Verizon scores but Miller wins

By Chris Belanger

For the Saipan Tribune

Last Saturday at the Hopwood Junior High Field a couple of questions were begging for answers as the Miller Barbarians took on the Verizon Blaze in the Commonwealth Football League.

One, will Verizon finally score their first points of the season? And, two, will the Blaze have what it takes to win their first game of the 2002 CFL?

Both questions were answered as the Verizon Blaze did score its first points of the season but failed to win as the Miller Barbarians came away with a 24-8 victory.

The match-up saw the Barbarians bust out early in the first quarter as quarterback Eric Lizama found receiver John Ogumoro in the endzone for a 26-yard touchdown pass. The conversion pass failed and the route appeared to be on with Miller up 6-0.

The Barbarians would add two more touchdowns, one late in the first quarter as Lizama hooked up with receiver Plas Tagabuel Jr. on a 9-yard scoring pass and then the duo would connect again in the second quarter on a broken play with the wobbly pass falling in Tagabuel’s hands for a 22-yard strike. That made it, Miller 18 and Verizon 0.

It wasn’t until just before halftime that the Verizon offense started to click. Runningbacks Oscar Sablan and Roger Tudela had several runs to keep the Blaze offensive drives alive and a few completed passes by quarterback Joshua Stein would keep the Barbarian defense at bay.

With six seconds remaining before halftime, Stein connected with streaking receiver Steve Harmson on a 49-yard pass, but Harmson fell short 12 yards from reaching the endzone. The Blaze failed to score but the momentum was in their favor.

In the third quarter, after a couple of offense series, Verizon had the ball at the Miller 26 yard line. A few plays later, Harmson would haul in a Stein pass in the corner of the endzone, amidst three Barbarian defenders, and the Verizon Blaze’s scoring ineptness finally ended. The scoreboard now read: Miller 18, Verizon 6 as everyone at the field, even the Barbarians cheered on the Blaze’s first score of the 2002 season.

But the celebration would be short lived as Miller would take the ensuing kick-off and march 61 yards down the field before Lizama would take the ball in on a 4-yard touchdown jaunt. The Barbarians re-affirmed that they indeed wanted to secure the victory with the score 24-6.

The final tally came in the fourth quarter when Blaze defensive lineman Perry Iguel tackled Tagabuel in the endzone for a 2-point safety. Final score Miller 24 and Verizon 8.

Topping the list of outstanding players in the game was regular season rushing champ and Miller runningback Chong Won who gained 182 yards on 20 carries. Lizama was a one man wrecking crew finising with 3 touchdown passes, despite 4 interceptions. He also intercepted a Verizon pass, recovered a Verizon fumble and ran in the ball for a touchdown.

For the second game in a row, Miller’s Roy Kaipat had several individual efforts, which got him big rushing gains. For the Blaze, Joshua Stein threw for 207 yards, 100 more yards than he threw all season, and 1 touchwon pass. The Blaze aerial attack was strengthened with the addition of former Tinian Typhoon receiver Clas Neskebei and the sure handedness of receiver Steve Harmson.

On the defensive side of the ball Miller’s Ben Pangelinan got yet another sack to add to his league-leading total of 6 sacks. For Verizon Alvin Atalig swiped 2 passes by Lizama.

The post-season for the 2002 CFL Season should feature a contest between the CNMI All-Stars and the Guam All-Stars. The date, time, and venue for the match-up will be determined in the days to come. Should this game not happen then a CFL title game will. Contact CFL Commissioner Jesse Stein for the final details regarding the CFL’s 2002 post-season games.