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07/01/2005: "Titan’s Title, Thunderbirds Speared!"

Titan’s Title, Thunderbirds Speared!

By Mark Weiby,

While the leaves were turning in St. Cloud, the Mid-America Football Championship was churning at full speed. The (8-2) Twin Cities Titans, coached by Nate Heiser, stormed into town with one thing on their mind… revenge! St. Cloud’s own (10-0) Central Minnesota Thunderbirds, coached by Chad Baldwin, flocked around Husky Stadium in hopes of getting home field advantage though the opening rounds of the North American Football League playoffs

The game started like every other game for the T-Birds, with an opening drive TD. Esterley found a streaking Brustuen for an early 7-0 lead. It didn’t take long for the Titan’s D to be back on the field, as T-Bird’s DB Norlander picked off Titan’s QB Neist, returning it into Titan’s territory at the 35. Esterley and Tarasawicz led the ground attack to the 1-yard line. Esterley faked the bootleg and took it in himself making 14-0, still in the opening quarter.

After a terrible first quarter, the Titans regained their composure and moved the ball on the backs of Neist and Bean III. Bean slid in from the 4-yard line bringing the Titans within a touchdown at 14-7. Getting the ball across the 50-yard line was easy for the T-Birds who were looking dominate once again. This was halted, however, when the pass was complete to WR Hill only to be stripped by Titans DB Karas and ran into the end zone to hitch the game at 14-14. The play clipped the wings of T-Birds, who seemed never to get comfortable again all game. A Jacobs’s field-goal before the half gave the T-Birds an edge at 17-14.

The third quarter began with the Titans clawing their way down field on the shoulders of Bean. Bean plowed through a tough T-Bird’s D for the 21-17 lead. This marked the second lead all season against the T-Birds’.

The start of the fourth quarter saw the Esterley get picked off in the end zone, ending a crucial drive already trailing. After a beautiful defensive stand, the T-Bird’s offense barreled into the end zone behind Tarasawicz’s legs. The extra point was missed and the score stood at 23-21. With less that six minutes remaining in the game, the T-Birds D held for a critical punt. T-Bird’s return man, Randy Lee, failed to get out of the way while the ball nipped his leg and was recovered by the Titans in the T-Bird’s nest at the 41! Neist and the offense had their chance to capture the lead and possibly the MFL crown. The offense took it to fourth-and-goal before Neist found a slicing Price, giving the Titans a 28-23 lead. The victory was capped off by executing a fake punt with 1:30 remaining that absolutely stunned the crowd and the T-Bird’s championship dreams.

Losing QB Esterley finished the contest 11/19 for 134-yards and two touchdowns, one rushing. Tarasawicz ran the ball 24 times for 107-yards and one TD, giving him over 1,500 rushing yards on the season.

The game ball goes the Titan’s defense that intercepted Esterley twice and forced a fumble returned for a TD. Neist had a TD pass on 17 completions while Bean shredded the T-Birds D for two touchdowns and 53-yards.

It was just another game but this time the 11th annual MFL Championship went to the Titans. Both teams await their fate as the playoffs fall into place.