TOUCH FOOTBALL WINNIPEG MANITOBA - PIT LEAGUE

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Congratulations to each of our record 16 champions who will have their names written "Stanley Cup" style on the PIT championship trophies. Here is a brief recap of each of our Fall 2011 championship games:

Division 1: Guild of Calamitous Intent 39 Blazers 18
After winning the Division 2 title the Blazers stepped up a Division to face an undermanned Guild squad missing their top two scorers (one injured one AWOL). Buoyed by the addition of Harlo Larkin, the Blazers kept things close as they trailed 14-13 at the half. The second frame was a different story however as the Guild began to run away with the game. The foursome of Jeff Draper, Neil Smalley, Andrew Westwood, and Darryl Janzen took over with some huge catches pushing the Guild of Calamitous Intent to victory.

Division 2: Blazers 26 Owen Nagy Incident 0
Only three offensive touchdowns were scored in what has become a low-scoring division of late. Defenses led the way with Dino Lisi and Jeff Kull picking off two errant passes and each team having three interceptions overall. The game was 12-0 until mid-way through the second half when the Blazers opened the game up with a Jeff Kull pick 6 then a Scott McArthur to Dave Robson scoring play on the ensuing drive. The Blazers capture their first division 2 title after enduring a horrendous outdoor season which saw them go 4-14 with a quick first round playoff exit.

Division 3: The Jeffery 25 Levels! 6
The Levels! were heavy favorites going into this battle as they has gone undefeated within the division and had earlier won a crossover game, however injuries have an interesting way of “leveling” the playing field. Ray St.Mars and Darren Burkett were felled early which allowed the Jeffery to gain momentum which they never relinquished. Kyle Willis had a pick 6 and four different players from the Jeffery scored for the eventual champs. Teams should keep an eye out for Tanner Stepnuk (Levels!) and Tyler Johnston (The Jeffery), two of the best up and coming QBs in the league right now.

Division 4: The Y Nots 39 Beer Belly Bastards 6
The Y Nots came out of the gates quickly as they looked to take home their first PIT Championship. The Y Nots defense took a page out of the 85 Bears playbook effectively shutting down the vaulted Beer Belly Bastards offense. Unfortunately for the triple b’s the Y Nots brought their triple A game with some huge performances by Eli Vieira (6 TD passes), Brent Sliwiany (6 sacks), and Roy DuQuette (18 points). Things only got worse for Beer Belly after the game when they got some terrible news:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdIhNQKgMdg&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PL643A234451A27006

Division 5: Slobberknockers 38 Decepticons 19
Both the Slobberknockers and Decepticons had momentum on their side as they had knocked off the top two seeds in the semifinals in what proved to be an ultra-competitive division. The Slobberknockers jumped out to an early lead thanks to 18 points and an interception from Neil Smalley. The Decepticons countered with 18 from Jeff Draper but the Slobberknockers pulled away thanks to the “Orieux” brothers Jordan (2 picks, 12 points) and Cory (4 sacks, 2 points). The Slobberknockers are on a roll having been crowned champion in each of the last three seasons of ball. Quite the turnaround from the 0-18 team we saw just two years ago. Congratulations! As for the Decepticons, hopefully they don’t end up like this guy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TYzRanykbQ

Division 6: LW United 41 Vikings 6
LW United made the prognosticators of the PIT look silly as the first year team wins Division 6 in a rout over the usually tough Vikings. Division MVP Chad Okumura threw 4 TD passes and scrambled for another as the Vikings couldn’t keep the QB in check. PIT rookies Nick Giesbrecht and Christian Hansen scored 19 and 12 points respectively for the United team. The Vikings couldn’t muster much on either side of the ball with veteran Dave Van Bentham scoring their lone touchdown. Congratulations to LW United, it is pretty rare that a rookie team wins such a high division, teams should be afraid… very afraid.

Division 7: U Mad Bro 9 Put It Up! 7
When two of the top defenses in the PIT collide you know that scoring would be at a premium, but even the odds makers didn’t put the over/under at 16! Defensively Put It Up had 6 sacks and 4 interceptions however that still wasn’t enough to overcome Chris Lobchuk’s safety late in the game which ultimately held up as the decisive points. Along with the safety Chris had two sacks while Kyle “two-time fall champion” Willis had a TD and two picks. Put It UP!’s Michael Dew added to his division leading sack total with 4 sacks, while Jesse Clarke had two picks and a TD. For those of you who like hard nose defensive football, this was definitely the game of the night!

