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Our Under 19’s squad continue to ride high at the top of the Division 2 Southern Conference this weekend after winning both their games in the Wembley tournament on Saturday. Our record now stands at 4 and 0, with a game and a half’s lead over Poole in second place.

South East Legion vs South Wales Warriors

Our first game saw us face-off against the South Wales Warriors. The Warriors took the ball first but our Nose Tackle Douglas made a great tackle on the second play of the game to pin the South Wales RB in the endzone for a safety and a 2-0 lead. But any sense of celebration evaporated after a fumble deep in our own territory gave South Wales the ball back at our own one yard line. The QB sneaked the ball in for a 6-2 lead.

Stung by the early mistake, the Legion offense responded immediately. On the first play of the next drive, Olly Z took the handoff behind his RG Eathan and raced 45 yards for the touchdown. The extra point made it 9-6 and it went from bad to worse for the Warriors when their next drive started with a botched handoff that ended up falling to the ground. One of our cornerbacks, Lucas, raced forward to dive on the ball for his first TD of the year and we extended our lead 15-6.

The hard-hitting Warriors team had faced a long journey to reach “The Ranch” but they certainly started to show their mettle. A long run down the left sideline capped an impressive drive to make it 15-12 and with the two minute warning sounding shortly before they scored, it looked like it might be a three point game going into half-time. However, Olly Z again made the difference. QB Nate (see photo above) led the Legion offense downfield with time running down and Olly Z bowled over from 13 yards out. Aaron’s extra point run restored a ten point advantage with the score 22-12 at the half.

Both teams went four and out at the start of the second half, before a long drive from the Legion offense took a lot of time off the clock and got the ball all the way to the Warriors two yard line. The Warriors had been playing hard all day and they certainly stepped up on the key 4th down and 2 play. They stuffed the Legion offense short of the goal-line. South Wales took over hoping to get the gap down to one score.

However, what the Legion offense couldn’t do, the Legion defense did instead. On the Warriors ensuing drive, Sam strip-sacked the QB and Luan recovered the loose ball in the endzone for the touchdown. Olly Z’s extra point made it 29-12. But the two defenses weren’t done yet. The Warriors added a safety by sacking Nate in the endzone to make it 29-14. Then as the Warriors lined up on their next drive, the Legion pass rush was at it again. This time Sam and Harvey combined to sack the QB and strip the ball loose. Sol recovered it this time at the two yard line to set-up the offense for the game-sealing score. Olly Z punched it in on the next play and the extra point made it 36-14.

With time running out, the Warriors certainly didn’t give up. The play of the game saw their QB connect with impressive WR #84 on a 45 yard long bomb that he caught at the goal-line before dancing into the endzone. Final score: South East Legion 36, South Wales 20.

Wembley Stallions vs South East Legion

For the Legion’s second game of the day, we faced the home team Wembley Stallions. Not much was known about Wembley prior to Saturday given that these were their first two games of the season. Their new Head Coach certainly had them firing in their season debut as they trounced the Oxford Saints (see below) in their first game while we played South Wales. Everyone in our team knew a tough game lay ahead.

Wembley took the opening drive downfield but a holding penalty pushed them back to midfield. Just when it looked as if the Legion defense had the edge, the Stallions QB found their star RB (wearing #26) down the right sideline on a wheel route for the early score and a 6-0 Wembley lead. QB Nate and the Legion offense had their work cut out but they responded well. A long six play drive down the field culminated in a Nate to Olly Z 8 yard TD pass. Olly M ran in the extra point to give us a slender 7-6 lead.

The teams traded four and out possessions before Wembley took the lead again. Their star RB was at it again as he raced down the field from the halfway line and a 2 point conversion through the air made it 14-7 Wembley.

Having adjusted their defense after our good start, the Stallions started to throttle our offensive output. We were struggling to move the ball at all and went four and out again with no real yardage gained. But the game turned back in our favour on Wembley’s next possession. Having stopped the Legion offense stone dead, the Stallions had the chance to drive and go two scores up. But a bad snap sailed over the QB’s head and in the resulting scramble, DE/LB Luan fell on the ball in the endzone for a touchdown. Incredibly, that’s now Luan’s fourth touchdown in as many games this season! All from his DE position. Aaron added the extra point and it was 14-14 at half-time.

It was a really good slugfest of a game. Having allowed us to get back on level terms, the Stallions defense then swung things back in their team’s favour. On the first play of the second half, Olly Z had the ball stripped from his grasp by a Stallions defender on our own three yard line. The Wembley QB bootlegged right two plays later for the TD and the extra point restored Wembley’s seven point lead. 21-14.

Having struggled through much of the first half against Wembley’s tough defense, the Legion offense finally found some rhythm. We  started to move the ball but unfortunately once again fell short. Wembley couldn’t get anything going either as the Legion’s defense tried to step up the pressure.

On the Legion’s next drive, it looked like disaster had struck. With Wembley already winning by seven, a mishandled pitch play left the ball on the ground and Wembley fell on the ball deep in Legion territory with the chance to go two scores up and ice the game.

Instead, what happened next swung the momentum decisively back in the Legion’s favour. As Wembley swept the ball right with a short yardage chance to convert and score, Sol stood up Wembley’s star RB and Harvey came in and stripped the ball from his possession running it all the way back down the left sideline for a touchdown (see photo above). Olly Z added the extra point and all of a sudden it was 21 apiece!

Despite Wembley threatening on their ensuing drive, they couldn’t get over midfield. The excellent BAFRA refereeing crew correctly judged a short yardage catch on 4th down to have hit the ground and instead of giving Wembley a first down, it was ruled incomplete. The Legion took over with the chance to come from behind and win.

A seven play drive culminated in 4th and goal at the 7. The Legion took a timeout to think it over. The play call proved to be a good one as Olly Z juked his defender and raced into the corner for the touchdown. He added the extra point as well for a 28-21 lead. Wembley had one last chance to respond, but the defense held strong and stalled the Stallions on 4th down. It left QB Nate to take a knee and run out the clock as the Legion move on to 4-0.

Division Two’s next set of games take place on June 21st in Oxford but it’s a bye week for the Legion. Oxford, Berkshire, Wembley and Poole will be playing in those games. We next take to the field in July at the Bristol tournament.

The other games

Wembley Stallions vs Oxford Saints

Oxford Saints vs South Wales Warriors