Final Score : Claymores 22 - 30 Admirals
For a season that started so well, with so much optimism and hope for a World Bowl spot, it has turned out to be a huge disappointment for everyone involved. Just 4 weeks ago the Claymores led this league and looked set for a postseason berth but then losses to Berlin, in Barcelona and the Admirals killed off all those thoughts.
It was Amsterdam again which condemned the Claymores to their 3rd losing season in 5 years with a 4-6 record. It's hard to believe we started 3-1.
Anyhoo, this week in the Amsterdam ArenA there was little else to play for but pride.
Jim Kubiak, the Admirals QB got the Dutch side on the board first with a 5 yard touchdown pass to James Kidd however Silvio Diliberto missed the extra point wide right giving the Ads only a touchdowns lead at 6-0.
The Claymores struck back soon after with a long drive culminating in a 1 yard plunge round the right side by Jesse Haynes. Rob Hart kicked the extra point to give the Claymores a 7-6 lead late in the 1st quarter - memories from last week anyone?
Any momentum the Claymores gained on that drive was blown away instantly when a blown kick coverage allowed James Kidd to return the kickoff 90 yards for a score. This time Diliberto was too afraid of Al Luginbill to miss the extra point giving Amsterdam a 13-7 lead.
By the 3rd quarter, the Claymores had begun to start playing - late as usual but hey, better than not at all! It was not enough to stop Amsterdam driving down to field goal range where Francesco Biancamono converted from 29 yards. 16-7 Ads.
Jesse Haynes added his team record 11th touchdown this season, again from 1 yard and again Hart converted to reduce the deficit to 16-14.
Amsterdam under Kubiak scored twice in a 5 minute span at the start of the 4th quarter on a 5 yard pass to James Kidd (a record tying 3rd TD in the game) and a 6 yard pass to tight end Cory Geason. The score read 30-14 and the game looked well and truly over for the Claymores.
However, Dameyune Craig and co would not give up that easily on this night. With little under 5 minutes left the offense drove to the Admirals 20 yard line where a facemask penalty on Amsterdam moved them up to the 5 yard line. From there Craig hit Donald Sellers in the endzone for a score. 30-20, still totally out of it right? Well, no, not quite as Craig again hit Sellers for the 2 point conversion to bring the Claymores within 8 - one score!
Chris Dolan came on to attempt the onside kick. It was an absolute beauty and again it was Sellers who leaped up and grabbed it for the Scots. Craig hit Michael Jenkins for a big gain to move the Claymores into scoring range. A few plays later and Scotland was knocking on the Admirals door.
Then, Sellers caught a beautiful ball from Craig at the right side of the endzone but the official ruled him out of bounds. To be fair, the replay did actually show it was a good call (one of few but more on that later!)
Two plays later, a throw to the endzone was picked off and the game was over with Amsterdam taking over with one minute left to play. They ran out the clock and the 1999 Claymores season is over.
Comments
So that's it. The season is over for the Claymores and by the way they played the last few weeks it's probably just as well!
Once again I must complain about the standards of refereeing in this encounter with one or two calls being atrocious. Most notably this week a pass interference call or rather a non pass interference call. An Amsterdam safety literally mugged the Claymores Scott Couper just before he was about to catch the ball for 18 yards. The result? The ball deflected off poor Scott who was being blinded by a safeties arm and into the waiting arms of a defender for an interception. Inteference? I think so. Flag? Don't be stupid!
I could go on and list 3, 4, 5 other calls made against both teams which were more than suspect but I won't because it's deadly boring and I wouldn't subject even Oliver Luck to it. Well, Ok, I might!
On the playing side, Craig fell just short of Dave Archer's single season passing but he gave it a good effort and had he had fewer interceptions (3) could well have made it. Oh well, you'll just have to come back next season and try for it Dameyune! Well, I don't expect to see Dameyune back next season but if he were to find himself unemployed we'll be only too glad to see him back in blue and silver and no Lorne, that's not Dallas colours!
Ok people, World Bowl now which will be a lot of fun even if the Claymores aren't in it. I'll be there in a limited edition Touchdown Claymores t-shirt so come and say hi. Otherwise keep visiting TDC as we have a number of features for the next few weeks starting with the World Bowl preview on Thursday and the Bowl review on Tuesday.