IYAA football players and cheerleaders test their skills against Ferris

Barry Byers Posted IYAA Football
Image: IYAA C-Team (K-2nd) captains Isaac Todd(30) and Julius Williams(88) wish the Ferris Yellow Jacket captains good luck in an early season rematch from the 2010 NESA Bantam Division Superbowl.

IYAA C-Team (K-2nd) captains Isaac Todd(30) and Julius Williams(88) wish the Ferris Yellow Jacket captains good luck in an early season rematch from the 2010 NESA Bantam Division Superbowl. (Barry Byers)

Bantam:
In what was a rematch from last season’s NESA Bantam Division superbowl matchup, Italy’s C-Team Gladiators (K-2nd) trailed the defending superbowl champion Ferris Yellow Jackets by 6-points early, but not for long. Quarterback Laveranues Green ran a keeper 55-yards to tie the game 6-6 on Italy’s first offensive play in the opening quarter.

With neither side budging after Green’s game tying touchdown, regulation ended with both teams still knotted at 6-6, leaving the winner to be decided in overtime. The Yellow Jacket defense swarmed Italy’s offense to keep Italy off the scoreboard. Ferris took advantage and ran in for a 25-yard touchdown on their first offensive play in overtime to claim a 12-6 victory. Italy’s C-Team record is now 1-1.

Minors:
Italy B-Team (3rd & 4th) quarterback Ricky Pendleton put on an impressive rushing performance for the second week in a row but the defending superbowl champs were unable to reach the endzone. Ferris maintained control throughout the game and won in the end, 28-0. Italy’s B-Team record is now 0-2. “Losses are tough but improving as a player is most important at this age. I enjoy watching our players get better every practice and I’m enjoying the experience,” commented first year IYAA assistant coach Jasenio Anderson.

Majors:
Italy’s A-Team Gladiators (5th & 6th) led the Ferris Yellow Jackets 2-0 after a recording a safety in the first half. Italy sealed the win late in the fourth quarter when quarterback Tylan Wallace threw a beeline pass into the endzone where receiver Kendrick Norwood cut in front of Yellow Jacket defenders at just the right moment to make the catch in triple coverage. Isaac Salcido bulled his way in for the 1-point conversion as Italy’s A-Team remains undefeated at 2-0 and has yet to give up a point defensively.

The IYAA Gladiators have a BYE this week but will challenge the Palmer Bulldogs on Saturday, October 1, in Italy with the C-Team kicking off the morning at 9:00 a.m., followed by the B-Team game at 10:00 a.m. and then the A-Team game at 11:30 a.m.

IYAA Sports, “The winning tradition starts here.”