Division 8: Polk High 31 Dr. Debacle 19
A very entertaining game by two teams which narrowly won their semi-final battles. Dr. Debacle lived up to its namesake once again finding a unique way to lose…this time having their QB plan a dinner just days before their championship game…on championship night. The playoff schedule was put up on the website November 16th gentlemen! Backup QB Marco Frias however was player of the game as he consistently drove the ball downfield and put up 19 points, which should have been more had it not been for a couple of crucial drops. Only a score with less than three minutes left put the game out of reach. Nick Trinder led the way for Polk High with two TD receptions and an interception on the final drive to seal the game.

Division 9: Beercats 20 Schmucks 18
Five-times a charm for the Beercats who took home their first PIT trophy in a hotly contested battle which came down to the last series to decide a victor. Both teams had to run the gauntlet Friday as they first had to win their respective semi-finals before getting a quick rest and going out to do battle for divisional supremacy. Ken Koberstein of the Schmucks continued his fine season with three TD passes but it wasn’t enough to knock off Mike “The Magical Disappearing” Luba’s run and gun offense. Chris Kelly chipped in 12 points for the Beercats including the game winner.

Division 10: U Can’t Touch This 37 Street Meat 31
The fourth-seeded U Can’t Touch This team danced their way to a title defeating a game Street Meat in a shootout. U Can’t Touch This was the fourth seed in the division, knocking off their namesakes in the semi-final “parachute pants bowl”. Jesse Clarke put in yet another MVP QB performance throwing for five touchdowns and running for another. Howie Eugenio of Street Meat turned in an excellent performance himself throwing for four touchdowns but in the end U Can’t Touch This was simply 2 Legit 2 Quit.

Division 11: Rhinos 24 The Tribe 21
The Rhinos were in their fourth season of indoor however their previous three incarnations had yet to make the playoffs, let alone play for the championship. The Rhinos faced The Tribe, a newcomer team to the PIT with plenty of talent. Experience trumped youth on this day as Darren Bishop led the Rhinos to victory with 4 TD passes and a clutch run at the end of the game to run out the clock. Armed with some playoff experience the Tribe will be tough to beat come Winter. The Tribe already boasted players who finished first in three of the four statistical categories during the Fall season so things will only get better for this young team.

Division 12: River Rats 22 Da Browns 7
The River Rats, led by a stout defensive effort, took home their second PIT crown. The former division 14 champs stepped up in calibre for the fall but that didn’t slow the Rats down. The Rats finished the season as the second seed whereas the Da Browns needed some tie-breaker help just to get into the playoffs. Jermaine Lumsden led the way for the Rats with fourteen points, countered by Da Browns James Quirante who had two interceptions and a touchdown. Da Browns weren’t able to stop the Rats roll however they are another great example of a young team who will be dangerous once they become accustomed to the touch game.

Division 13: Beast Mode 19 VG-Unit 13
The Slobberknocker dynasty continues as their “farm-team” fueled by Skittles was able to topple the top-ranked and undefeated VG-Unit. Neil Smalley becomes the first player in PIT history to win three championship games in the same night, quite an accomplishment for one of the PITs best up-and-coming players. Paul Tascona led the way for Beast Mode with 2 interceptions and 6 points, limiting the division’s top-ranked QB Tyler Krasowski to just one TD pass. Tyler was able to keep VG-Unit in the game by running for a TD and collecting 2 interceptions, however he couldn’t stop Beast Mode and their army of rainbow deliciousness.

Division 14: S.S. More Powerful Than Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, and the Incredible Hulk Put Together 19 Throwin Picks and Textin Chicks 12
In the division that had 5 teams tied for first place at 3-2 it is fitting that the championship game was also one of the closest of the night. Throwing Picks was without their MVP QB Tyler Lamerante who recently moved to BC, but they were able to overcome his loss during their semi-final victory over the Army and by putting a scare into the team with the longest name in touch football. Tristan Melo kept the game low-scoring with his five sacks, and former player of the week Bruno Goncalves added a sack and three TD passes. The PIT will have its work cut out for them trying to fit this team on our championship trophy!

Division 15: Blue Balls 22 Full Force 6
The team with epididymal hypertension was able to defeat the boy band (who somehow managed to sing back-up vocals for Bob Dylan???) in this highly entertaining game. Game MVP Steve Thomas had three 3 TD passes (two to Corey Knight and one to Chad Hoffman) while picking up one of the Blue Balls three interceptions. On the other side, Peter Banman had his best game as a rusher for Full Force tracking down the QB four times. Congratulations to the Blue Balls, which according to Wikipedia “is not universally experienced by all males”…not unlike a PIT Championship. Enjoy the release!

Division 16: The Greedy Smurfs 24 Section Slosh 20
Another battle of the third versus fourth seeds as both teams made their first appearances in a final. The lack of top-seeded teams winning championships is just another reminder of the remarkable parity in the PIT. Jason Williams (3 TD passes) and Zach Templeton (12 points) led the way for Section Slosh, but they were no match for the 4 TD passes of Coy Evans and David Slonosky’s 18 points and a pick. Just like the Slobberknockers of yesteryear, The Greedy Smurfs didn’t win a game in their first couple of seasons of existence but persevered long enough to win their first PIT championship. Boasting the youngest team in the PIT, the future looks bright for these young guns.

