MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI -- Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron brought back the title after Marine Aircraft Group 12 broke a 10-year Fall Classic flag football game-winning streak last year. H&HS took down MAG-12 26-20 after four quarters on the gridiron here at the north side football field Sept. 11.
H&HS controlled the ball for most of the game eating up the clock and not letting MAG-12 have much of a chance to put any points up early. MAG-12 did have a few good plays here and there but was unable to capitalize on the plays that would have put points on the board.
“I think the key difference was we had a good team of players that stuck to it,” said Keith “Apples” Applegate, coach for H&HS. H&HS took early command of the ball in the first quarter jumping to a 7-0 lead and never really looked back.
With less than 30 seconds left in the first quarter, MAG-12 caught their first break of the game by stopping H&HS inside MAG-12’s five yard line and forcing a turnover on downs.
MAG-12 managed to get out of their own redzone and close to mid-field with 17.1 seconds remaining in the quarter and down by six points.
After a much needed time out, MAG-12 came out for what ended up being the final play of the quarter. It was a deep pass down field that was broken up by H&HS corner James Allen to end the quarter.
The second quarter was much like the first with lots of sloppy plays by both teams and not many points.
MAG-12 was able to get on the board with six, but at the half they were still down 13-6. H&HS came out of the half a little sluggish and in need of refreshment. MAG-12 capitalized on H&HSs’ lack of intensity, and scored another touchdown, along with a twopoint conversion, to take the lead for the first time in the game, putting the score at 14-13 with 6:12 left in the third quarter.
After an earful of coach Apples’ motivation, H&HS went the length of the field in less than three minutes to regain the lead 19-14 with 3:43 left in the quarter.
“I couldn’t have asked for more in terms of effort,” said Applegate. “The guys laid it all out.”
At the end of the third quarter, it was 19-14 and clearly MAG-12 needed help.
With only 12 minutes left in the game MAG- 12 marched down the field managing most of the fourth quarter until H&HS runningback Gregory Joseph made his second pick of the day and took it to the house for six, extending H&HSs’ lead 26-14 after the extra point.
“With out our D-line rushing, the quarterback and having pressure, he wouldn’t have thrown it to where I was,” said Joseph. Although MAG-12 answered right back with a touchdown of their own, it was just too little too late to make a comeback.
H&HS held onto the ball until the final whistle blew and proved they were the better team on the field that day.
“We got our trophy back,” said Applegate. “This is for Lt. Col. Ardese, all the Marines, sailors, and civilians of H&HS … Oorah!”