A Friendly U16 Game to Remember Sem Molteni

Saturday, 23 February, 2019

Today was the start of a 100% American football weekend for the Skorpion family as we got set to pay tribute to one of our fallen who also worked with the Milano Seamen.

As a result, I joined Giorgio and Raffa Nardi for a morning of good work cleaning up and reorganizing the facilities at the friendly confines of the Skorpion Field.

That task accomplished, it was time to play our tribute friendly U16 tackle game with the Milano Seamen.

Sem Molteni had played for

both the Skorpions and the Seamen

See passed away recently after battling cancer leaving behind a wife and seven year old son.

Sem wore the Seamen's #88 jersey

and the Skorpions #80 jersey

The two U16 clubs took the field

together in a show off support

for Sem's memory and for his family

The Skorpions were lagging behind

the leadership of the Seamen

I was concerned.

 Giorgio Nardi did the coin toss

and I served as the Head Line Judge

The Skorpions came out in

man-to-man press coverage

in this seven-man-on-a-side

brand of American football

 The game was afoot!

 The Skorpion offense about to strike

The only score of the First Quarter was of the defensive nature as Skorpion LB DJ (only first name or nicknames with this group) scooped and scored on a Seamen fumble from about 40 yards out.

QB Matias hit DJ with a perfect two-point pass to give the Skorpions an early 8-0 lead.

In the Second Quarter, Matias found DJ wide open again on a 15 yard TD strike. The two-point PAT pass was incomplete but the Skorpions were up 14-0 at the half.

The Third Quarter saw back-up QB Picolo find WR Tosco open for a dynamic 75 yard TD. Again the two-point pass fell incomplete. The Skorpions were cruising with a 20-0 advantage after three chuckers.

The final stanza saw more of the vaunted Varese offense with first another 75 yard TD pass, this time from Matias to Filippo Petrillo. The same two hooked up again on the PAT as the Skorpions upped their lead to 28-0.

The final score of the game, also in the Fourth Quarter, saw QB Picolo rumbling to pay dirt on a 20 yard scamper. Another botched PAT left the score at 34-0 which was also the Final Score. 

Post game photo op during the

award ceremony

QB Matias accepting the

Winner's Trophy from Sem's son

wearing his Dad's #80 Skorpion jersey

Here are Seamen and Skorpion

coaches sharing some Prosecco

and panini

Most of the talk was not about football but rather about the proper preparation of favorite Italian dishes.

Our evening ended at

Dorigo's Panini restaurante

I enjoyed my panino immensely but I have to continue my interactive research aimed at finding the best panino in Lombardia.

Scientific research never truly ends.

On Sunday, the Tribute to Sem continues at Skorpion Field starting at 9:00 a.m. with flag football games for our U13, U15 and U17 teams vs. the Busto Arsizio Blue Storms, the Cernusco Daemons and the Milano Seamen. The six rounds of games between all of these clubs should end at about 1:30 p.m.

Finally, our Skorpion Prima Squadra will scrimmage the two-time defending Italian DI Champion Milano Seamen at 3:00 p.m.

I you like American football in its many forms, then Skorpion Field is the place you want to be on Sunday!