WARRIORS 2007 USFA CHAMPIONS

It took seven years of hard work, but the Lima Warriors finally reached their goal - A Championship!

By Joel Renner

Lima Warriors Chief Staff Reporter

9/6/07 – LIMA, OH -- Glenn White, beaming and sporting bandages on his broken hand so he could play in the game, waded through the mob on the soggy field until he found his childhood friend and quarterback, Justin Henderson.

“We’ve been dreaming of this since we were ten years old,” White said.

Shortly after, John Parkins and the rest of the coaching staff and players were giving each other hugs and smiling.  And there they all stood in the rain, the United States Football Alliance champions and their fans, finally savoring a moment that was a long time coming. 

A wet and wild night of smash-mouth football brought Parkins, Henderson, the entire coaching staff, and the Lima Warriors to the top of the USFA with a 42-0 victory over the Beaver County Vipers on Saturday night and a birth to the national championship game in Homestead, FL on Jan 12.

A field built to withstand the rain allowed for the players to find their footing despite being soaked with rain.  The Warriors were far less sloppy than the Vipers, particularly their talented defense, who proved they could indeed win the big game. 

“It was awesome,” Warriors coach John Parkins said. “It feels like I wanted it to feel.   It’s hard. I feel sorry for other teams that have to play against this type of defense.   It’s just relentless.”

Parkins won his 12 playoff game as a head coach, teaming up with offensive coordinator Sean Liles, defensive coordinator Rod Inbody, defensive back/outside linebacker coach Jay Brown, defensive line coach Nick Perez, offensive line coach Tracy Rhoades, assistant coach Ashley Brownlow, special teams coach Matt Mikesell and offensive assistant Dennis Dunbar to prepare the team with an excellent game plan.

“They kept pounding, pounding and pounding,” Parkins said. “All my coaching staff had a phenomenal game plan. They had the players ready to play today.”

Parkins’ ring wasn’t the only first.  It was also the first time of the season that the Warriors faced stormy weather and the first time their talented linebacker, Yansey Donald, returned after tearing his ACL, which damaged the meniscus in his left knee and broke his ankle 10 weeks ago.  The sensational second-year member sped towards a loose ball and recovered it at the Beaver County 36-yard line for the first turnover of the game and later went on to win the defensive player of the game.

“Yansey hasn’t played since week six,” Parkins said. “He steps out there today after two months off and plays like he never left.”

Just as in the 2006 NFL Super Bowl, rain affected the strategies used in the USFA championship.  Passing the ball became very difficult, especially for Beaver County in the second half as they threw three interceptions.  The first half was marred by three turnovers by the Vipers, which turned into 22 points for the Warriors.  Even the Warriors’ kicking game was affected by the weather as no extra point attempts were converted and three two-point conversions had to be attempted after touchdowns.

The Warriors are on pace to play the Mid-Ohio Jets out of the Mid Ohio Football league for the national championship game.  The Jets were in attendance to scout the potential matchup, including owner Same Husein.

“The Warriors’ nation was in full force,” Husein said.  “It was a great effort from all of the Warriors’ players.  I was happy to finally see them get that elusive ring.”

When the overwhelmed Vipers’ quarterback Troy Iacobucci was hit like a ton of bricks by Troy Williamson and Ty Carpenter returned the fumble 37 yards for the second touchdown at 1:49 left in the second quarter, Parkins jumped in the air with joy and the fans had a feeling it was the Warriors’ time to shine.

"I think about the last 12 years that I’ve been coaching and it has been a long time waiting,” offensive coordinator Sean Liles said.  “ It couldn’t have happened to a better team and a bunch of hard working people.”

Beaver County (10-1), which was near the top of the league in takeaways this season, finished with numerous turnovers, including three interceptions by Iacobucci, but played hard the entire game.

"It has only been a few days, but I still want to play this upcoming weekend, tight end Kaene Runion said.  “I'm going to miss Saturdays and I don’t want to end this special season.”

The Warriors (13-0) will take it.  It’s their first title since the organization started in 2001.  The team received tremendous support from the hometown fans, despite the bad weather.  People lined the lower-level railing and shouted encouragement; some painted their faces, the eight grade Lima Bath football players painted their chest and a rain dance nearly broke out as it is was confirmed with support, that after years of playing outside of Lima, that area has embraced the Warriors and their new home.

“Lima is a tough place to play,” offensive lineman John Lance said.   “Our crowd was nutty last night and behind us all the way.  It was our time.”

