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MATCH REPORTS<br />
Hurricanes finish Perfect Season<br />
27th February <strong>2011</strong><br />
Hurricanes 76 - 22 Blades<br />
The Hertfordshire Hurricanes<br />
completed their undefeated regular<br />
season on Sunday with their highest<br />
scoring game of the season<br />
Things got off to a shaky start with<br />
the Blades looking sharp. After going<br />
3 and out deep in their own territory<br />
the Hurricanes were forced to punt.<br />
The snap sailed over the punter’s head<br />
and out of the endzone for a safety to<br />
give Essex a 2-0 lead. Herts responded<br />
with strong running from Odeyemi<br />
before Thompson went to the air and<br />
hit WR Tom Roberts in stride down<br />
the sideline for the score. The extra<br />
point was good and Herts took the lead<br />
7-2. Essex’s offense again moved the<br />
ball well, with the misdirection in the<br />
backfield catching the Hurricanes off<br />
guard. An end around by the Essex<br />
Wide Receiver caught nearly the entire<br />
defense going the wrong way and the<br />
long run virtually untouched gave<br />
38 <strong>Inside</strong> <strong>American</strong> <strong>Football</strong> - <strong>May</strong> <strong>2011</strong><br />
Essex the lead once more.<br />
After a good kick return<br />
Hertfordshire’s offense looked to<br />
retake the lead. Some strong running<br />
put Herts inside Essex territory, but<br />
when Thompson rolled out and fired<br />
for Husbands in the endzone the ball<br />
was intercepted inside the 5 and Essex<br />
regained possession. The defense held<br />
firm and faced from punting inside<br />
their endzone Essex made the same<br />
mistake as Herts with the snap sailing<br />
over the punters head and out of the<br />
endzone for the safety. On the ensuing<br />
kick return excellent blocking from<br />
Davis, Gargiulo, King, and Forrester<br />
carved open a lane for rookie Mark<br />
Flatman to run untouched down the<br />
sideline for the 70 yard score.<br />
Essex again drove the ball into Herts<br />
territory with big gains through the<br />
air and on the ground. The Blades’<br />
determination paid off when their QB<br />
connected with his WR in the back<br />
of the endzone to pull the Blades to<br />
within 2. The extra point was no good<br />
at Herts kept their 16-14 lead. Herts<br />
then showed why they’ve the most<br />
dangerous run game in the league<br />
when, with excellent blocking from the<br />
offensive line, his full back and wide<br />
receivers, Odeyemi found himself<br />
running clear for the 66 yard score.<br />
The 2-point conversion to Husbands<br />
was good and Herts pull the lead to 24-<br />
14. On the ensuing drive Essex turned<br />
the ball over with Martin Nzenga<br />
recovering the fumble. The Hurricanes<br />
wasted no time in pressing home their<br />
advantage with Thompson connecting<br />
with Flatman in the corner of the<br />
endzone for his second passing TD of<br />
the day to extend the lead inside the<br />
2-minute warning.<br />
After a touchback on the kick off<br />
Essex started on their own 20. With<br />
little time left on the clock they came<br />
out passing and a huge completion<br />
down the middle of the field pushed<br />
them deep into Hertfordshire’s half.<br />
With time running out the Essex QB<br />
fired deep down the right side and an<br />
excellent leaping catch gave Essex a<br />
all Photos this rePo
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