Tinian Terminators are undisputed champs

TINIAN—The Tinian Terminators upended the Bombers 20-14 to end the season with a 3-0 record and win the championship of the 8-man Tinian Football League.

The Bombers however did not hand the title on a silver platter as the 1-2 team under coach Jim Wedding fought tooth and nail to lead the game early in the half.

On the Bombers’ very first offensive play, weak-side linebacker Ian Ikehara, at the Bombers 28 yard line, sacked quarterback Frank Hocog for a loss of two yards.

On the very next play, Hocog rolled out to his right and pitched the ball to running back P.J. Borja, who punched his way through to the 50-yard line for a 22-yard gain.

On the fourth play of the drive, Hocog faked a hand-off and ran the ball to score the first touchdown of the game giving the Bombers an early 6-0 lead.

After a series of plays in the second quarter, the first touchdown scored by the Terminators came from a Luke Nickerman pass to receiver Rudy Borja, deep within their own 28-yard line. The Terminators then went for a two-point conversion, however, the Bombers’ defense thwarted their attempt, thus keeping the lead at 7-6.

The Terminators would take the lead in the second and were ahead 12-7 when Nickerman failed to complete a pass.

The Bombers then countered with a series of plays to set up a screen pass to running back P.J. Borja, who ran the ball in for their second touchdown, thus taking back the lead with a score of 13-12.

The 1-point PAT, which followed, came from a Hocog pitch-out to P.J. Borja, who stormed in the end zone for the extra point with right-guard Jay

SanNicolas lead blocking up front. At the end of the half, the Bombers lead with a score of 14 to 12.

However, late in the fourth quarter, the Terminators erupted to put away the game when Nickerman ran the ball to score the third and final touchdown of the game from the Bombers’ 18-yard line. On the very next play, Nickerman ran the ball again and scored the only PAT that gave the Terminators the lead to win the game with a final score of 20-14.

Coach Tony Ruffin did a great job in leading the Terminators towards a perfect season.

“It is imperative that we spark enough public interest and use all available resources to ensure that the future of football on Tinian will not fade out,” he said.

The Bombers will challenge the 0-2 Cyclones to determine who plays against the undefeated Terminators at 10am on Saturday May 4 asTinian celebrates the San Jose Fiesta.

If football players from Saipan’s CFL are willing to accept playing 11-man or 8-man football against Tinian on that day, the players from Tinian’s TFL will be more than happy to compete, said Ruffin.