It was also confirmation of the defensive brilliance, even though they didn’t need to be as dynamic as they were to pull off the win.  Sprinkled with players from all backgrounds, proximity to Lima and talent, the defense has been dominant throughout the history of the Warriors and the team has been lucky to have star players every season in the seven years of existence.

“I think I was one of the last out of the locker room last night because I didn't want the night to get over,” defensive tackle Anthony Mikesell said.

It also was a validation of the coaching leadership.  The coaches helped build semi-pro football into what it is today throughout Ohio.  Lima has been a contender nearly every year since the 2001 season due to the tireless effort of the coaches.  This year, the Warriors may have won the championship, but they know that the past players and coaches are a big significance to obtaining this win.

“This past week I couldn’t get much sleep,” offensive coordinator Sean Liles said.  “I would wake up in the middle of the night and think about what offense to run or who to put in for certain plays.”

Saturday was finally the coaches’ turn.  As the players doused water on their leaders, they switched from great coaches with the ability to inspire to “USFA champions.”  Both teams congratulated each other as they shook hands after the game and the witnessing of hands shaking and players embracing showed the level of class and respect that both teams had for one another.

“Beaver County embodies what a champion is supposed to be,” Warriors’ vice-president Devon Jones said. “They are a class act all the way. It was an honor to play them. We celebrated, but now the work for 2008 starts.”

The Warriors reached the pinnacle by winning four postseason games with a defense that dominated as usual and an offense that stepped up and looked well polished all season.

And with a running game that perfectly complemented Henderson, thanks to Jeremy Bott, Chris Brooks, Andrew Cleckley and others, who barreled over defenders all game.  Bott led the Warriors on the ground as he rushed eight times for 64 yards.  The highlight of Brooks night was when he caught a screen pass and dashed 12 yards for a touchdown with 13 seconds remaining in the first half to send the Warriors into the locker room with a 22-0 lead.

“Regardless of where our lives take us, we will all be linked forever by what has been accomplished this season and it’s not over,” webcast announcer and game day operator Aaron Matthews said. “We've still got one more to go and I pray that we dominate like we did Saturday. I’ve lost my voice. I sound like I have gravel in my mouth and that’s quite ok with me. I know that I could holler ‘touchdown warriors’ at any given moment right now.”

Beaver County was denied its second USFA championship in two years.  These Vipers faced a tougher opponent from the Warriors after they beat Penn Ohio 17-6 in 2006 and last year’s championship MVP VaShawn Patrick was a limited factor as a wide receiver this time around.

“Saturday was the reason I came to this team and if -with the exception of the national championship- it was my last game, I will be leaving with much more than a ring,” offensive lineman John Lance said. “I've got friendships that will last forever and now we have a bond that will keep us together forever. No one can ever take this away. We are Champs.”

It rained from start to finish; there was even dancing in the rain during the halftime performance when the Dancin’ Damsels entertained the crowd with a brand new routine.  And though the Warriors’ kickers were victim of the slop, long kickoffs gave Beaver County poor field position all game.  Elliot nailed a 60-yard field goal during the pre-game, but the wet conditions prevented him to show his powerful leg in the game.  A thirty-minute lightening delay was announced with 7 seconds left in the first quarter, but after seven years, 12 games and two weeks after the conference championship, the Warriors didn’t mind to wait a little bit longer.

“Now we will have to work even harder to keep what everyone wants to take from us,” Jones said.  “The Warrior legacy has evolved into the next phase and we have to keep building on what we did Saturday night.

Porfirio Sutton’s spectacular 36-yard catch down the sideline with 5 minuets left in the second quarter provided a stunning beginning to the scoring for the Warriors – and a severe jolt to the Vipers.   The Mansfield product and only second-year player lifted the fans from their seats with his grab and then dashed up the visiting sideline culminating in a celebration with the offense in the end zone.

The receivers barely touched the ball again as Lima went to the rushing attack due to the rain.

Leading 22-0 at halftime, the Warriors spent most of the third quarter with the clock running and a long march led to Myron Gregory’s three-yard touchdown run with 54 seconds left in the quarter.  On two consecutive plays, Henderson gave the ball to playmakers as he first found Kaene Runion who scampered 34 yards.  Henderson then handed the ball to fullback Dion Pearson who bulled his way 11 yards to set up the touchdown by Gregory.

Vipers’ quarterback, Troy Iacobucci, sent a message to the Warriors leading up to the big game that was perfect locker room material.  The message stated that he understood how the Warriors may think this is their game to lose, ‘but remember we are the returning champs and I don’t know how you play ball in Ohio, but here in western Pennsylvania, we leave it all on the field. So be very worried about stopping me.”  The extra motivation added fuel to the fire for the Warriors and Iacobucci didn’t know what hit him after the game.

