Flag Recap Feb. 21, 2009

WEATHER: No complaints. Partly cloudy, low 60s. Great for football.

NEXT: We are back Saturday Feb. 28, noon, at Penmar Park. The league start date is tentatively set for March 28 (could be delayed a week pending field issues).

GAME: Back and forth, a lot of great defense. White bolted to a quick two-TD lead before Dark rallied to dominate. A late White rally made it close but Dark scored the final TD to win by nine (spread was 8.5).

CATCHES OF THE DAY: There were plenty. Patrick made a terrific diving grab just inches from the out-of-bounds line in the end zone for a fourth-down TD. Ross made a sliding grab in the end zone for a superb TD. Paul reached back and over while twisting his body for a long gainer down field.

SACK MASTERS: We had a bunch of great sacks. Leading the pack was Brian with three. Cyd had two and forced a pick on a near third one. And somebody, whose name escapes me (sorta tall, Broncos cap), claims he had two, though this could not be verified by independent witnesses.

WACKY PLAY OF THE DAY: Christophe, on fourth down, throwing to Chris, who sees the ball slide off his hands, off the hands of a defender and into the waiting arms of ZS for a score. Just like they drew it up.

FLAG GRAB OF THE DAY: Loved Ross’ hustle in chasing down somebody (forget who), lunging and snagging his flag. A great play where he did not give up on the play.

BALL HAWKS: New player Ben had two picks with nice coverage; Juan had one and played great DB all day. I know there was another but my mind is all fogged up.

TRICKERY BACKFIRES: Dark’s best defensive play of the day was White trying to get the rusher to jump early by hiking the ball on the second “hike!” Try 1: White player false starts, five-yard penalty. Try 2: White player false starts, five-yard penalty. Try 3: White player false starts, five-yard penalty. Try 4: White player false starts, five-yard penalty. Four false starts by three different players.

HEADS UP: The game’s final score happened on a great heads-up play. Shaun throws downfield to Brent who is surrounded by two White players, who are grabbing everything it seems but the flag. Brent sees Drew running behind him, tosses him the lateral and Drew races in. Drew yelled something about how that how the Raiders do it. An odd team to pick considering they haven’t had a winning record since 2002. If it was like the Raiders, Brent’s lateral would have been picked off and taken back by White.

NOTABLE: Great adjustment by Patrick on a deep pass for Shaun he took for a TD. … On the other hand, Patrick looked like a spectator on defense once watching this brown oval object come toward him, stopping to see this object caught by a receiver. … Still not sure how Yos could live in Miami and never have used sunscreen. … Great scramble by Toby on a play that resulted in a nice TD pass to Eugene. … Sorry Dave about jamming my forearm into your windpipe as I rumbled with a pass. You’ll be speaking in no time!