BUAFL WEEK 17
Stallions Go Undefeated For The First Time

The Staffordshire Stallions are 8-0 for the first time in the 16 year history of the team beating Derby Braves 39-0 to round of the regular season.

Running Backs Ed Goka, Omar Augustine and George Furlonge contributed for the five Offensive scores while fourth year player Peter Buckley ran the ball in for a touchdown after stripping the Derby RB on the Braves second offensive play.

After securing the North Midlands Division after defeating Loughborough 36-0, the Stallions had to ensure that they had a chance of becoming the Number 1 seed in the North in order to receive home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

Opening the game with five starters’ absence due to injury and illness, Head Coach had to make several adjustments to his Offence. Pete Crawley stepped in for tight end Chris Ward, George Furlonge started in place of Richard Walker at Full Back and rookie John Henshall got his first start of the season as Mike Simcock was too ill to take to the field.

Eight minutes into game and the Stallions put the first points of the game as Furlonge bulldozed his way into the end zone. Jon Wood converted the kick putting Staffordshire seven up. Two plays later and the lead was increased to 14 points.

A wonderful individual play by D-Tackle Buckley gave the defence a score. Powering his way down the line, Buckley met the Derby Running Back at the line, getting his hands on the ball, stripping and heading towards the end zone with several players escorting Buckley for his first touchdown. The play is a testament of the hard work Buckley has put into the Stallions since his rookie year in 2004. The centre and D-Tackle has become a integral part of the Stallions rushing and pass attack, giving up two sacks all year, while being a driving force on defence, making crucial plays and plugging up the middle.

Ed Goka added to his touchdown tally completing a 48-yard drive at the end of the first quarter with a 29-yard run.

Goka could have had another touchdown halfway through the second quarter. A 60-yard run resulted in Goka in the end zone, however a flag on Crawley for holding cancelled out the score. It didn't dampen the offence's spirits however. A key catch on third down from James Walker kept the drive alive, before Omar Augustine went in from three yards out for his second touchdown of the season.

As half time approached, Derby came close to putting points on the Stallions at the Stables, something that the three previous opponents had failed to do. However the defence stood firm inside the twenty as a good read from Rookie David Humphreys forced the back to go wide before he was swarmed around by several Stallions resulting in a fourth down, which fell an incomplete pass.

Ben Rowan (7/9 for 93 Yards) almost threw his second pick of the year on his final drive of the game as a Brave CB had both hands on the ball but receiver Rob Crossan stole the ball away which ended up in a completion and a first down. With the Stallions again threatening the Brave goal line once more Goka managed to avoid a defensive end before turning up the field and getting into the endzone, however another holding penalty on Crawley delayed the offensive score.

Augustine came into the backfield and the determination to keep the play going from the second year player resulted in another score. With the Derby D-Line out powering the Stallions offensive line, Augustine looked like a run from 11 yards out was going to result in a short gain, but the willingness from number 11 kept him on his feet, breaking a tackle before finding a lane which led the back in for his second touchdown of the game.

Goka rounded up the scoring with a few ticks remaining in the third quarter before good pressure from Andy Brannigan forced Derby’s second quarterback to find Paul Briscoe who got his first pick of the season to seal the shutout and maintaining the Stallions defence good record at the Stables.

The Stallions now have to wait and see who they have in the playoffs at the Stables on March 2 as a busy final week of the BUAFL regular season has to unfold with Stirling and Newcastle looking to go 8-0 and match the Stallions record.

MVP's: Rookie: John Henshall, Defensive: Paul Briscoe, Offensive: Omar Augustine and Ed Goka, Game: George Furlonge

Notes: The Stallions Defence has not let in a point at the new Stables in the four home games. While the defensive unit has scored 20 points conceding 18. Gary Richardson scored an interception return for a TD in week 1, Graham Fellows got credited with a safety against Derby in a mud bowl, Graham Roberts had an INT TD in week 6 and Peter Buckley got a fumble taken back to the house.

The 18 points that the Stallions has conceded is a team record, beating the previous mark of 31 achieved in 2002.

The Stallions have had 5 shut outs, the most record by the team in one season.

Edem Goka scored his 26th and 27th touchdown of the year extending his record.

Since Nottingham scored the first points of the season against the Stallions, Staffordshire have failed to be behind in any of their games since November 4th.

The Stallions have also scored a record amount of points in the eight games. The 306 points scored by the team beats the previous mark set by the 2003 College Bowl year team of 252. The team averaged 38 points a game only scoring less than 36 in one game, against Nottingham in a close encounter that secured playoff football for the team.

The Offence are second in scoring in the conference behind Newcastle. Stirling can leap the Stallions by scoring 60 points from there two games scheduled for this final week. While the defence are third in points conceded in the league with 18 behind Stirling (14) and Leeds (7).