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AND THEN THERE WERE NONE

The Rochester Americans doubled up the Talons of Tallahassee to purge the league of the last of its unbeaten teams this season, 42-21. The Americans used a 17-0 second quarter to take control of the contest.

Michael Love had 128 yards rushing and 2 TD’s on just 13 carries to lead the way for the Americans. Alexander Thomas added 3 TD passes as part of a 30-for-36 night that resulted in 258 passing yards. The Talons rushed for 3 TD’s from three different backs, but were done in with three picks of QB Jesse Hahn and an American offense that averaged nearly 7 yards per play.

Both teams are now 7-1. Elsewhere around the league…

Wild 37, Coyotes 17…Milwaukee had a 35-yard pick-six from Alexis Fitzgerald while Jon Jackson blocked and recovered a punt for a score as the Wild surged to a 37-3 lead before a pair of late TD’s made the Coyotes’ side of the scoreboard look a little better. Philip Gordon had 170 yards and a score on 17 carries. Fred Coleman threw for 295 in the losing effort with 174 yards going to Daniel Olmos.

Burn 22, Tennessee 14…Nathan Rizzo kicked a total of 5 field goals while Jason Moreira rushed for 107 yards as the Burn of Boise improved to 6-2 on the season. Wayne Dunning had 140 yards on 10 receptions in the loss for Tennessee.

Kings 16, Snappers 13…Brian Williams hit Bobby Wilson for a 2-yard TD pass with just over a minute to play as Lyon dodged a bullet and improved to 6-2 at the season’s midway point. Terry Melvin had lifted Natchitoches into the lead with 11 minutes to play as he burst free for a 92-yard TD run as part of a 116-yard performance.

Dragons 41, Wampas 10…David Puddy threw for 326 yards and 4 TD’s to help Glendora power past the Wampas. Kenny Sowers hauled in eight passes for 125 yards and one of those scores as the Dragons scored on five of their first six possessions. George Weiss with 115 yards in the loss for Aspen.

Spartans 32, Event 15…It was the best of games, it was the worst of games for Toronto QB Nathaniel Finley. On the positive side, he threw for 438 yadrs and three TD’s. On the negative side, he also fired five interceptions and finished with a sub-70 rating for the day. But none of that mattered because his counterpart on the Maine sideline also threw for 3 picks as football purists were appalled by the eight-interception display. Dewayne Gaulke finished with 112 receiving yards and a score for Toronto, now 5-3. John Dustin was the only player to finish with multiple takeaways in the game, getting two for the Spartans.

Thunder 17, Islanders 13…Donald Vargo ran for a 2-yard score late in the third quarter and Ralph Mucci added a 50-yard field goal with just under 2 minutes remaining as Tacoma sent Hawai’I to its eighth loss of the season. Shawn Keeton threw an 80-yard TD to Aaron Cooper to open the scoring for the Thunder, but the Islanders answered with 13 point, including a 27-yard John Hurst scoring reception. Cooper finished with 115 receiving yards.

Twisters 13, Marauders 2…Jeremy Franklin ran in from 29 yards out for the game’s only touchdown and Andrew Matthews added kicks from 50 and 27 yards to account for Arkansas’ points. Thomas Jameson broke through to stuff Robert Ayers in the end zone for a safety for the only Marauders points.

Phantoms 37, Golden Pterodactyls 3…Harry Knopp threw for 3 TD’s and 273 yards as the Phantoms of Parlor City did something most teams do not and ripped the Star City defense in a 37-3 rout. Parlor City finished with 451 total yards in the contest. Edward Huff had 120 all-purpose yards including a rushing TD in the win.

Witches 31, Stampede 16…Franklin Ray rushed for 111 yards and a score while Jonathan Embree added a pair of TD passes for Salem, which made end zone trips on its first two possessions and never looked back against St. Louis. The Witches are now 5-2-1 for the season.

Bulldogs 18, Hefty Buffalo 7…James Clark returned an interception 21 yards for a Bennington score and Andre Obando added four field goals to down Fort Drum by an 18-7 final. It was the first victory of the year for the Bulldogs. David Toliver had a 6-yard scoring catch in the third quarter for the only Hefty Buffalo points as the team struggled to just 173 yards of offense in the contest.

