By Marley Malenfant/se news editor
AK dashed through the competition to repeat as champions in the SE Campus flag football tournament Nov. 13.
The day began with AK playing So Icy in the first semifinal.
AK player Joe Tran juked three So Icy players on a second down for a score. AK player Vu Van ran a simple route to the right for a two-point conversion to put AK up 8-0.
So Icy couldn’t get anything going on offense as its quarterback threw three interceptions.
AK player Kelly Tran caught a downfield pass and scored on a first down. Tran quickly got the ball back for AK as Tran caught two interceptions in the first half.
AK quarterback Qu Nguyen threw two picks in the second half, but So Icy’s offense continued to struggle.
Joe Tran scored a late touchdown to put away So Icy 20-8 and advance to the campus championship game.
I Work played MOB in the second semifinal.
Jeremiah Cummings and Jose Flores scored early touchdowns to put MOB up 14-0.
I Work player Ramone Cooper caught a reception and blazed past three MOB players to score a touchdown. Quentin Walker sneaked to the end zone with nobody covering him and caught a touchdown pass.
Both teams were tied 14-14 at halftime.
In the second half, Cooper and Ernest Graves scored on long passes for touchdowns to put I Work ahead. Cooper finished the game with five receptions and two scores while Graves had two touchdowns.
MOB threw a deep pass in the end zone, but Walker tipped the pass and Cooper caught the ball for an interception.
I Work went for a deep pass play, but Flores caught an interception, giving MOB the field advantage. Flores scored a touchdown on the next play.
I Work closed out the game with a pass thrown to the extended arms of Walker on a fade route for a touchdown.
I Work defeated MOB 39-26 and advanced to play AK for the campus title.
In the first half of the championship game, Qu Nguyen rushed on a first down to get AK closer to the end zone. Nguyen tried to zip a pass in the end zone to Kelly Tran, but Cooper blocked the pass. Walker blocked AK’s passes on third and fourth downs, leaving AK scoreless.
AK, however, got the first score of the game. Nguyen threw a shotgun pass to Joe Tran who tossed the ball back to Nguyen for a touchdown.
On a series of short-field passes, Cooper scored to tie the game 7-7.
Cooper went for a deep pass, but Joe Tran blocked the pass and AK regained possession. Joe Tran caught a short pass and danced around I Work’s defense for a touchdown.
Nguyen threw an interception to Graves with 30 seconds left in the first half. Walker scored a touchdown on second down before halftime.
I Work scored first in the second half but threw an interception on the extra point.
Van ran to the end zone for a touchdown on third down. Cooper ran to the end zone, but Joe Tran beat him for the interception.
AK scored two more touchdowns to finish the game 32-20 and win the championship.
AK player Joe Tran said this might be his last flag football tournament.
“I think I’m going to retire from intramurals,” he said.
Kelly Tran said his team is the best in the district.
“We’re going to take the crown when we play the other teams in the district,” he said.
AK will play Nov. 20 on South Campus for the district championship.
