 9 games. Indy’s defence did a fantastic job against the Blue Wings and if they can shut the Steelheads down, I think they can easily take this one and get to the cup.
My Pick: Victors

1968 Division Finals

East Division Final - Ottawa Royals VS. Halifax Mariners - Royals Stadium at Brewer Park - September 28, 1968 - 7 PM ET - Weather: Mostly Cloudy - 13ºC | 56ºF
1st Q
The Royals’ return to the postseason started off pretty quiet as both their defence and Halifax’s were playing well to start. It would be Ottawa who was able to get into Mariners’ territory first, on a great play from WR Piers Key, who spun off a tackle to pick up 34 yards. K Ira Foster would trot onto the field to give Ottawa their first points of the game. Halifax’s offence followed suit not long after with a strong push into Royals’ territory to get their own field goal. The remainder of the opening quarter would be scoreless.
OTT 3-3 HFX

2nd Q
The defensive battle remained intact in the 2nd quarter. The Mariners would be the first team to start to make a push into the opposing territory. However, as they got closer to the endzone, QB Lyle Painter would take a risky shot down the field to WR Jav Kerrigan and it would come up intercepted in the arms of S Marc Bellecourt. Ottawa’s offence would take the field and look to get out of their own end, however, on their second play of offence DL Wayne Baxton would break around the O-line on a blitz and nail QB Tyrion Gainsborough with a brutal hit. The ball practically flew off of the flailing arm of Gainsborough and the Mariners’ blitz would swarm the ball and would come up with possession. The Mariners’ offence retook the field and would make quick work to score the first major of the day on a pass to WR Shane Steadman. The touchdown would be the lone score of the quarter.
OTT 3-10 HFX

3rd Q
The second half would see the Royals appear to make some adjustments. The offence was being quick and decisive with their plays. It would work well as the team continuously picked up enough yards to keep the drive alive. Unfortunately, their luck would run out when QB Tyrion Gainsborough threw a horrid pass into the ground on 2nd down. K Ira Foster would get his second field goal of the game to pull Ottawa back to within 4. The Mariners hoped to continue moving the ball themselves, but they would run into a sturdy Royals defence who would get a fumble of their own when RB Ronald O’Sullivan was hit by LB Sam Wheeler. The Royals would have good field position, but once again they were unable to get to the endzone and would settle for a field goal. The lead was cut down to 1, but the Mariners did not let that bother them. The offence would put together a strong drive to get their own field goal and regain the 4-point separation heading into the final quarter.
OTT 9-13 HFX

4th Q
Defence remained at the forefront of the game into the final quarter, but the Royals were making progress towards finally getting into the endzone. After RB Corbyn Knight broke off a strong run for 15 yards, the royals would go back to the air, but a Mariner would come down with the Tyrion Gainsborough pass. DB Aquilio Ruiz was in the right place at the right time as Gainsborough’s pass was off the mark. Ruiz’s pick would set the Mariners up at their own 38. They would not score on the ensuing drive, but after they forced the Royals to a 2 and out, they would get the ball back and march down to the 7-yard line. From there, the Mariners would elect to pass, but as QB Lyle Painter turned to throw out to the flat, DL Bernhard Hartmann got his arms out. Painter reacted enough to pull the ball back and shift to the side. Hartmann would get off balance and topple over along with OL Kane Warwick. Painter now had some space and would toss the ball to the check down of RB Ronald O’Sullivan. TE Dylan Chowder would make a great block and O’Sullivan would dive for the endzone and get the ball over the line. The Royals were in a tough spot now needing a pair of scores. They would respond with a strong drive headlined by a 32-yard play from WR Marshall Leonard, but they would not get close enough to the endzone, so K Ira Foster would get the first points in the comeback attempt.  The Royals' defence would stall out the Mariners and get the ball back. Once again the Royals' offence made some strong plays early to get over midfield, but the Mariners would stand them up right there to force a 3rd down. Gainsborough would be trusted to make the throw to keep the drive alive. The Mariners would bring some pressure but focused on pass coverage. Gainsborough had to roll out, but he would eventually find WR Marshall Leonard for a huge first down at the sideline. The Royals lined up for the next play with the crowd praising the excellent play. On first down, Gainsborough would drop back to pass again. He looked for a quick pass and saw Marshall Leonard making his quick slant route. Pressure from DL Wayne Baxton would force Gainsborough to make a rushed pass and it would be slightly behind Leonard. DB Joe Robinson would be right there to make the interception. Robinson would take it back into Royals territory but would be stopped by WR Colby Bancana. From there, the Mariners were able to run down the clock and book their first ticket to the McCallister cup since 1956. 

