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'Dam busters: Claymores come up big in Amsterdam

Final Score:
Claymores 42 - 10 Admirals

Having never won in a stadium doesn't seem to pose a problem for the Claymores anymore. Twice in the past two weeks, they've won in venues where they were previously winless. In both cases, the victories were emphatic.


A wide open Scott Couper hauls in Kevin Daft's pass for the Claymores first score
Photo: Iain Carey
It was national player Scott Couper, who seems to have made a habit of scoring against Amsterdam - who opened the scoring when he latched on to Kevin Daft's pass from 5 yards without a defender within 15 yards of him. The play had been setup by LB Jon Hesse who pulled in his second interception in two weeks.

Donald Sellers caught his fourth touchdown pass in three games from 15 yards, again from Kevin Daft. Rob Hart's extra point gave the Claymores a 14 point cushion by the end of the first quarter.

The onslaught continued into the second quarter when QB Marcus Crandell had the Claymores driving. On second and goal from the seven yard line, Crandell dropped back to pass, saw a huge gap to the left and set off running. He waltzed, untouched into the endzone to extend the Scots lead to 21.

Finally, Amsterdam QB Ron Powlus was able to move the Admirals into Claymores territory. The Claymores D held Amsterdam inside the redzone and forced Coach Luginbill to call on Silvio Diliberto to kick a 29 yard field goal. Diliberto's attempt was good to get the Admirals on the board at 21-3.

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The Claymores, unhappy about giving up the points had Sulecio Sanford to thank for their next score, on the ensuing kickoff. Sanford, deep, on his own five yard line took the kick and ran right. Evading the first few tacklers, he ran right into one guy who couldn't hold on and he burst through. Looking surprised, Sanford span and headed for the endzone and the score.

Talk about momentum shift! Before the half ended, the Claymores were on the scoreboard again, Daft hit WR Damon Gibson from 25 yards out for their fifth touchdown of the half. The 35 first half points tie the league record for most points in a half which the Claymores already hold from their 48-14 demolition of Berlin in 1999.

In the second half, the Admirals stopped the Claymores more frequently and, as a result, it was up to Aaron Stecker to score the final touchdown - an 8 yard catch from Kevin Daft.

Mid way through the fourth quarter, a Kevin Daft pass was picked off by Admirals DB Rico Clark and returned 29 yards for a touchdown. It was Daft's first interception in 147 attempts, the second longest streak in league history.

It didn't matter hugely as Japanese QB Takayuki Sunaga came on for the third time this season to finish off the game.

Comments


Blaine McElmurry celebrates his fourth interception of the season
Photo: Iain Carey
Two weeks in a row, the defense has played outstandingly well, giving up only 3 points this week after last weekends shutout over Barcelona.

With the defense this fired up, a win over Rhein next week is by no means out of the question. The D line didn't get huge amounts of pressure on the QB but the secondary had good coverage most of the game and were able to take opportunities and pick off any stray balls.

The linebackers had a good, solid game running a number of blitzes, tipping passes and generally getting in the way. The tackling was superb, it has improved so much since the first meeting between these two teams.

On offense, the run once again complemented the pass perfectly. Both Daft and Crandell could move the ball downfield but they seem to be alternating games as to who throws the touchdowns. Week 6, Daft threw three touchdowns, last week Crandell threw three, this week, it's back to Daft for three touchdowns.

Stecker and Snell were both effective on the ground and even Siran Stacy got a couple of carries later on in the game. This offense is really beginning to come together, that's now 100 points in the last three games alone.

Special Teams shone today. Gibson had a couple of good punt returns and Sanford finally broke a kickoff return for the score. It's been threatened all year and finally happened - 95 yards, ties the team long set by Eric Smith in 1997.

This win give the Claymores the inside track for the second World Bowl berth. A win next week would clinch it by my calculations. Of course, next week the Claymores take on the league leading Rhein Fire at Hampdenn but if they Claymores can continue their form from the past two weeks, it is not as daunting a task as it first looked.