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Photo credits: Emily Gillett.Media
Photo credits: Countrywide Photographic

Our Under 19’s squad finished their historic best-ever regular season this weekend with a trip to Reading. Securing two more wins on the day means that the Legion finish 8-0, undefeated throughout the season and the Division Two Southern Conference Champions. We are also now confirmed as the #1 seed in the nation ahead of the National Finals in Oxford this August.

Berkshire Renegades vs South East Legion

There was an unfortunate start to the day. Our fantastic hosts in Reading, the Berkshire Renegades, were let down by a handful of their players pulling out on the eve of the game. With the Renegades unable to meet the stipulated league minimum requirement of 14 players, our first game of the day was officially a forfeit. We would always much rather play the games and earn the win, but the result sent us to 7-0 and also confirmed the Legion as Southern Conference champions.

Although any game was not official, the Legion and Renegades agreed to a scrimmage which ended up lasting about a half. Following the coin toss, we took our opening drive to the Berkshire 17 yard line in seven plays before Nate found Olly Z on a short pass and he was able to find room to run and score the game’s first TD. Berkshire struggled to move the ball on offense at first and the Legion added to the lead shortly after when Olly M, filling in on defense for the day, tackled a Berkshire player in his own endzone for a safety to increase our lead to eight.

On the very next play, the Legion racked up their second touchdown and it was Olly Z who found the endzone once again. Taking a handoff and running inside his offensive line to the right, he raced clear to score a 45 yard touchdown. The PAT failed once again to leave the score 14-0.

A second safety, this time from Daniel, made it 16-0 and on our next drive it was Nate’s turn to get a long touchdown run. Having dropped back to pass, Berkshire applied some pressure and forced Nate left and out of his pocket. He saw an opportunity and raced down the left sideline, accompanied by two good blocks from his team-mates, to score his second TD of the season. Olly Z added the extra point to make it 23-0.

The scored stayed that way for the rest of the half. Berkshire began to find some rhythm on offense but couldn’t reach the endzone. Meanwhile, on offense, and with the result assured, the Legion offense allowed some of the wider squad to play. Tye came in at QB, Aaron played at RB while Riley made his return from long-term injury for a couple of snaps as well.

South East Legion vs Bristol Aztecs

Our final game of the season saw us take on the Bristol Aztecs for our second meeting of the season. The Aztecs had already suffered a tough defeat at the hands of the South Wales Warriors (see below) but kept their heads up with revenge on their mind after we beat them on home turf a couple of weeks ago. With the Berkshire result confirming us as Southern Conference champions, for the Legion it was all about staying undefeated and earning the #1 seeding spot in the country ahead of the national finals next month.

The game could not have started better for the Legion. The Aztecs took the ball first but, on the first play of the game, a deflected pass found its way into the arms of Olly M. Olly was able to dash the short distance to the endzone and Luke added the extra point for a 7-0 lead.

It was certainly a good first half for Luke. After Sol dived to intercept a deflected pass to give us the ball back on Bristol’s first drive, a seven play drive ended with a 13 yard touchdown pass from Nate to Luke in the corner of the endzone (pictured above). Luke then added the extra point again for 14-0.

The rest of the first half proved frustrating for both teams. A Bristol fumble deep in their own territory was handed back to the Aztecs on our next play when we fumbled as well! Both teams then went ‘4 and out’ before Luan forced a fumble and recovered it to put the Legion in scoring position at the two minute warning. The Aztecs defense held firm, however, to keep our lead within touching distance at the half-time break.

However the second half was all Legion. We had the ball first to start the second half and another careful drive suddenly burst into life when Olly Z took a sweep to the left and was able to find space and the 29 yard touchdown to make it 20-0.

With Bristol passing more and more in an attempt to get back into the game, defensive captain Sol took over. As they approached halfway, Sol anticipated the pass beautifully and stepped in front of the receiver to grab his second interception of the day and ran it back all the way for his first touchdown of the season. Olly Z added the extra point for a 27-0 lead.

After Bristol went ‘4 and out’, the Legion offense added another TD as Nate threw his second TD of the day – this time to Olly Z from 15 yards out. Again, it was Olly Z adding the extra point to make it 34-0.

But then Sol added the punctuation point. With time running down, Bristol looked to throw deep but Sol once again intercepted the pass to give him three on the day and the Legion four overall. This time he found room running down the right sideline with his team-mates clearing a path and he scored once again to make the final result 40-0.

The other games

South Wales Warriors vs Bristol Aztecs

Berkshire Renegades vs South Wales Warriors