Crush 30, Geechee 19…Canton scored touchdowns on their first two possessions of the game to jump in front early, then added a 10-point surge early in the third quarter to power past Charleston. Kevin Sanchez finished a yard shy of the century mark for the Crush, who also enjoyed a 236-yard, 2 TD day from the arm of QB Joseph Burke. Both teams carry 5-3 records into the second half of play in the Stripes Conference season.

Red Rocks 22, Crusaders 14…Elmer Montgomery rushed for 115 yards to lead Coos Bay past struggling California and into the Landry Division lead. Brian Armstrong added a TD pass to James Johnson as the Rocks improve to 5-3 on the year. For the Crusaders, the loss marks the third consecutive defeat as an undefeated regular season a year ago has transformed into a 3-5 start this season.

Riptide 13, Bandits 6…Robert Burkett hooked up with Harry Ellis for a 57-yard TD pass at the 2-minute warning to sneak San Diego past Santa Fe in this Sim v. Sim contest. The Bandits had just 126 yards as both teams are 3-5 overall.

Cobras 3, Bombers 0…More than 54,000 fans perched on the edge of their seats to anxiously watch the New York Stadium grass grow for 3+ hours with the drama only interrupted by Herman Kramer's 48-yard field goal with 10:29 to play.

Assassins 25, Wallabies 13…Add six more FG’s to Harold Hill’s kicking total for the season and throw in a 291-yard passing night for Michael Hardnett as Columbus City topped Perth by 12. Hill, who owns an impressive 91.4% accuracy rate for his field goals over the course of a 10-year career, is well on his way to a career year at age 31. To date, he has connected on 27 of his 28 tries, including 4-for-4 from 50+. Hill has only converted more than 40 field goals in 2 of his EFL seasons and has a career-best of 43 for a regular season. Duane Hilton added 152 receiving yards and a score in the contest for the Assassins, now 6-2 atop the Gibbs Division. [Editor’s note: Not responsible if Hill starts doinking them now…]

WHO HAS THE EASIEST PATH HOME?

As we gear up for the second half of the season, the schedule makers have gifted some teams a present while other teams have a challenge as they come down the home stretch. Here's each team and the number of combined victories their 8 remaining opponents for the back half of the season currently have...assuming I can do math right.

Kings (34.5), Spartans (39), Wampas (39), Marauders (39)
Americans (27), Event (25), Snappers (30.5), Islanders (33.5)
Phantoms (27), Witches (40.5), Bulldogs (36), Twisters (26.5)
Talons (33), Burn (32.5), Golden Pterodactyls (27.5), Tennessee (37)

Dragons (26), Wallabies (34), Bandits (31), Bombers (32)
Red Rocks (29), Cobras (31), Crusaders (30), Thunder (27)
Wild (27.5), Crush (26.5), Hefty Buffalo (37.5), Stampede (33)
Assassins (33), Geechee (30), Coyotes (30), Riptide (38)

WITCHES STUN PHANTOMS WITH OUTBURST

The Salem Witches scored 20 consecutive points in the second half, transforming a 17-10 deficit into a 30-17 advantage that only narrowed on Parlor City Charles Raymond’s 2-yard TD run with a minute and a half to play. The 30-24 final score moves the Witches to within a half-game of the Shula Division lead.

Roy Hitt rushed for a pair of Salem TD’s. Jonathan Embree added 248 yards and a score through the air. Franklin Ray caught that TD pass as part of a 122-yard night. On the other side, Harry Knopp passed for 325 yards and two scores for the defending champs. Elsewhere…

Wild 22, Assassins 10…John Richardson’s 79-yard pass completion to David Frazier and a pair of George Gandy kicks enabled the Wild to pull away from a 10-10 deadlock in the second half and score a win in this marquee Stripes Conference matchup. Richardson finished with 371 yards and a pair of Frazier TD’s for Milwaukee, which owned a 478-247 yardage advantage. James Wood added 106 rushing yards for the Wild. Milwaukee improves to 7-2 on the season while the Assassins join a host of teams at 6-3.

Coyotes 9, Burn 6…Charles Gonzalez hit a 23-yard kick with 60 seconds to play to lift Mt. Washington to a 9-6 victory in this battle of the placekickers. Just two weeks after snapping a 25-game losing streak, the Coyotes got another monkey off their backs by winning on the road for the first time since Nov. 20, 2025. Fred Coleman threw for 241 yards for the Coyotes in the win.

