Golden boys: Reserve Gold clinches back-to-back titles

  • Published
  • By John Parker
  • 72nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs

Reserve Gold secured its second flag football championship of the year Nov. 16, adding the fall league crown to its Spring Flag Football League triumph last May.

“My team came out and did what we did all year – we bent, but didn’t break,” quarterback Jim Gasaway said after the game. “The offense was clicking. Great blocking, great skill players. What can you say? It was just fun.”

The 23-6 win over the 552nd Maintenance Squadron was Gasaway’s third base championship as QB and fourth overall. Gold’s undefeated defense only gave up 13 points all season, all in the playoffs.

552nd MXS took the field with a commanding opening drive. Quarterback Darren Massey zeroed in on star receiver Orlando Widow on the first snap with a 30-yard reception to the 50. He connected with Widow again for 13 yards, ran on his own for 15, and found Widow for the TD on a seven-play, 80-yard drive. The extra point sailed left.

Gold’s offense took off, scoring in four plays. Gasaway connected on passes of 9, 26 and 10 yards to march to the 19 yard line. Gasaway next struck Floyd Conner for the touchdown. The extra-point try bounced off a goalpost as the teams tied 6-6.

The Massey-Widow express rolled out again with a 19-yard pass to the 39. Gold’s defense, however, stepped up to prevent a second long march. Gold seized control at their own 42 after a 7-yard sack and a fourth-down stand.

With halftime looming, Gold moved fast and hit pay dirt in five plays. Gasaway lit up Jacob Bacon for the TD. The kick set them ahead 13-6.

Gold’s Greg Shepherd ended MXS’s next three-play drive with an interception just before halftime.

Reserve’s offense revved up again with a 10-play march to the 552nd’s 14 yard line. The biggest play was a 52-yard bomb to receiver Jacob Bacon. MXS pushed Gold back to the 14, where Bacon spilt the uprights with a 31-yard field goal and a 16-6 lead.

Massey tossed a bomb of his own on first down at the 20, with drastically worse results. Gold’s Brett Nims intercepted to change possession at Reserve’s 44.

Gold’s efficient offense in the fourth quarter put the game out of reach in six plays. Chad Van Winkle snagged a 31-yard reception to the 5. A Gasaway bullet to Brian VanCuren over the heads of the rushers, and a good kick, sealed the final digits, 23-6. VanCuren intercepted on MXS’s final possession.

The 552nd’s Eric Zach said the team’s strong start was followed by getting “a little bit away from our offensive game plan.”

“We started looking for deep balls and quit looking underneath as much as we should have,” he said. “But we played solid all around, and that’s a good team to play against.”

The spring league is scheduled to start March 7.