Team Friendship vs. No Punts Intended

Flag football intramurals

On October 7th, while the UAU volleyball team prepared for an exciting home game and the UAU soccer team was cooling down from their match at Speedway, two teams of Union students gathered during golden hour for an epic intramural flag football battle. Team Friendship and No Punts Intended had come out on top during the semifinal games, and both were eager to claim the championship victory. As Madelyn Fish of Team Friendship put it, “It’s a lovely day for some football.” 

Both teams started strong with nearly equal time of possession. Patrick Birlew on Team Friendship stood as a defensive wall for QB Dane Britian to throw deep to the team’s receivers. Corbin Schlisner, QB for No Punts Intended, had to work quickly against the rushers of Team Friendship. He evaded his opponents and the golf cart (though it was a near collision) to get the ball down the field. Even with the solid effort each team made, the score was tied 8-8 at halftime. 

Liam Liversidge of Team Friendship gave this halftime report: “I think spirits are high on both sides. There’s been a pick on both sides. Actually, my man Ethan Jahn over here had a quality catch, sealed the touchdown, and then we ended up scoring…There’s a lot to be proud of right here. Chris is gonna have a super deep route soon and catch a touchdown, and it’s gonna be game over.” 

Ethan Jahn said, “I think if we score more points than they do, then we’ll beat them.” 

Things started heating up soon after the whistle blew for the second half to begin. While No Punts Intended covered Team Friendship’s receivers, Ava Fuentes sacked Team Friendship’s QB. After an effective stop, Not Punts Intended scored another touchdown and two-point conversion with only a few minutes left on the clock. The outcome was looking bleak for Team Friendship until Dane threw a dime to his receiver and scored another touchdown. Now they were two points away from tying up the game and going into overtime. But as the last seconds struck, No Punts Intended stopped Team Friendship and secured the victory. High-fives and congratulations were given all around as No Punts Intended received their medals and assembled for a group photo. 

Ethan Halfill, an intramural participant from a team that had been eliminated a few games before the championship, said, “Intramural sports may not be the most professional sports ever, but they provide a great way to enjoy fun competition in a friendly environment. Having played intramural football for five years and basketball for three, I look forward to each next season as a chance to stay active and connect with new people. I encourage everyone to try intramurals out and experience the fun for themselves.”

Although flag football has come to an end, intramural volleyball will be starting in the next couple of weeks. Keep an eye on uGroups and campus posters for more information. Be sure to sign up for IMLeagues to join a volleyball team!

By Sami Hoffer