Iacobucci had a long night as Bernard Austin picked off a pass at the Vipers’ 16-yard line and set up the Warriors’ for their third touchdown with 41 seconds left in the first half.  Wayne LeGrant picked off two of Iacobucci’s passes and Brandt Huttis returned an interception for a touchdown, but was ruled down by contact after he slipped even though he didn’t appear to get touched.  Donald’s fumble recovery and Williamson’s sack were other big plays for the defense as players slipped all over the field.  Maybe Iacobucci would have done better in the confines of a home field or neutral site as Lima Stadium was raucous all game and gave the players an added adrenaline rush.

“This is what we play for and I’m glad the old guys got it,” linebacker Jason Bott said.  “A shutout on defense in a championship game is huge.  The Vipers held a team scoreless to make this game.   It’s amazing that we just shutout the best team in the eastern conference.  My brother Jeremy and I have been dreaming about this for nine years and now we’re going for a national championship.”

It was hard to find any one single player that carried the Vipers’ offensive load when Iacobucci was ejected and Beaver County lost one of their key players.  But even with Iacobucci out and Michael Lundy taking over at QB, the Vipers were offensively ineffective, even inept at times, all the Vipers managed in the game was 64 total yards and gave the Warriors their seventh shutout of the year.

After Sutton’s opening dagger, the Warriors scored two more times in 4:47 and put a 22-point blitzkrieg on the Vipers after the game was evenly matched for the first 25 minutes of the game.  Early in the third quarter, Iacobucci tried to force a pass in double coverage and was picked off by LeGrant to spoil Beaver County’s first possession of the fourth quarter, but the ball was fumbled and recovered by the Vipers on the eleven-yard line.  The Warriors’ defense again swarmed as Isaac Melton blew up a screen pass for a one-yard loss.  The next play ended in a safety as Iacobucci fumbled the ball and was sacked negative 10 yards in the end zone by Jason Bott and company to make the score 30-0.

Then the rain turned from stinging into a steady drizzle.

The ensuing possession, Henderson led the Warriors down the field on a textbook five-play, ninety five-yard drive that ended in Jason Bott, also a linebacker, juking defenders for a 20-yard touchdown run with 9:48 in the game and Lima was ahead 36-0.

The whole team was celebrating on the sideline throughout the fourth quarter, but Glenn White, who missed the previous two-playoff games due to a broken hand, still wanted to score.  White closed all scoring with a five-yard sweep to the home side of the field with 1:53 remaining in the game.

Despite the horrid football weather, Lima came to play and Beaver County struggled to find a grasp on the ball or any momentum to get the ball rolling offensively.

The Warriors’ offense certainly came to play.  The piled up 320 yards while the defense held the Vipers to 64 rushing yards and - 18yards of passing.  The Warriors backs and receivers used sharp cutbacks and Sutton led the Warriors in receiving with two catches for 43 yards.  Henderson completed 8-of-15 passes for 120 yards and two touchdowns.  The offensive line gave the Henderson a lot of time to find receivers and the towering men were named offensive players of the game.

“I would also like to give some love to the offensive line for opening holes all season for over 10 running backs who all had great success running the ball and consistently gave the QB all the time in the world to throw the ball all year long,” center Tyler Covert said.

Over half of the Warriors’ drives started in Beaver County territory, setting up tremendous field position for Lima.

Elliot, who made many crucial kicks for Lima in the regular season, went down after injuring his leg on a botched extra point attempt, but will hopefully be in full strength for the national championship game in four months.

The Warriors will hold the Lima Poker Freezeout, where players and the staff will be competing and working on Sept. 15 at the Allen County Fairgrounds.  The proceeds will benefit the Lima Warriors and the large majority of proceeds will be paid back to the contestants.

“I like the Idea of three rings for me,” defensive back Dustin Hunt said with a smile. “The USFA championship ring, a national championship ring and last but not least, the Lima Poker Freezeout ring.”

The 2007 Lima Warriors’ squad set many team and league records as they used a phenomenal regular season and USFA playoff performance to propel themselves into the national spotlight and will forever be champions.

Adam Gill is one of the players who announced that this is their final season with the Warriors and the men leaving, left the game they loved on top.

“No matter what, this game and the people you play beside will be with you every day in your hearts and on your mind,” Gill said.  “I just want to thank all the players for the lifetime of memories, the friendships, and for battling beside me, all for the love of the game.”