The National Public Safety Football League would like to announce
their brand new friendship with Wilson. Makers of the official ball
for the NFL, the NCAA and now the NPSFL. The 2008 NPSFL season will
have all 21 teams using an Official NPSFL ball made by Wilson.
National
Championship
FDNY
Bravest vs Phoenix Thunder
The 2008 National Public Safety Football League
Championship Game was a great one that didn't end until after the
final seconds had ticked off the clock. Saturday, June 14th, the
Bravest took on the Thunder at Cortez High School , Phoenix , Arizona
. Temperatures during the day reached 116, with it hovering around
100 at kickoff.
The Bravest jumped out to a 6 - 0 lead when Ryan
Davan connected with Tom Cozzi in the first quarter. The extra-point
attempt by George Oostmeijer was no good from a guy who is almost
always automatic. But, George got back on track with a 19 yard field
goal a little later.
Shawn Watson of Phoenix , who had the game of
anyone's life, ran one in shortly before the half to cut the lead
to 9 - 7 and that's how it remained well into the third quarter.
Watson started out as the Thunder's running back, and then moved
to quarterback, and he was also the kicker. Watson made the score
10 - 9 in the third quarter with a 20 yard field goal.
The teams traded punts with the Bravest getting
the better of ball movement, but going nowhere. Then, midway through
the 4th quarter, Davan threw an interception to Gabriel Barreras
that didn't end until he was in the end zone. Watson added the extra-point
and that put the FDNY team in a 17 - 9 hole.
The Bravest were able to march the ball down
the field and Davan once again found Cozzi with a 6 yard touchdown
pass to bring the Bravest within 17 - 15. FDNY tried a 2-point conversion
to tie the game, but Davan lost the handle and it was scooped up
by a Thunder player who looked like he was going to take it all
the way back, but he was caught from behind by Gordon Tunison 12
yards shy of the end-zone.
The Bravest weren't done...and neither were the
Thunder. With less than six minutes to go, the Bravest kicked the
ball to the Thunder who started the possession at their own 22 yard
line. Watson dropped back to pass and hit the FDNY's Matt "smart"
Quinn in stride, who took it to the house. This put the Bravest
up 21- 17 and left a lot of time on the clock...three and a half
minutes.
Shawn Watson and the Thunder took over
at their own 30. During this drive Watson ran just as far sideline
to sideline as he did toward the Bravest end-zone. Slowly but surely
he got the Phoenix team down to the Bravest 1 yard line and 23 ticks
on the clock. Phoenix took a timeout and put staring quarterback
Art Gonzalez back into the game to let Watson get a full head of
steam from his normal running back position. The Bravest D-Line
held true, stopping Watson on the first attempt, but getting a delay
of game penalty with 16 ticks left. Watson was given the ball again,
but stopped and the Thunder were able to line it up and get off
one last play as the clock expired. The ball was sent up the middle,
both teams pushing from their respective side of the ball, whistles
were blown, but no signal given. The crowd was silent while waiting
for the referees to make their call. After some discussion the head
referee signaled no touchdown, saying the runners knee had touched
the ground before he extended the ball over the goal-line...the
FDNY Bravest were National Champions.
This makes the Bravest only the second team to
have more then one NPSFL Championship under their belt, joining
the NYPD Finest in that category. Matt Quinn of the FDNY also had
another interception earlier in the game, but his touchdown proved
to be the deciding factor for the FDNY and he was named the games
Steven McAllister Most Valuable Player. Both teams played incredibly
and exemplified what this league is all about. Playing a game you
love to raise money for charity. Congratulations to both teams on
a job well done!!!
See
pictures from the FDNY's Photographer, MamaMaggie - Click
Here
NPSFL
2008 Division II Champions!
Thanks to a punishing defense
and a relentless running game, the Orlando
Guardians defeated the Central Texas Wolfopack by a score of
35 - 12 to capture the NPSFL 2008 Division II title.
2008
Local 2000 Flag Tournament
Hosted
by the Howard County Professional FF Assoc.
NOVEMBER
22nd / 23rd, 2008
ROCKBURN
PARK, Columbia, Maryland
For more info,
contact D.J Marasco: 443-864-8209.
Tournament
Website: Click
Here
The National Public Safety Football League (NPSFL), is a
union of public safety agency football teams from throughout the
United States, united to promote a positive self image to the public
by raising funds for charity through spirited competition. The NPSFL
is incorporated in New York State and recognized as a not for profit
organization by the Internal Revenue Service under the 501c3 statute...Go
to the Archives page to see
the past National Champions.
CALLING
ALL PUBLIC SAFETY TEAMS
The National Public Safety Football League constantly
searches for new teams to play in the league. The NPSFL consists
of Law Enforcement and Firefighter teams from across the country.
Each NPSFL player must be a full time Law Enforcement Officer or
a full time Firefighter/ Firefighter Paramedic. The NPSFL teams
play full-contact football. We follow NCAA rules. Each team plays
a four game league schedule each season.
Each
NPSFL team plays their games to raise money for different charities.
Support the NPSFL league by putting a team from your city or town
into the league.
Please
feel free to contact an NPSFL Board Member via e-mail from the CONTACT
page for more information, or call (714) 347-8721.
Power Rankings
for 2008.
- NYPD - 5, FDNY - 4, Philly - 3
- Chicago - 2, Cleveland
- 2
- D. C. - 2, Charlotte.
- 2,
- Orlando - 3, Tampa
Bay- 2, Atlanta - 2
- DFW - 5, Dallas Metro
- 2, Houston - 2, Cent. Tex. - 1
- LAPD - 5, LAFD - 4, Phoenix-
4, O.C. - 3, S.D. - 2, Bakersfield - 2, Caifornia - 1
OFFICER DOWN MEMORIAL
PAGE - Click Here
FIREFIGHTER
MEMORIAL PAGE - Click Here
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