Reus Imperials Game

Sunday, 12 April, 2015:

GAME DAY!!!

Murcia Cobras

Season Results (4-2)

Lost to the Santurtzi Coyotes 7-14
Beat the Zaragoza Hornets 15-0
Lost to the Reus Imperials 14-34
Beat the Barcelona Búfals 20-13
Beat the Santurtzi Coyotes 19-16
Beat the Zaragoza Hornets 26-0

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Reus Imperials

Season Results (6-0)

Beat the Santurtzi Coyotes 28-14

Beat the Barcelona Búfals 42-0

Beat the Murcia Cobras 34-14

Beat the Zaragoza Hornets 21-7

Beat the Santurtzi Coyotes 19-0

Beat the Barcelona Búfals 32-0

This Game Day started EARLY

Reus is located about 300 miles (our shortest road trip of the season) North of Murcia. Thus, the Cobras met at Estadio Monte Romero's parking lot at 2:30 a.m. to board our recliner bus. We shoved off at 3:05 a.m.

The trip included two stops at Fuentes La Higuera and Torreblanca to use the restroom facilities and grab a snack or two. We arrived smoothly in Reus after a six hour and 15 minute journey at 9:20 a.m. in plenty of time for our 11:00 a.m. kickoff.

As always, thanks to Catalina, Laurie and Oscar for all of the great pictures from today's game.

Go Cobras GO!!!

Here come the mighty 22 Cobras

Every team faces a game or two where their roster is stretched to the limit. 

For example, in our last game, the Zaragoza Hornets had to plays without their best offensive weapon, their outstanding QB.

Today, it would be our turn to face all sorts of adversity as our opponents were the well coached, talented, quick, hard hitting and undefeated Reus Imperials.

To add to our preparation issues, because of work issues and injuries, we would be without seven of our 29 players, five of which are starters.

We only had one mantra to lean on . . .

PLAY HARD!!! 

First Class Reus

Everything about the Imperials was First Class.

From their sideline markers to their artificial grass surface to their game day souvenir program to their cantina, everything about the Imperials experience said First Class Organization.

Largo working on his swing

Every week when he is introduced in the pre-game licensing check with the game officials, he finishes with an imaginary seven iron in his hands.

1-2-3 COBRAS!!!

"PLAY HARD ON EVERY PLAY!"

FIRST QUARTER:

REUS BALL: The Imperials wasted no time as their first play of the game was a Sweep Pass that connected for a 60 yard TD play. The PAT was no good and Reus had an extremely early 6-0 lead.

Sweep Pass coming right now

MURCIA BALL: A Three and Out with a short punt did little for our confidence.

Angel Clemente
Spanish Gun Slinger . . .

. . . and scrambler

REUS BALL: The Imperials completed a 40 yard pass on third down which earned them a first and goal at the four yard line. They scored on a two yard Bubble Screen pass. The PAT was good and the Imperials lead was 13-0 only minutes into the game.

Jorge Punting

Amoros finding daylight

MURCIA BALL: We fumbled the ball away on our first play of the drive.

This was really a great time for us to just roll over an give up. After all, we had the missing players excuse in place all week long and were being thoroughly outplayed by a determined Reus club in the First Quarter.

It was at this point that the Cobras showed our rather large, courageous, competitive and championship hearts.

We continued to PLAY HARD!!!

Casta and Brady swarming

Omar driving for more yards

Amoros protecting the ball

REUS BALL: The Imperials drove the ball down the short field but a great job pass rush and a HUGE interception by Kiki turned the tide.

Flushing the QB out of the pocket . . .

. . . led to a Kiki Goal Line interception

MURCIA BALL: Taking their cue from the defense's efforts, the Cobras earned some confidence building first downs before punting the ball deep into Reus territory.

REUS BALL: The Imperials ran a play before the First Quarter came to an end with the score Imperials 13 - Cobras 0.

Soto on the tackle

Swarm to the ball!

SECOND QUARTER:

IMPERIALS BALL: The Reus drive that started at the end of the First Quarter was a Three and Out, Punt. BRAVO DEFENSE!!!

Reus pressuring Angel

Nice catch Largo

COBRAS BALL: A Three and Out, Punt with the Imperials getting a 60 yard punt return to again attempt to break our will.

The Pit

Angel's runs are big for us

Is that a hole to run through?

IMPERIALS BALL: A ten yard Hitch Screen TD pass and a perfect PAT made it 20-0 Imperials.

Maybe we should give up.

NO WAY!!!

Largo battling for the ball

Oscar Constante
Cobra Photographer

WR Pablo Serrano
Game Hammer Winner

COBRAS BALL: Pablo's 50 yard pass reception on a Go route gave the Cobras life to say the least. He would then make a key third down catch to keep this drive alive. Adrian made a tough catch at the Goal Line to set up a first and goal. Angel scored on a one yard QB Sneak and Alberto's PAT was good. The Imperials' lead was now down to 20-7.

She did an excellent job,
Cat Conti would have been proud

Roberto on defense?!?!?


QB Sneak


TOUCHDOWN COBRAS!!!

