15th December 2002 - Raiders finish a disappointing 5th but win BSFL National 5 on 5 title
Though we didn't have the greatest of tournaments yesterday in Beach Bowl II, we still did just enough to win the BSFL National 5-on-5 tournament based on our 5-on-5 results throughout 2002. Last year in bitterly cold weather condition, the Beach Bowl should have been called the Ice Bowl. This year, undoubtedly, it should have been called the Mud Bowl! The photo below does not do the conditions justice as nine teams (an increase on last years numbers) entered this senior flag 5-on-5 tournament. Bournemouth struggled offensively in their opening 3 games scoring just two TD's (we scored 4 TD's on interceptions!), but stepped up to win the game that counted 19-12 against Leicester Eagles. That win edged Bournemouth to the top of the BSFL National 5-on-5 League table. On the day, Bournemouth finished 5th out of the 9 teams.
On the day we won 2 and lost 2, which meant that we finished 5th out of the 9 teams competing.
Bournemouth Raiders 24-0 Brockenhurst Exiles
On a complete bog of a pitch, the Raiders destroyed their local rivals scoring 4 TD's to 0 in a 24-0 whitewash. The Raiders picked off the Exiles QB 3 times, and each one was returned for a TD to give the Raiders an unassailable lead. On the first play of the day, Matt Heasman returned one for a TD, and that was quickly followed by ones from Matt Hemsley and Abdul Lawal. The Raiders struggled offensively also, with Heasman unable to complete a pass, and it was left to Vincent Gurrea to seal the win with another interception return to give the Raiders the win.
Bournemouth Raiders 6-7 Chichester Sharks
No excuses in this one - we just played terrible. Against a Sharks we had destroyed a couple of months before, we just didn't perform. Offensively we struggled until we realised that running the ball would probably be the best option in the conditions. When the Sharks completed a short pass with 10 mins to go deep in their own half, it turned into a long distance breakaway score which was converted to give the Sharks a 7-0 lead. On the next drive, a hand off to Lawal gained 10 yards, and on the next play Lawal broke down the right touch line for a TD. The PAT was incomplete, and the Raiders were unable to score again leading the Sharks to take their place in the Championship group.
Bournemouth Raiders 6-12 Birmingham Raiders
The defeat to Chichester left the team deflated and that showed in the opening game of the 2nd stage of the competition which would determine 4th, 5th and 6th spots. Birmingham took an early lead, but the Raiders hit back on a counter run with Lawal charging down the left hand touchline with Stu Winship shadow blocking! With the scores tied at 6-6, it was the Birmingham Raiders who stole the game with a deent drive leading to a catch in the left hand corner of the endzone to deal Bournemouth their second straight defeat.
Bournemouth v. Birmingham - just
look at the pitch!!!**
Bournemouth Raiders 19-12 Leicester Eagles
The Raiders really have a hoodoo over the Eagles, and this was a crucial game for both sides. With results from all BSFL 5-on-5 tournaments counting towards the final BSFL National table, the winner of this game would win the title. Bournemouth opened up with a series of runs and passes on a great drive kept alive by center Allen Gilbert stunning one handed diving catch on 4th down. It was Gilbert again who made the catch from Heasman to give the Raiders a 6-0 lead. The tide swung firmly back to the Eagles in a two minute spell, when Andre Clarke broke two tackles to score, and then on the Raiders
next drive Heasman was intercepted by Clarke who returned the interception for the score to put the Eagles 12-6 up. Heasman led the team back down the field, which culminated with Matt Hemsley scoring on a crossing pattern to tie things up at 12-12. A tie would not have been good enough for Bournemouth, and remarkably it was rookie Duncan MacGregor who won the game for the Raiders when he made a great interception which he returned for the winning score. Heasman hooked up with Mark Houston for the 1 PAT to give the Raiders a 19-12 lead. The defense then stepped up and held the Eagles on their next drive to give the Raiders the win and the BSFL National Championship!
Stats:
Passing: Matt Heasman
2 TD passes (1 point after
TD passes)
Rushing: Abdul Lawal 2 TD's
Receiving: Allen Gilbert 1 TD,
Hemsley 1 TD, Houston 1 point after TD reception
Interceptions: Hemsley 1, Heasman 1, Gurrea 1, Lawal 1,
MacGregor 1
Squad: Matt Heasman, Allen Gilbert, Mark Elliott, Matt Hemsley, Bene Lewis, Mark Houston, Duncan MacGregor, Abdulmalik Lawal, Stuart Winship, Vincent Gurrea
| Qualifying Group A | W |
L |
D |
For |
Agn |
% |
| Chichester Sharks |
2 |
0 |
0 |
33 |
12 |
1.000 |
| Bournemouth Raiders |
1 |
1 |
0 |
30 |
7 |
0.500 |
| Brockenhurst Exiles | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 50 | 0.000 |
| Qualifying Group B | W |
L |
D |
For |
Agn |
% |
| Southern Sundevils A |
2 |
0 |
0 |
42 |
20 |
1.000 |
| Leicester Eagles |
1 |
1 |
0 |
27 |
20 |
0.500 |
| Southampton Stags | 0 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 43 | 0.000 |
| Qualifying Group C | W |
L |
D |
For |
Agn |
% |
| Southern Sundevils B |
2 |
0 |
0 |
31 |
24 |
1.000 |
| Birmingham Raiders |
1 |
1 |
0 |
24 |
25 |
0.500 |
| Derby Dream Team | 0 | 2 | 0 | 19 | 25 | 0.000 |
| Championship Group | W |
L |
D |
For |
Agn |
% |
| Southern Sundevils B |
2 |
0 |
0 |
45 |
0 |
1.000 |
| Southern Sundevils A |
1 |
1 |
0 |
12 |
25 |
0.500 |
| Chichester Sharks | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 39 | 0.000 |
| 4th/5th/6th Group | W |
L |
D |
For |
Agn |
% |
| Leicester Eagles |
1 |
1 |
0 |
30 |
25 |
0.500 |
| Bournemouth Raiders |
1 |
1 |
0 |
25 |
24 |
0.500 |
| Birmingham Raiders | 1 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 24 | 0.500 |
| 7th/8th/9th Group | W |
L |
D |
For |
Agn |
% |
| Derby Dream Team |
2 |
0 |
0 |
42 |
14 |
1.000 |
| Southampton Stags |
1 |
1 |
0 |
14 |
21 |
0.500 |
| Brockenhurst Exiles | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 29 | 0.000 |