The PIT Crew

The PIT is proud to announce the start of registration for its fourth season of indoor winter football. Games will be played Friday and Saturday evenings beginning at 10:15pm. The regular season will begin on Friday January 13th and playoffs will conclude on Saturday March 24th. As our membership has come to expect, the PIT will offer the best facility, fields, competition, referees, and swag in the most competitive and enjoyable environment. Our mandate is to provide players and teams with the best game day experience possible and our history speaks for itself!

Winter 2011 Season Information:
Season Starts: Friday January 13th
Season Ends: Saturday March 24th
Start times: Fridays/Saturdays between 10:15pm and 10:45pm
Divisions: Capped at 6 teams, top 4 teams make playoffs. Teams guaranteed a minimum of 5 games, each game is 1 hour in duration.
Registration Deadline: Friday January 6th
Cost: $650 (inclusive of GST and insurance)

The PIT is the only indoor league that offers insurance to its players and does not charge for schedule requests. Cash or cheque accepted. Cheques are payable to Scott McArthur or Jon Franklin. League addresses can be found on the contacts page found here: http://www.pitfootball.com/contacts All registration should be accompanied by our new schedule request/team identification form found here: http://www.pitfootball.com/league_files

Registration Deadline/League Cap:
We appreciate your support and will continue to run the best touch football league in Manitoba! However, due to the limited supply of available field times we will be capping the number of teams in the Winter league at 94. Although the registration deadline for the Winter season is Friday January 6th, teams are strongly encouraged to register early to ensure a spot in the league. Last year Winter registration closed very early and we had to turn 19 teams away! The league reserves the right to close registration early if we have reached the cap on teams, so please keep that in mind when registering. Don't get left out in the cold, the earlier you register the better chance you will be playing in Manitoba's largest and fastest growing touch football league.

All the customary PIT swag to the winners of each division – including each championship team member’s name engraved ‘Stanley Cup’ style on the nicest trophies in touch football today! Check out our sponsor’s page here to give you an idea of all the awards and swag that will be given out to players throughout the season: http://www.pitfootball.com/sponsors Divisions will be aligned according to team calibre. Teams of all skill levels are encouraged to register. We will find a competitive division for all teams who are interested for the Winter league. The PIT offers 18 different skill levels from Elite to Division 17. If you have any questions regarding registration, divisions, competitive balance, or anything else be sure to contact us! Be part of Canada’s fastest growing full-service touch football league! Check out the video here for some additional information on the PIT and why it took only three years to become the largest touch football league in Manitoba.

http://vimeo.com/21932024

What our league offers:
Best/safest/largest playing surface in touch football today
Superior lighting
Fully operational lounge with full menu
Fan friendly seating and environment
Team locker rooms
Certified touch football officials
Most competitive divisions
Player insurance as part of registration
The nicest trophies in touch football today
Free swag from our many sponsors
Divisions for all calibre of play ranging from elite to recreational (18 different skill levels!)
Free schedule requests
All-star game for team captains
Most comprehensive player and team stat collection
Most comprehensive and up-to-date website
Guaranteed 24 hour question response time
The largest football league in Manitoba and fastest growing touch football league in Canada
All this and more!

For the players, by the players
Scott: 229-6266 scott__mc@hotmail.com
Jon: 223-5912 j.franklin@uwinnipeg.ca

Hit up the Fall 2011 Playoff schedule here: http://www.pitfootball.com/seasons/816-fall-2011-indoor/games/playoffs

As playoff seeds become determined we will updated the schedule with the teams involved.

The PIT Crew

Some great games, performances, and comebacks punctuated the 2011 championship games. Congratulations to all our divisional champions. 2011 was quite a rush as the PIT became Manitoba's largest outdoor touch football league in just its third year of existence. The incredible growth necessitated 9 championships, each crowned on the artificial turn of East Side Eagles field. Here is a quick rundown of the games.

Elite: Avengers 18 The Rest of Manitoba 0
A perfect 18-0 regular season, an elite championship title in the Labour Day Classic Tournament, and a #5 ranking in Canada sets the Avengers up as the team to beat in Manitoba. The open challenge to all other contenders’ remains, but before the Avengers can answer any of those challenges they will make a run at a National touch football title in Calgary Thanksgiving weekend.

