325th Medical Group captures championship

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Anthony J. Hyatt
  • 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  In a league where the 325th Security Forces Squadron flag football team has won the last two base championships, this year a new team was crowned champions.

The fifth seeded 325th Medical Group football team and the sixth seeded 325th Operations Support Squadron's squad squared off against each other in the base championship game Tuesday night.

"It's great to have the number five and number six teams in the championship game," said Mark Estorga, 325th MDG coach. "It just goes to show that on any given day, no matter what your record is, you can be beat."

The MDG team cruised into the championship game after beating the fourth seeded 325th Communication Squadron, the number one seeded 325th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron.

OSS beat the third seeded 325th Services Squadron and the second seeded 325th SFS. In the third round of the playoffs, they ran into MDG, where they lost 14-13.

"They (OSS) have been the toughest team we have played all season," said Estorga.

Going into the loser's bracket, OSS had to get back to the winner's bracket by beating the 325th AMXS. With one loss in the playoffs, OSS had to beat MDG twice.

This is OSS's second trip to the championship game in as many years.

"We came in second last year, and this year we expect nothing but first place," said Michael Fiedler, 325th OSS coach.

In order for OSS to win the championship, they would have to beat MDG twice.

OSS fought off elimination by beating MDG with a score of 22-10 in the first game Tuesday night. With both teams having one loss, the winner of the next game would become base champions.

In game two, OSS was able to get out to an early lead of 10-0, but with their backs against wall, MDG scored on a long touchdown pass by James Casper to cut the lead to 10-7 OSS.

Early in the second half, MDG took a big gamble- going for it on fourth down around mid-field. As OSS seemed to have the play covered, MDG's Richard Hylton-Gordon somehow found a way to keep the drive alive by taking the pitch for a long first-down run. This conversion proved to be crucial as MDG scored to be up 14-10.

After a couple of punts from each team, OSS finally got the ball back with two minutes left in the game. Quarterback Travis Thurmond and OSS moved the ball efficiently down the field while the clock ticked away.

With 28 seconds left in the game and OSS inside MDG's 10-yard line, MDG's Darius Cook sealed the deal, picking off Thurmond's pass.

MDG was able to close the game out 14-10, becoming Tyndall's 2007 intramural flag football champions.