By Michael Leathers/reporter
NE Campus flag football kicked off its second week of games Sept. 18.
Ken Foster, assistant director of intramural sports, said the games would be a bunch of “old-school mud football.” And he was right.
The 60-by-40 yard field was covered from one end to the other by water and mud. But that didn’t stop student Steven Ratcliff from catching a diving, mud-covering, water-drenching pass in the first game as the Knights defeated the Raiders 26-6.
As Ratcliff came to the sideline covered in mud and wet grass, the coaches asked him if the diving catch was worth all the filth. He just smiled and said, “Yeah, it was worth it.”
The second matchup was the Mustangs and Desperados. Despite a valiant effort by the Desperados, they fell short by a score of 34-6. During the game, the referees made some questionable calls, according to the players out on the field.
However, Bart Desender, director of intramural sports offered this advice to the players, “You don’t mess with these referees. They don’t change their minds on their calls.”
The flag football teams on NE Campus play 7-on-7 games, and each team has about 15 players. This allows students to rotate on offense and defense. The games are played in two, 20-minute halves with a small break in between the halves.
“This year’s group is very competitive, and the teams are evenly matched,” Foster said.
The season lasts four weeks, and many of the teams hold their own practices as needed to prepare for games.
Students interested in intramural sports or playing on a team should contact Desender or Foster by calling 817-515-6158.