PAT Kick

IMPERIALS BALL: Rufete made a great play on the ball on fourth down to end a Reus drive and the First Half.

The score at the intermission was Reus 20 - Murcia 7.

Rufete with a big fourth down play

THIRD QUARTER:

MURCIA BALL: The Cobras earned a few first downs before Jorge's excellent punt was downed at the 15 yard line.

Largo loose again

Serrano having a great day

Measuring

This ref is one of the good guys even if he is a Redskins fan.

REUS BALL: We stopped the Imperials on a fourth down play. Our team was playing with great courage.

An incredibly fast and scoreless Third Quarter, with only one possession each, had ended with the score still Reus 20 - Murcia 7.

Bryan returning a Kickoff

FOURTH QUARTER:

COBRAS BALL: A controversial call occurred when a fumbled was called on a play where we thought it was a forward pass. The Imperials pounced on the ball to end the drive.

Controversial Play

WR Adrian may be holding on
the right side of this picture

IMPERIALS BALL: The Imperials mounted a short drive that ended with their unsuccessful field goal attempt hitting the cross bar and ricocheting back into the end zone.

Brady with relentless QB pressure . . .

. . . led to an Alberto sack!

SS Mini-Q

If only we could bottle his enthusiasm and passion for the game . . .

Mini-Q tackle

COBRAS BALL: A Three and Out, Punt series.

Largo gave our depleted
receiving corps a lift

Bejarano with a tackle

Controversy

DE Javi made this tackle of Reus' fine RB. As Javi rolled him onto his (Javi's) own body the ball came out.

The ball coming out

FS Largo SCOOPING AND SCORING!!!

After running about 30 yards, a whistle way behind the play blew. The Head Referee had belatedly decided that the ball carrier's knee had touched down before the fumble.

I think that he was wrong.  

Largo with another catch

Alberto was still PLAYING HARD!!!

IMPERIALS BALL: A great team tackle by DBs Mini-Q and Kiki forced a fumble that LB Casta recovered to stem the tide.

Mini-Q on the left and Kiki on the right

Together they forced a fumble

Casta would recover it as the Cobras just kept battling.

A QB Sack by DE Javi

Kiki defending

COBRAS BALL: The Cobras Three and Out, Punt by Jorge was downed by Mini-Q at the nine yard line.

IMPERIALS BALL: Reus took a knee to end both a scoreless Second Half and the game with a final score of

Reus (7-0) 20 - Murcia (4-3) 7.

So VERY Proud of the Cobras today!

With Reus Head Coach

Bart Iaccarino after the game

Bart is a good coach and a good guy running a very solid program in Reus.

We now have one more game left in the regular season. That game will be played next Sunday at 11:00 a.m. in Barcelona, a mere 730 miles round-trip, against the 2-5 Búfals.

With word of the Zaragoza Hornets' 12-8 victory today over the Santurtzi Coyotes, the first two Par Conference playoff spots were cemented. The Imperials will be our Conference's #1 seed while the Cobras have locked up the Conference's #2 seed.

The only fly in the ointment is the Spanish Federation's rumored sanction to NOT allow our Seniors into the post season tournament. If this happens, we would be penalized as a club for our Junior team not being able to afford the transportation costs for a scheduled game on the far off island of Mallorca against the Voltors earlier this season.

What a pity it would be to keep this brave, hard playing band of Cobras out of the playoff spot that they earned on the field.

The playoffs start the weekend of May 2-3, with each Conference's #2 team hosting the other Conference's #3 squad. Reus and Barberà, as the two Conference first place teams, have a bye in the playoff's first round.

Thus, the Par Conference's Second Place Cobras will host the Impar Conference's #3 team. That spot is up in the air as Coslada, Granada and Las Rozas are all still fighting it out for the second and third Ompar Conference playoff spots heading into the last weekend of the regular season.

SERIE B

WEEK #9 IN REVIEW

PAR CONFERENCE

Week #9 Results:

Reus 20 - Murcia 7
Zaragoza Hornets 12 - Santurtzi 8 

BYE: Barcelona

Par Conference Standings:

Reus Imperials 7-0
Murcia Cobras 4-3
Santurtzi Coyotes 3-5

Barcelona Búfals 2-5

Zaragoza Hornets 2-5

Week #10 Schedule:

Sunday, April 19, 2015

Murcia (4-3) at Barcelona (2-5)

Reus (7-0) at Zaragoza Hornets (2-5)

BYE: Santurtzi (3-5)

IMPAR CONFERENCE

Week #9 Results:

Granada 26 - Coslada 9 
Barberà 24 - Zaragoza Hurricanes 0 

BYE: Las Rozas 

Impar Conference Standings:

Barberá Rookies 7-0
Granada Lions 4-3
Coslada Camioneros 3-4

Las Rozas Black Demons 3-4

Zaragoza Hurricanes 1-7

Week #10 Schedule:

Sunday, April 19, 2015
Granada (4-3) at Las Rozas (3-4)
Coslada (3-4) at Barberà (7-0) 

BYE: Zaragoza Hurricanes (1-7)

Reading Is FUNdamental

A bit of a laborious read but quite interesting.