Division 1 (2) Guild of Calamitous Intent 16 (1) Iced Earth 12
The Guild of Calamitous Intent spent the majority of the season simply trying to outscore opponents as their much maligned defense gave up an average of 25+ points per game. Come playoffs however the defense carried the team to a baseball-esque 16-12 victory over the #1 seeded Iced Earth. Rumor has it the Guild will be cutting their QB shortly to bring in someone who can put up some points to support the suddenly stout defense.

Division 2: (3) Love Hitmen 12 (1) Titans 6
The juggernaut Titans were once again in the final vying for a championship three-peat, however they were thwarted by The Love Hitmen, who could state claim to being the fastest team in touch football. All signs pointed to a shoot out between the two high scoring teams but just like in Division 1 defense reigned the day. Both teams were without arguably their best offensive players who were down with injury. The TSN turning point was the ability of the “neon-green horror” Polish Mike Paluszek to keep Titan QB Gavin Panchuk in check which ultimately made the difference in this one.

Division 3: (2) Woodys 34 (1) Rebels 13
The Rebels and the Woody’s faced off in a match-up of top divisional seeds. Both teams were veteran laden, with the Rebels players leading many of the statistical categories in the division. The Woody’s countered with a secret weapon by the name of Tyler Lamerante who made some huge plays in all facets of the game (offense, defense, and special teams). The Woodys nickeled and dimed the Rebels all day, including throwing three TDs to Owen Nagy on simple hook patterns near the goal line. Both the Woody’s and Rebels will fit in well in Division 2 next year. Good luck to Tyler Lamerente who is moving to British Columbia, you left the PIT outdoor league in style with your MVP performance.

Division 4: (4) Bondiddy Bengals 19 (9) da Killa Beez 15
The Bondiddy Bengals were the hottest team entering playoffs, having started the season 1-6 but finishing with 10 consecutive victories. The win streak was ultimately stretched to 13 when Bondiddy defeated da Killa Bees in the championship game. Da Killa Bees had a bit of a disappointing regular season finishing 9th in the division with a record of 4-14, but the playoffs are a chance for redemption, and redeem they did, knocking off the top-seeded Face Kick in the quarterfinals, and the second-seeded Blitzkrieg in the semis. A nice run that fell just a little short.

Division 5: (1) Brewers 21 (3) Deep Pockets 19
The Brewers went wire-to-wire in the division posting and impressive 16-2 season, however the championship game was nothing but easy as the Brewers edged Deep Pockets by a score of 21-19. The Deep Pockets had the lead with under a minute left but Brewers QB, and game MVP, Jesse Clarke led a drive for the ages culminating with a TD strike to Brett Thurston for the game winner with only seconds left. The Brewers proved they are ready to move up to Division 4, while Deep Pockets put Division 5 on notice that they are the team to beat next year.

Division 6: (3) Roughnecks 35 (4) Barracudas 8
The third-seeded Roughnecks and forth-seeded Barracudas split their seasonal series 1-1, however the rubber match turned a bit lopsided as new scoring record holder Evan Panchyshyn crossed the stripe 4 times while also recording 5 sacks. The Roughnecks will be moving on up to Division 5 while the Barracudas were bridesmaids once again. We in the PIT are sure that the Barracudas will break through one of these seasons to record their first championship.

Division 7: (1) Cheeseheads 24 (4) System of a Touchdown 0
The Cheeseheads set a PIT record by blanking all three of their playoff opponents and outscoring them 81-0 in the process. Their stout defense was complemented with some “wildcat” offense and clutch catches by Sean Demetree. Countering for System of a Touchdown was QB Chris Mailey who earned the game MVP by throwing strikes all over the field. Unfortunately it was not a great “hands” day for System as they missed some great red zone opportunities. This game was much closer than the score may indicate; a learning experience for the young System of a Touchdown team.

Division 8: (6) Slobberknockers 27 (9) North End Hawkeyes 7
The Slobberknockers win their first outdoor title after a successful Spring session which saw them win the Division 5 Indoor title. The Slobberknockers have come a long way from their 1-17 outdoor record last year. The North End Hawkeyes were the 9th seed in the division winning just 4 games during the season, but with their full squad out they were able to knock off both the #1 and #2 seeds before finally succumbing to the Slobberknockers. A great game was had by both teams and a good demonstration of the parity amongst teams in each of the divisions in the PIT.

Division 9: (10) Real Friends 32 (10) Hardesty Wreck Shin 25
The battle of underdogs turned into perhaps the best final as the Real Friends edged Hardesty Wreck Shin with a touchdown in the last minute of the game to take the inaugural Division 9 Championship. Jordan Pastushenko caught three second half TDs from QB Sean Godard, including the winner, while Ryan Ferland of Hardesty threw touchdowns to four separate wide outs in the crowd pleasing barnburner.

Here is some additional photos of each team in all their championship glory: http://www.pitfootball.com/albums/425-2011-outdoor-championship-photos

For the players, by the players