s

OTT - 21 WR Marshall Leonard

HFX - 62 DB Joe Robinson

West Division Final - Toronto Steelheads VS. Indiana Victors - Anderson Stadium - September 29, 1968 - 7 PM ET - Weather: Partly Cloudy - 10ºC | 51ºF
1st Q
The Steelheads and Victors entered the West Division Final with a ticket to their first McCallister Cup respectively on the line. The Victors were coming into the game on the high of ending the Blue Wings’ run at a 3rd cup and they kept up their strong play by shutting down the Steelheads' offence in the opening quarter. On offence, they were having the same level of success. RB Raymond Green would score the first points of a game on a 12-yard run to put Indy up 0-7 early. The Steelheads would continue to struggle without their star, RB Max Tracy, who was hurt in the final game of the season. RB Lukas Ivarsson had a few good runs, but the absence of their star showed. Indiana’s offence on the other hand continued to look strong as QB Tom Applewhite would lead the team to another score, finding WR Silas Peyton in the endzone for the 0-14 lead.
TOR 0-14 IND

2nd Q
Toronto had to make the adjustment to the air more in the second, which would come back to bite them when DB Cameron Taylor got in front of a QB Todd Baker pass to take the ball for the Victors. Shortly after, the Victors would make it 0-21 when WR Ed Edwards would get separation in the endzone from DB Luke Warren. Toronto managed to gather themselves following the long Victors' drive and started to make genuine progress towards some points. However, the Victors were certainly not letting them get much, making it a very tedious drive. The Steelheads keep going though, even gambling and getting a first down on 3rd and 8 just past midfield. The long drive would eventually run out of time and the Steelheads would just take the field goal just before the break. 
TOR 3-21 IND

3rd Q
The 3rd quarter would be intense, yet uneventful. The Steelheads' offence was still being slowed to a halt by the Victors’ defence, which certainly soured fans, but they were starting to get into it with their defence which was finally managing to put an end to the Victors’ success. They would get a huge break when LB Judge Barrett hammered RB Raymond Green to force a fumble. Unfortunately, Todd Baker was sacked on first down to take them out of Indiana territory and were unable to get anything on second down. Thus, they had to punt the ball away, leaving the 3rd quarter a scoreless one.
TOR 3-21 IND

4th Q
The defence was clicking for the Steelheads, but they were going to need their offence to help them get out of the hole they were in. Luckily, the offence would click, finally breaking through the Victors’ defences early in the quarter. QB Todd Baker would lead a great drive down the field before taking a shot at the endzone for WR Al Allmendinger, who would come down with the catch and pull the Victors to within 11. The score got the crowd at Anderson Stadium back into the game, as they began to believe they had a chance. However, QB Tom Applewhite planned to shut them up. He would start to move the ball which made the excitement in the stands turn to nerves. Then, he would shatter their hearts by taking a shot over the top to WR Ed Edwards who cleanly got past his defender and was in the clear. Edwards would make the catch and would have enough gas to get to the endzone before S Charles Clerk could catch him. The stadium fell silent again. The Steelheads’ offence tried to get back the score, but it was no use, Indiana was playing aggressive and confident and was not making many mistakes. The game would come to a close with Toronto losing their 4th consecutive playoff game, while the Indiana Victors finally have booked a ticket to the McCallister Cup.