Talons 29, Tennessee 3…Thomas Bell ran 5 yards to open the scoring for the Talons and Jack Curry hauled in a 30-yard toss as part of a 29-3 victory. It was a bad night to be a Tennessee QB as both Jerry Belk and Jeffrey Swiger were picked off three times in the game. Tallahassee CB John Callaghan, with three of those interceptions, was actually Tennessee’s No. 2 receiver in the game since only one player on their side finished with more than 2 receptions.

Americans 28, Snappers 10…Alexander Thomas threw for three touchdowns and 290 yards as the Americans overcame the Snappers, partially behind the strength of a 13-0 second half. Jerry Hale had 132 receiving yards and two scores for Rochester. The Snappers saw Rick Stowell pull in 112 receiving yards and the only TD of the night for their side.

Dragons 27, Kings 6…David Puddy threw for 3 TD’s and the Glendora defense harassed Lyon QB Brian Williams into throw six interceptions as this meeting of cross-conference divisional leaders turned one-sided. John Claypoole had 124 receiving yards and a TD for the Dragons. Kenny Sowers hauled in the other two scores as the pair combined for 13 receptions. David Slaven registered three of the six picks for Glendora.

Spartans 26, Wampas 15…The Spartans Adam Bennett caught a 3-yard TD pass and teammate Ben Walcott returned an interception 35 yards, both in the final 90 seconds of the contest, to help Toronto dodge a spirited upset bid at the hands of Aspen. Willie McCaffrey’s third field goal of the game, a 22-yarder with 2:34 to play lifted Aspen to a 15-13 lead before the Sim coach choked away its honor. Nathaniel Finley threw for 323 yards in the win, including 112 and a score to Russell Vera.

Event 24, Thunder 19…Steven Jimenez struck for 387 yards through the air and a pair of touchdowns to lift Maine past Tacoma in this meeting of northeast vs. northwest. Shawn Keeton countered with 2 TD’s for Tacoma, both to Aaron Cooper, who finished with 99 receiving yards.

Islanders 10, Marauders 3...Albert Rodgers fumbled inside the red zone, but caught a fortuitous bounce as he recovered and raced 4 yards into the end zone for a touchdown. In doing so, he made good on the first chapter of a Hawai’I statement to embark on an 8-game winning streak as the Islanders won their first contest of the season by a 10-3 final count. The Islanders D was lights out, holding Reno to just 151 yards and 6 first downs in the contest.

Twisters 21, Golden Pterodactyls 10…Andrew Matthews kicked 7 field goals to lift Arkansas over Star City 21-10. The 262 total field goal yards by Matthews was more than either offense in this contest managed as the gilded dinosaurs enjoyed a slim 216-212 edge in overall yardage. George Parker’s 46-yard run in the second quarter was the only endzone trip of the contest.

Stampede 26, Bulldogs 13…Jeff Collins caught a 5-yard TD throw from James Palmer to start the scoring as the Stampede doubled up the Bulldogs in this one. Palmer finished 35-for-47 for 237 yards. Jerry Bradshaw added a TD run in the win.

Crush 48, Hefty Buffalo 7…The Canton Crush lived up to their name by clobbering the Hefty Buffalo. Joseph Burke threw for 357 yards and 4 TD’s as Canton laid a 38-0 beatdown on Fort Drum in the middle two quarters. Phillip Ary caught 9 passes for 152 yards and 2 TD’s. Kevin Sanchez topped the century mark with 113 rushing yards and a score as Canton owned a 548-121 yardage edge in this one.

Geechee 45, Crusaders 31…The final score says close game, but this was anything but. Charleston scored four touchdowns in the third quarter to race out to a 45-9 advantage before a flurry of late California points pulled matters closer at the end. John Wilson caught 3 TD passes in the third quarter as a 14-9 Geechee halftime edge exploded to 42-9 before the period was over. Wilson finished with 182 receiving yards as Charleston QB Edward Jackson went for 324 yards and 4 total TD’s through the air. Props to the Crusaders’ Jacob Perez for 465 passing yards in the loss.

