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Med Group sinks Navy, earns top tourney seed

  • Published
  • By John Stuart
  • Tinker Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  If you asked the Gym Rats, they weren't scared Tuesday night. Not even mildly concerned. They knew they would win, even though the situation looked dire.

Security Forces had just stormed 80-yards downfield in five plays and went up 14-9 against the Rats in the final moments of the fourth quarter.

As the two-minute whistle blew, the Rats only had eight plays left in the game to eek out a win. No problem.

In a stellar showing of competition on both sides, the Rats topped the second-ranked SFS team 15-14 April 20. It was a nail-biter with three lead changes in the second half and might rank among the top flag football games in Tinker lore.

SFS was leading 8-0 going into the second half and they had the momentum, as the Rats offense had sputtered early. But things started going sour for SFS in the third quarter, when quarterback Marques Mitchell fumbled a snap in his end zone to give the Rats two points and possession of the ball.

Nine plays later the Rats were knocking at the door, and a two-yard touchdown pass to Mike Dominey and his good PAT made it 9-8.

But SFS wasn't done. Only five plays later SFS was in the Rats end zone, capping a stellar drive with a touchdown by receiver Charles Shumpert. The two-point conversion attempt came up dry, which would come back to haunt them. But SFS had the lead for now.

The Rats were down 14-9 with eight plays left in the game from their own 20. Eighty full yards were between them and a touchdown. Eighty yards. Eight plays.

But as it turned out, they only needed two.

Rats quarterback Tony Salafia had been craving the deep ball all night, and had minimal success, racking up two interceptions earlier in the game. But he had this drive dialed in.

Rocking back out of the shotgun on first and 10, Salafia went deep, and so did receiver Cody Brooks on the left sideline. Brooks hauled in the pass between two SFS defenders and ran out of bounds at the SFS 40 yard line.

One play, forty yards.

It was first and 10 from the SFS 40 and there was Salafia again out of the shotgun. This time he threw right. With the blitz on, Salafia heaved it high and into the end zone.

Receiver Quincy Boles turned the motor on to get under it and barely pulled it in before collapsing in the end zone for six points. One play, 40 more yards. The PAT was wide right, but it didn't matter. SFS diddled the final six plays and the Rats had won it 15-14, improving to 8-1 on the season, while SFS slipped to 5-3.