TOR - 53 LB Judge Barrett 
IND - 89 WR Ed Edwards

Injury Report
LB Mike Francis IND - 1 Week

Players of the Week

EDF: DL Wayne Baxton HFX - 1 Forced Fumble, 2 Sacks, 6 Tackles

WDF: QB Tom Applewhite IND - 3 Passing Touchdowns, 324 Passing Yards

50th McCallister Cup Preview
Halifax Mariners VS. Indiana Victors - Richardson Stadium - Boston, MA
Head-to-Head: W10 IND 20-16 HFX
The 50th McCallister Cup will be the 3rd matchup to feature two non-division-winning teams (the previous two being 1962 and 1960). QB Lyle Painter, starting for the Mariners, will join QB Riley Kiernan as the only QBs to start a McCallister Cup with 2 different teams. The Victors are the last of the first 10 teams in the NAAF to make the McCallister Cup. As for the actual matchup, this game could be a very good one. The Mariners have gotten here with their defensive play only allowing 25 total points in 2 games. While their offence remains potent enough scoring 41 points. As for Indiana, they have been really strong offensively with 7 touchdowns in their 2 games. Their defence has also played well keeping Toronto to just 10 points in the West Final. The Mariners have fared well with their defence, however, they are going up against the best offence they have faced in this postseason so it will be a true test. As for Indiana, this game can’t be too much different than the game against the Blue Wings, as Halifax is about as talented as them. I am expecting a close battle that can go either way, but I have a sneaking suspicion that the Victors will finally live up to their name.
My Pick: Victors 

1968 NAAF Award Nominations

1968 NAAF Award Nominations

MVP

QB Nathaniel Braddock BOS
While the Independents didn’t have overall success, Braddock managed to have himself a heck of a season, throwing a league-leading 25 passing touchdowns, while only throwing 4 interceptions all season. Braddock also had to deal with a coaching change midseason and still managed to be an elite QB and one of the only reasons Boston was able to still remain competitive throughout the season.

DL Bernhard Hartmann OTT
Hartmann may not have outclassed fellow defenders in terms of statistics, but Hartmann was a key factor in the league’s best defence. He often found his way into the backfield, blowing up run plays, or grabbing sacks, for which he was 3rd in the league. Even when he didn’t get to the backfield, Hartmann was one of the best when it came to batting and deflecting passes at the line, causing a lot of QBs to often second guess their throws.

RB Max Tracy TOR
Right from the start of the season, Tracy was easily the best player on the resurgent Steelheads team, scoring at a rate of almost 2 touchdowns a game. While he did finish the season with a crushing leg injury, he still put up 22 touchdowns (2 off of RB Jimmy Golden’s record), and led the Steelheads to a 7-5 record after having gone 2-10 last season.

Offensive Player of the Year

QB Nathaniel Braddock BOS - 25 Passing Touchdowns (1st), 1st in Passing Yards, 4 Interceptions (1st)
Once again, Braddock was easily the best QB this season statistically, leading in all 3 of the most important categories. Clearly, he is out to prove to the world that he is still one of the best in the game.

QB Charles Lemieux BUF - 21 Passing Touchdowns (T-3rd), 3rd Passing Yards, 6 Interceptions (2nd)
Lemieux didn’t have as dominant of a season, but down the stretch, the QB led the Blue Wings to score 30+ points in 4 of their last 5 games to get the Blue Wings to the postseason. He also made an impact in the lack of mistakes, only throwing 6 interceptions all season.

WR Ed Edwards IND - 12 Receiving Touchdowns (2nd), 1st in Receiving Yards
Edwards certainly was not in the spotlight when compared to Zachariah Pembroke, Casey Coleman, or Taylor Austin, but he had a strong season for the Victors. He quietly climbed his way to the top after a tough start to lead the league in receiving yards this season.

RB Max Tracy TOR - 22 Rushing Touchdowns (1st), 1st in Rushing Yards
Tracy was an explosive running back this season with his 22 touchdowns. He also had a long lead on the rushing yard total this season being one of the strongest rushing seasons in NAAF history.

Defensive Player of the Year

DL Wayne Baxton HFX - 6 Forced Fumbles (1st), 1st in Sacks
Baxton was the runaway winner at the start of the season being a lethal force off the edge for the Mariners, however, his second half was pretty average. He still maintained the league lead in sacks and forced fumbles being a key part of the Mariners’ defence.

LB Dallas Dillard LDN - 4 Forced Fumbles (T-2nd), 1 Interception, 1st in Tackles
Dillard did not get boatloads of recognition, but he was easily the best and most consistent part of the Tigers’ defence this season. He created 5 turnovers and ate up a lot of tackles this season edging out LB William Washington II for the league lead.

DL Bernhard Hartmann OTT - 3rd in Sacks, 3 Forced Fumbles (T-8th), 1st in Knockdowns
Hartmann again will not wow statistically, but in only his second season, he was one of the best D-linemen in the league and should continue to be a dominant force on the Royals' D-line.

