PIT TOUCH and FLAG FOOTBALL in WINNIPEG MANITOBA - FOOTBALL!

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The PIT was lucky enough to have some of the best championship weather in touch football history this year as each of our record 14 championships were played in ideal conditions. Not only was the weather perfect, but the playing surface was as well as all games were held at Investors Group Field. Win or lose all teams had a blast having had the opportunity to play where the pros play in the undisputed best outdoor facility there is to offer. We will ideally make championship day at IGF a habit after the huge positive response the league received from our membership. As for the championships this season, there were some incredible games, last second victories, and great individual performances, however the running theme was don’t jump out to an early lead! Contrary to conventional belief that you need to get out front of your opponent there were multiple games in which teams had big leads only to have the opposing team storm back and snatch victory from defeat.

Division 1: Guild of Calamitous Intent defeat the Jeffery 28-22
A tale of two halves as the Jeffery dominated the first half of this game, whereas the Guild controlled the second. The Jeffery capitalized on some uncharacteristically poor offensive play from the Guild limiting the highest scoring team in the league to just six first half points. The Jeffery at halftime were on their way to their first outdoor championship leading 22-6 but the youngest team in elite football showed some veteran resolve and came out in the second half to outscore The Jeffery 22-0 and take home their record tying third outdoor championship trophy. A great back and forth game that finished the way an elite game should, with some amazing plays, a close score and some great sportsmanship shown by both teams. The Guild is now branching out of touch football to other endeavors in an attempt to diversity their brand!

Division 2: The Ledge defeat No D 33-28
The Ledge went 3-0 against No D this summer, a pretty difficult feat to accomplish especially in the higher divisions. No D had no answer to The Ledge backfield as game MVP Marc Hebert along with Neil Gwizon and Jeff Kull took turns throwing the ball downfield. No D had planned for backfield but that seemed to go out the window drive number one. No D never recovered from getting down early and while they were able to climb back into this one to make it a game, every time they got close The Ledge backfield would hammer home another first down. The two teams did end up closing down Nicolinos together after the game in an epic display of comradery and drinking prowess.

Division 3: Beerhawks defeat Sleeveless Monstars 39-13
The Beerhawks looked to avenge their 2015 playoff loss to the Sleeveless Monstars on a bigger stage this year as the Division 3 final was chosen to be played under the lights as the final game of the 2016 season. The artificial turf of Investors Group field was built for the Beerhawks who may be the fastest team in touch football. The Beerhawks were able to move the ball thanks to the arm and feet of Keith Bourgeois to go along with the two touchdowns a piece scored by Marc Steeves and Brayden Bernstein. The game was punctuated by Griffin Berstein’s interception return for a touchdown to end the game. The Sleeveless Monstars kept the game close at the beginning but the speed of the Beerhawks was just too much for the Monstars to handle on this day.

Division 4: The Aints defeat The Enforcers 40-14
The Aints finally broke through with a championship title after making it to the last three consecutive championship finals and coming away empty handed. Not content to be the PIT version of the Buffalo Bills The Aints went out and led both the division and the championship final from wire to wire. Justin Steeves played lights out throwing five touchdown passes, two each to Richard Wyss and Mike Laping. Marc Steeves caps perhaps the best individual season in the PIT winning championships with The Aints, Guild and Beerhawks. Finishing the season with a championship was the storybook ending to a year the Aint's dedicated to their fallen teammate and friend Ryan Martin.

Division 5: Rampage defeat Big Deal 41-20
Both Rampage and Big Deal are franchises who have made it to multiple finals in the PIT and yet have never been able to bring home the hardware. One of these bridesmaids would have to break through on this day. The game was back and forth until the fourth quarter when Rampage was able to break the game wide open. Game MVP Shane Smedvik had 32 points for Rampage as the Big Deal defense had no answer for Funk-Smedvik combination on this day. Big Deal did have their chances, driving to the red zone an almost every drive but four separate drives stalled inside the Rampage 20-yard line as the Rampage defense played a great bend but don’t break style that kept the Big Deal offense in check.

Division 6: Agent Orange defeat the MegaPowers 22-20
One of the best games of the weekend as Agent Orange defeat both the MegaPowers and their own playoff demons by gutting out a two-point victory. The MegaPowers always come up big come playoffs winning some improbable championships and it seemed like this year would be no different. This team glides through the regular season but always seem to put things together and have been upset machines come playoffs the past couple of seasons. They almost did it again however a missed opportunity for a goal line interception that somehow resulted in a touchdown by Ziggy Haluik was the difference in this one as Agent Orange pick up their first PIT outdoor championship. Two days shy of his 79th birthday Lawson Tarbuth becomes the oldest player to hoist a PIT championship trophy!