Red Rocks 16, Bandits 3…With a 416-117 edge in offense, the Coos Bay Red Rocks rolled past the Bandits. Brian Armstrong threw a 21-yard strike to Aaron Rodriguez for the game’s only TD and Robert Ponce added 3 first-half field goals as the Rocks built a 16-0 intermission lead that was spoiled only by a fourth-quarter Bandit field goal from 42 yards out. Elmer Montgomery had 139 yards on 22 carries for Coos Bay.


Riptide 12, Cobras 10…In the wake of the departure of the team’s GM, Timothy Beltran’s 42-yard kick with four and a half minutes to go proved to be the game-winner as San Diego caged the Cobras 12-10. Rancho Cucamonga’s Anthony Ford hooked up with Tony Ramsey for the only TD of the contest. Both teams are now 4-5 on the season.

Wallabies 12, Bombers 0…Adam Donnelly kicked four FG’s in what was honestly a really boring divisional game for Perth. “We weren’t in it mentally,” said GM RedNU. “We forgot that even a one-win team can wreck you in this league if you don’t bring your A-game to the field.” Perth finished with just 241 yards against a Bomber defense that it had lit up on the road just weeks earlier.

We may have taken the first step, but our work is cut out for us. Especially with the Americans coming up next game.

Awesome job with this thread Red, best league/game reviews that Ive seen since Ive been playing MFN, it's great to have you with us and adding to the enjoyment of the game.

I too am a huge fan of Red's writeups! I just don't know how he has the free time to do a game by game synopsis. It reminds me of the old days on Monday Night Football when they did the halftime highlights of that weekend's games.

Living in Hawai'i helps...the league spins at 8 p.m. here so I'm usually winding up the day and just vegging out when results become available. Barring weirdness that requires more examination or research, it's maybe 40 minutes or so throwing it together. Well worth it to add to the spirit of the league.

i sometimes miss the spin being at 8pm, now its at 2 am so i have to wait in anticipation

FIVE YEAR FLASHBACK

A look back on the 2023 draft’s first round and whatever became of them…positions listed are the player’s current position, not necessarily what they were at the time of drafting. This was a draft that didn’t feature a QB leaving the board during Round 1, which probably has a few GM’s retrospectively kicking themselves since Toronto’s Nathaniel Finley, he of 105 career TD’s and 17,265 passing yards (in 60 games thus far) was the first signal caller to disappear, at pick No. 46 that draft.

1. CB Benjamin Rojas was the first name off the board as Lyon grabbed the small-college phenom to open the draft. All he’s done since then is hold opponents to a 51.2% catch rate, intercept 14 passes and make 365 tackles in 82 appearances (71 starts).

2. WR Anthony Dunn went to Fort Drum with the No. 2 selection, but is now in the second year of a lucrative deal with the Talons. His career line thus far…332 receptions for 2,645 yards and 10 TD’s as a receiver. On the ground, he’s posted 1,390 carries for 5,633 and 22 TD’s. Had 2 KO returns for TD’s as a rookie. 77 starts, 84 appearances.

3. CB Timothy Martinez heard his name called by Star City and has appeared in 83 games, including 77 starts since then. Opponents complete only 50.3% of the ***** thrown his direction. Has 325 tackles and 12 interceptions.

4. CB Ray Johnson went to Santa Fe as part of the early run on DB’s in ’23. He suits up for Perth now, where in less than 2 seasons he’s picked up more than half of his 15 career interceptions. Has 411 tackles and a sack as opponents connect 52% of the time against him. 80 starts in 89 appearances.

5. RB John Lamm was Canton’s pick at No. 5 before migrating to warmer climates in Hawai’I in year 4 of his career. Has carried 616 times for 2,177 yards and 10 TD’s. As a receiver, he’s been in on 225 receptions for 1,678 yards and another 5 TD’s. Only has 1 kickoff return in his career, but took it to the house when he got the opportunity. 37 starts, 66 appearances.

6. DT Warren Story went to Bennington and has played there to this day. 63 starts and 79 appearances to date have netted 24 sacks and 199 tackles. Has forced 4 fumbles in his career.

7. RB Fordham General, easily the coolest name of the first round so far, went to Columbus City and has stayed there for 46 starts and 61 appearances. On the ground, ring him up for 938 carries, 3,627 yards and 11 TD’s. Receiving, 265 catches, 2,490 and 12 TD’s.