DB Neville Falkner PRO - 8 Interceptions (1st), 1 Defensive Touchdown, 3rd in Passes Defended
Falkner continued to be the king of the hill when it came to DBs in the NAAF, once again leading the league in interceptions. While teams have continued to throw away from the star DB, he still managed to have the 3rd most passes defended in the league.

Special Teams Player of the Year
I have decided to award this to the kicker with the most points scored this season as that has been the winner almost every year. Here were the top 3 without points written to give some suspense.
K Albert Wickerweaver HFX
K Henderson Schumacher LI
K Ira Foster OTT

Rookie of the Year

DB Lamar Brown MTL - 2 Interceptions (1st Rookies)
Brown was not one of the guys many expected to be here, but the young DB was a key factor for the Rouge defence this season, especially after the team traded DB William Quincy at the deadline. Brown caught a pair of picks and was consistently making key open field tackles.

DL Arthur Bradshaw PIT - 4th in League in Sacks, 3 Forced Fumbles (T-8th in League)
Bradshaw’s impact on the Pittsburgh defence was immediately seen, often ploughing through his block to get into the backfield. He put up enough sacks to be 3rd in the league this season. He also caused 3 fumbles to help his offence with great field position. The fans of Pittsburgh have already fallen in love with Bradshaw as one of the stars of the team.

LB Judge Barrett TOR - 3 Forced Fumbles (T-8th in League), 1st in Rookie Tackles
Barrett didn’t become quite the fan-favourite that Bradshaw had become, but he still had a strong season in the Toronto defence filling a hole that had been left by Daniel Carpenter 2 seasons ago. Barrett would rack up the tackles and fumbles to show that he is ready to be an NAAF star and a defensive leader for the Steelheads.

Coach of the Year

HC Roy Aguirre LDN - Record: 6-6
Writing off the Tigers this season was more of a mundane task for reporters this season, as many saw them as old and dysfunctional, but in spite of injuries, players being traded, and the doubters, Aguirre led the Tigers to a respectable 6-6 record this season, just narrowly missing out on the postseason.

HC Jean Matieau OTT - Record: 10-2
Everyone knew Matieau would one day be the head coach of the Royals, but very few expected that he would take the Royals, who missed the playoffs each of the last 4 years, to the top of the league with a 10-2 record. Matieau’s knowledge of the game served him well as he did boost the Royals' offensive output with a new QB under centre, but also help to craft the league’s best defence this season. The Royals appear to be back and Matieau is the main reason why.

HC Ronald Martin TOR - Record: 7-5
There’s lots of credit that has to go to Ronald Martin who for the 4th time in the last 5 seasons managed to lead the Steelheads to defy expectations. After the rough 2-10 season, Martin got the Steelheads back to the top of the West Division despite having a patchwork defence. RB Max Tracy certainly gets a lot of credit, but Martin’s coaching has always made this Steelheads team a threat.

Breakout Player of the Year

S Marc Bellecourt OTT - 4 Interceptions, 1 Defensive Touchdown
Bellecourt slowly took over the starting S spot from team captain S Randall Green this season. While Green is an excellent player, Bellecourt earned it with 4 interceptions and a defensive touchdown as well as a Defensive Player of the Week in Week 6. He also was one of the best tackling safeties in the season. He could have easily risen to the top had he not split as much time with Green, but clearly, the Royals have their future safety in Bellecourt.

WR Taylor Austin PIT - 11 Receiving Touchdowns (3rd), 4th in Receiving Yards
Austin finally showed why the Blacksmiths traded up for him in the 1966 draft. Austin’s speed and route running helped create a lot of scoring chances for the Blacksmiths this season. His chemistry with Louis Vaughn is clear as day as the two helped turn the Blacksmiths' offence from one of the lowest scoring to one of the highest.

QB Louis Vaughn PIT - 22 Passing Touchdowns (2nd), 2nd in Passing Yards
Vaughn was asked all season if he could step up and be the guy for the Blacksmiths after they had taken him 1st overall in 1966. Vaughn answered with a stellar 3rd season, getting to 2nd in the league in passing touchdowns and passing yards. He still had some interception issues, but the young star is clearly making a name for himself and showing a bright future for the Blacksmiths.