Division 7: Dammit Donald defeat the Cat’s Meow 26-0
Dammit Donald’s record this year? 19 wins and 0.5 losses. Why 0.5? Dammit Donald lost their first game of the season 7-6 in a rain shortened game that was called at halftime. After that game they ran off 19 consecutive victories including the championship to cap the closest to an undefeated season in PIT outdoor history. In the process Dammit Donald ties the PIT outdoor record with three championships and becomes the first team to win three consecutive outdoor championships. This record setting team is also one of the youngest in touch football so don't bet against them becoming the first team in PIT history with four outdoor titles.

Division 8: Cobras defeat Bad Company 34-19
The Cobras were established in 1997 and in those 19 years have NEVER won a title. This year looked to be no different as Bad Company jumped off to a 19-0 lead after just the first quarter. But before we could pronounce the Cobras dead, a quarterback change and 34 points later Bad Company had no idea what hit them and the Cobras raised their first ever championship trophy. Max Jenson threw four second half touchdowns and scored a convert en route to winning not only the title but also the game MVP. And now you know, and knowing is half the battle!

Division 9: Gotham Knights defeat the Yolksters 36-13
The Yolksters were heavy favorites going into this game having won their last 15 consecutive games after starting the season 1-3. It looked like the Yolksters were well on their way to a 16th win as they jumped out to a quick 13 nothing lead, however, the Gotham Knights took the game over starting in the second quarter wherein they put up the first of their 36 unanswered points. Ev Jackson scored 22 points and had two interceptions and Nick “I bleeping dissected their defense” Jessamine threw for five touchdowns and took home MVP honors.

Division 10: FUBAR defeat Boozers 28-6
Not a good day to be a top seed as yet another first place team went down in flames. FUBAR’s defense proved to be just too much to handle as they caused five turnovers on the day. Three of FUBAR’s five interceptions were corralled by Matt Loewen as the Boozers, who scored on their first drive, couldn’t muster much offense after taking the early lead. On the other side of the ball Kelly Sansreget threw four touchdowns and had ran in two coverts. Boozers QB Jerome Swarath, who was inducted into the Manitoba Touch Football Hall of Fame prior to the game, unfortunately couldn’t add a title to his induction honors. Having said that Jerome was quite the gentlemen in defeat demonstrating another reason he is in the inaugural class of the HOF.

Division 11: Blouses Football defeat Suckskatchewan 20-15
Another top seed another loss. The top seeded Suckskatchewan looked to have this game in hand when QB Damian Bialkowski orchestrated a long drive in the fourth quarter that resulted in a rouge which broke a 14-14 tie. With just under three minutes remaining the Blouses scrimmaged on their 30-yard line with 80 yards to go. Blouse QB Nana Owusu channeled his inner Prince taking the team down to the five-yard line with four seconds remaining. Last play of the game Nana had the option to kick the single to send the game into overtime or go for the victory. Nana went for the jugular and hit Will Hazel in the back of the end zone to score the touchdown and end the game right there. Best game of the day! The Blouses proceeded to celebrate their victory with some pancakes.

Division 12: The Dirty Vikings defeat Blast from the Past 21-12
The Dirty Vikings and Blast from the Past are two of the nicest teams in touch football and it is unfortunate they couldn’t just tie the game and be co-champions! A tie was almost in the books as the game was 13-12 for Dirty Vikings with Blast from the Past deep in Vikings territory with only second remaining. However an errant pass led to an interception by Kyle Donnelly which was returned 85 yards for a touchdown to end the game. Another fantastic finish that may not have gone the Vikings way if not for the rushing clinic that Ryan Scott put on as he was able to contain Blast From the Past QB John Jonker who remains one of the most elusive quarterbacks in all of touch football.

Division 13: The Bullet Club defeat Hulkamania 38-20
The Bullet Club was led by the six touchdown passes by Travers Cummings, two each to Spencer Koch and Brant Ginter, the latter of which who scored on an incredible one-handed over the shoulder touchdown catch to seal the game in the fourth quarter. Great plays were the norm in this game as Hulkamania MVP Ian Dykes scored on a 110-yard pitch off an interception in one of the most amazing runs in PIT championship history! The return however just wasn’t enough for the Hulksters on this day as the Club was number one with a bullet.

Division 14: D.T.F defeat Down to Football 38-13
The winner of this game not only won the Division 14 championship but also the right to own the initials to their team name. D.T.F’s center (and game MVP) Corrine LeClair clearly wanted to keep her team's namesake so she went out and scored three touchdowns and doubled her entire season’s point total in the championship game! Her MVP performance broke a 13-13 tie with just one-minute remaining in the third quarter as some bad field position consistently put DTF deep in their territory allowing D.T.F. to capitalize and pour in 25 points in the final 21 minutes of the game.

A big thanks to everyone who participated in the Summer 2016 season and congratulations to our newest 14 division champions. We hope to top what we did this year next summer...and we have are in the works in doing something never before seen in Manitoba, so stay tuned!

The PIT Crew