8. MLB James Hanley went to Natchitoches, where he has played his entire career. Has 60 starts in 81 appearances. He’s forced 5 fumbles, registered 9 career interceptions (7 of which came in the 2026 season), 451 tackles and 5 career sacks.

9. CB Rodney Burt went from college ball in Oklahoma to the island life in Hawai’I after the draft. In 5+ seasons with the Islanders he’s started 55 of the 85 games he’s appeared in. Opponents connect just 46.8% of the time when throwing at him. Has 15 interceptions and 377 tackles in his career.

10. RDE Timothy Fortier heard his name called by St. Louis and has given the team 50 starts in 61 game appearances. Owns 16 career sacks and a pair of forced fumbles to go along with 174 tackles and 51 QB hurries.

...to be continued...

FIVE YEAR FLASHBACK (part 2 of 3)

11. WLB Bobby Nathan was nabbed by Tacoma, then found his way to the Talons after 4 seasons in the Pacific Northwest. Has 74 starts in 89 appearances during which time he has amassed 12 forced fumbles, 9 interceptions, and 501 tackles.

12. RDE Kevin Cooper, selected by Coos Bay, has never really lived up to his billing as a first-round selection. It isn’t that Cooper has had a bad career – he’s appeared in 80 games – but he’s only started 18 of those contests and never more than 5 in a season. Red Rock fans were undoubtedly hoping for more than the 12 sacks, 93 tackles and one forced fumble Cooper has given them.

13. RB Philip Gordon was chosen by Brooklyn before heading to Milwaukee because they paid more and the accent is cooler. Owns 51 starts in 83 games, even though there are two seasons in which he never carried the football. Gordon’s career line thus far features 346 carries for 3,179 yards and 11 TD’s on the ground and 223 receptions for 3,094 yards and 16 TD’s via the air.

14. RDE John Gutierrez has played for Arkansas his whole career thus far, giving the Twisters 48 starts and 83 appearances. He has delivered 25 sacks and 164 tackles over the course of his career, as well as 79 quarterback hurries and 3 forced fumbles.

15. CB Kelly Bogen continued the run on DB’s in this draft when Toronto used a mid-round pick to obtain his rights. It was a good pick since Bogen has 85 starts out of 86 appearances. He’s forced 8 fumbles, recorded 470 tackles and intercepted 16 passes while holding opponents to a 54.5% catch-against rating.

16. CB Joe Flynn is another former Brooklyn first-round pick who has gone on to find a new home, this time in Salem. He has 78 starts and 89 appearances in his career, which includes 447 tackles, 8 interceptions (1 for TD) and 6 forced fumbles while holding opponents to 52.5% completions against.

17. LG Robert Mabe was the first offensive lineman off the board in 2023 when Rochester spent the 17th selection of the draft on him. For that investment, they’ve received 70 starts and 77 appearances. In 5,239 plays, Mabe has given up just 9 sacks and 125 tackles in his career. Has been whistled for just 17 penalties in that time.

18. SLB Gregory Kemmerer was drafted by Mt. Washington but went to Canton starting in Year 4 of his career. He has played in 88 games, starting 59 of them, more than half while with the Crush. He has 6 forced fumbles and 18 interceptions to go with 361 tackles and 5 sacks.

19. LDE Michael Justice was picked up by Tennessee, where it appears he sat out his entire first season until making it on the field for 3 plays in the postseason. He has 52 starts in 75 appearances now in his career, producing 5 fumbles, 1 interception, 27 sacks and 178 tackles.

20. RB Donald Trujillo was a Star City selection who continues to proudly rep the Golden Pterodactyls. At 70 starts and 81 games, he’s made more appearances than the RB’s chosen well above him on the board. He’s produced better yardage too, although that hasn’t found him in the endzone much in his career. On the field, he has produced 1,631 carries for 5,324 yards and 9 TD’s, as well as 235 receptions for 1,364 yards and 2 additional TD’s. Owns 1 kick return and 1 punt return TD as well.

21. DT Franklin Romanowski was taken by California and has started 66 of his 86 appearances thus far. From the middle of the D-line, he’s accounted for 134 tackles, 24 sacks, 29 hurries and 3 forced fumbles. Even got the honor of a big-man interception as a rookie.

...to be concluded...