Game 5 – July 13th, 2008
Norwich DEVILS 20 – Ipswich CARDINALS 30
Report by Pete Wrigley
The Norwich Devils came out losers in the big East Anglian derby game, despite starting strongly and going in front, to hand rivals Ipswich Cardinals their first win of the season in a very competitive game in the South Conference of BAFL1.
Ipswich took the ball first, but their opening drive stalled at the Norwich 30 yard line. Norwich then drove the length of the field to open the scoring, with quarterback Troy Scmidgall running in from
4 yards out for the touchdown. The Cardinals then put together a strong drive themselves, and were soon level, going 60 yards on 12 plays, Paul Borstal running in for the 3 yard score. Ipswich’s extra point attempt was then blocked, and Martin Ray picked up the live ball for Norwich and ran back 87 yards for the 2 point score and put the Devils back in front 8 – 6.
At the start of the second quarter, it was again Ipswich who were doing the pressing. A Norwich fumble gave the Cardinals possession at midfield, and
they took full advantage of the good field position when quarterback Michael Peters threw a slant over the middle to receiver Byron Washington for a 25 yard score. Zenden Vawder’s extra point kick went wide and low to the left to leave the Cardinals 12 – 8 in front. Two possessions later it was the Cardinals defense who came up with the big play when Devils’ quarterback Schmidgall was intercepted by Cardinals corner Omar O’Connor, who returned it 42 yards for the touchdown. Ipswich then went for a two point conversion, but Travis Simmons made the important tackle to keep the score at 18 – 8.
Ipswich looked to have put the game out of Norwich’s reach early in the third quarter when Borstal got his second touchdown of the game and extend the Cardinals’ lead to 24 – 8, but Norwich hit back at the start of the fourth quarter when backup quarterback Jon Steedman hit receiver Guy Davies with a 21 yard scoring pass to leave the score 14 – 24. Again Ipswich hit back with another score as running back Dontorius Candis burst through a tiring Devils defense to score from 49 yards out. Still Norwich were not finished and the deficit was reduced when Steedman again linked up with Davies for a score, this time from 15 yards out. The Devils really needed to get the two point conversion to get within one score and put Ipswich under pressure but Steedman’s pass went incomplete. Norwich’s final chance came inside the 2 minute warning, but Washington came up with the interception for the Cardinals to end any lingering hopes the Devils had.
The loss leaves Norwich just half a game above the Cardinals at the foot of the table, with the Devils now facing two tough away trips to Oxford and Sothern Sundevils in the next two weekends.