The Miracle in Porvoo

18.06.2015

    On a cool Finnish summer evening the TAFT Titans took their 1-1 record to Porvoo to take on the tough-as-nails 1-1 Butchers. Both teams look to be in the playoff hunt early in the season and want to come out of this game in 3rd place.
     The game started well for the Titans as they scored on their second possession. After a nice mixture of runs and passes, QB Jesper Korkalainen would take it in from the 3-yard line. After Jere Salejärvi's extra point kick, the Titans were up 8-0.
     Things changed in the second quarter, though, as Salejärvi was injured and TAFT was forced to punt. The punt was blocked and returned for a TD a and the game was tied. On the next drive, the Butchers would strike again with their defense and pick off a pass and take it back for a TD to go up 16-8.
     With a couple of minutes before halftime Korkalainen would find Tino Könö for a 24-yd TD pass. The extra point was blocked and Porvoo would lead at halftime 16-14.
     This was a frustrating game for the Titans. They dominated the game on Offense as Korkalainen threw for 430 yards and the TAFT defense, lead by Tuomas Tuisku, Otso Bull, Antti Lahtinen, Valtteri Forsman, Viljo Lempinen and Eemeli Tuovinen, would hold Porvoo to 56 total yards for the game.
     Nonetheless, with just under three minutes left Porvoo had the lead and the ball at midfield. As they did time after time, the Titan defense would step up and force a punt. And what a punt it was, downed at the 8-yd line.
     The Titans were in a tough spot, 92 yards away with 92 seconds left in the game. As he had done all day, Korkalainen looked for Könö (15 catches for 292 yards) and with pressure all around him, he let the pass go. 40 or so yards downfield there was Könö, who raced under the ball, caught it and outran the Butchers defense for a miraculous TD to give TAFT the lead at 20-16.
     The game wasn't over, though, as the Butchers returned the kickoff to near midfield. But four strong plays by the Titans defense would seal the victory.
     The Titans would like to thank Coach Luoma and Coach Roiko for a great game and being such a classy host. It is always a pleasure to play the Butchers.
     The TAFT coaches are thrilled with the outcome of the game. It is not very often you win a game in this manner. The defense was outstanding, lead by Tuisku's 13 tackles and INT. There is still much work to do for the Titans, though, as they head to Turku on 12.7 to play the first-place Trojans.

u17_porvoo2015.jpg

u17_porvoo_2015.jpg

u17porvoo_2015.jpg

Text Mark Collier

Photos Laura Helminen

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