The two rainy weekend IFL games ended in victories for the home teams.
On Thursday night, the Ramat HaSharon Hammers shut out the Mazkeret Batya ‘Pointer’ Silverbacks 28-0, and on Friday morning the Tel Aviv Pioneers beat the Judean Rebels 46-28.
Ramat HaSharon Hammers 28 – Mazkeret Batya ‘Pointer’ Silverbacks 0
Neither team did much during the opening quarter. The teams exchanged turnovers on downs, before Mazkeret’s Ohad Samuely sacked Jordan Curran on 4th down, giving the ‘Backs great field position. The Hammers’ Nachi Brodt picked off Mickey Jules at the goal-line before the end of the quarter. Two passes from Curran to former Silverbacks QB Ido Eisikovits set up a short Curran TD run, 6-0, and after a Mazkeret punt, the two connected for a score right before halftime, 14-0.
Matis Goldmeier intercepted Jules’ pass after a long Silverbacks drive, and Curran ran in another score, 22-0. The ‘Backs couldn’t convert a fourth down, and David Weitzman took a pitch to the end-zone to make the score 28-0 on the first drive of the 4th quarter. Uria Loberbom knocked down a Jules 4th-down pass, and the teams exchanged turnovers-on-downs before Ofri Launer intercepted a Curran pass. Goldmeier broke up the ‘Backs final 4th-down attempt.
Curran completed 10/15 passes for 140 yards, a TD and an INT, adding 35 yards and 2 scores rushing. Eisikovits caught career-highs of 8 passes and 109 yards for a touchdown, and Ben Landon rushed for 41 yards. Loberbom finished with 7 tackles, 2.5 TFL and a breakup, and Chanina Landesman also had 7 tackles for a depleted Hammers’ squad.
Jules completed 4/20 passes for 44 yards and 2 picks and Gal Dagan rushed 10 times for 71 yards. Samuely finished with 9 tackles and a sack, Kosta Stoliyarsky had 8 tackles and 1 TFL, and Daniel Cohen registered 7 tackles and a breakup.
The Silverbacks will host the Troopers on Saturday night, and the Hammers have a week to rest and regroup before playing the Pioneers next Friday.
Tel Aviv Pioneers 46 – Judean Rebels 28
The Rebels got off on the right foot, as Chesky Tomor forced a Bar Rudich fumble and teammate Zev Hoffman recovered. A long pass from Jeff Balaban to Yehuda Mendlowitz set up an Avi Landesman TD run, 8-0 Rebels. The Rebels successfully converted an onside kick and Chaim Aaron ran in a score as the second quarter got underway, 14-0. The Pioneers got back into the game on a 4th-down TD pass from Cameron Simmonds to Nadav Navon, 14-8. Tomor ripped a big return for the Rebels but Nimrod Posner forced a fumble and former Rebel Charles Perez recovered for Tel Aviv, setting up a Yuval Fenta touchdown run, 16-14. A miscommunication on a Judean 4th down gave the Pioneers great field position and Fenta immediately converted for a 24-14 halftime lead.
The Rebels turned the ball over on downs, and Fenta made them pay immediately with a touchdown run, 32-14. Aaron passed to Yoel Hughes to make the score 32-20, but Fenta answered with another score (38-20). Aaron ran for a score right before the end of the third, 38-28, and two consecutive Rebel sacks forced a Pioneers punt. It seemed as if Aaron made it a 1-score game with a long TD run, but the run was called back for holding, and Ziv Weinberg and Idan Melchior teamed up to sack Balaban on 4th-down. Fenta ran for his 5th TD of the day with 5 minutes to play (46-28) and Weinberg stripped Aaron on 4th-down. After a Tel Aviv punt, Elan Neiger sealed the deal for the Pios with an interception off of Aaron.
Fenta rushed 23 times for 183 yards and 5 scores. Simmonds completed 3/7 passes for 18 yards and a score. Or Shalom (1 BU), Asaf Katz (1 TFL) and Weinberg (1/2 sack, FF) registered 7 tackles apiece.
Aaron and Balaban combined for 11/23 passing for 149 yards, a TD and a pick. Hughes caught 4-44-1 and Zevi Katz added 3-56. Eran Roi lead the defense with 6 tackles, 2.5 TFL and a sack, and Jeremiah Jelski also had 6 tackles.
The Rebels play the Lions this Thursday, and the Pioneers have a week of before hosting the Hammers next Friday.