11th Marine Cannon Cockers

Offense wins ball games, Defense wins championships. In the game of football if you have an outstanding defense to compensate for a struggling offense your still going to prevail. Thats been eveident in many championship games in the NFL and College, for example the Baltimore Ravens had an offense that struggled all year but their defense was always on their game and that won them a Super Bowl. You could say the same thing for 11th Marines. A hard-nosed stubborn defense with a struggling offense. Sometimes your defense jump starts your offense witch happen many times this year for the Cannon Cockers. However it wasnt a struggling offense that kept them for scoreing in the Base Title game Wed. January 22nd @ 11 Area Football Feild. It was missed oppurtunitites, twice a receiver was wide open but one pass fell short being intercepted and the other was over thrown by a mere 2 yards just out the reach of WR Micheal Bonner. Another chance came we 11th Marines marched down the feild to the MAG 13 yard line, FB Dewone Lowe got the call and broke through the line into the defenseive backfeild and was hit and bounced off, but was stunned for whatever reason for a split second and then the gap to the end zone closed eventually killing the drive. All thoes missed oppurtunities came back to haunt them as the Cannon Cockers fell to MAG-39 6-0 in the most awesome display of defensive talent, and the best title game ever played. Neither teams defense would let up, rocking each others offense back and forth across the feild. "This had to have been the best title game ever played here" said 11th Marines Head Coach Jacob Puda. " Our Offense really didnt struggle tonight, we just had to many missed oppurtunities." Missed oppurtunities and controversial offciating were very common that night. The game was scoreless until late in the fourth quarter, MAG had pushed down to the Cannon Cocker 25 yard line and faced a 3rd and 9. QB Jim Sheppard brought his team to the line and got set, he barked out the snap count... "DOWN!!!"......"SET!!"....as he barked off set the tight end jumped, followed by half the ofensive line and then the snap."We just kinda stoped for a second because that had to have been a false start." said Cannon Cocker Saftey Anthony Parker." But then they threw the ball and nobody blew a whistle!!" No whistle was blown and the play carried on as the defense was stunned Sheppard completed a pass to his tight end who raced in for the touchdown. The refeeres showed no intrest in talking with the Cannon Cocker coaches." I cant believe that was not a false start, Ive never in my life seen such a crew as bad as this one." said Defensive Co-ordinator David Bautista. " They are lucky they didnt come over and talk to me." Despite the Coaches pleas for a quick word with the officials, they were denied and play continued with the conversion afterwards failing. The next possesion for the Cannon Cockers started on their own 34 yards line. The biggest missed oppurtunity came in that series when on a 2nd and 7 WR Micheal Bonner split the secondary up the seam and had 3 steps on his man and no one to catch him, but QB Steven Phelps deliverd a good looking pass but was just beyond the outstretched arms of Bonner. After that play and two more incomplete passes the ball changed hands to MAG who kneeled twice to seal the victory. "They played a hell of a game." said MAG Head Coach and QB Jim Sheppard. " We just snuck one in on them and caught them of gaurd." When asked about the controversial call Sheppard just chuckled a little bit and gave a little smirk. "We caught them asleep at the wheele on that one, i think it was a good call." Coach Puda didnt seem to think the same. " You know I've seem alot of bad calls in my time, I thought nothing would top one my playoff games in H.S. but this one just takes the cake." " It was an obvious false start, and the thing that gets me is that they Head Umpire wouldnt even talk to me about it, this crew missed so many calls I cant even imagine where they found these guys. I dont like Officials that dont talk to you about a call." True there were alot of missed calls but in the end the score was all that mattered. "I'm still proud of this team and what they accomplised, I know in my heart that we are the Champs and so do the guys, I wont blame the Referee's for the loss because we had our chances, it just wasnt our time, but we'll be back here next ready to go at it again." After the game League Director Chuck Pearse asked the Coaches from both teams to select the Confense MVP's. Accepting the Honors for MAG was standout TB Martin Hagen. DT Micheal Teachy accepted the award for the Southern Confrence. " On a team on MVP's its hard to pick one, Teachy was pure motovation for us this year and a true leader on the feild, he's very deserving" added Puda, who was also granted the Coach of the Year award by MAG coach Jim Sheppard. "He deserves it, a rookie coach doing the things that he has done for that team and doing it better and more professionally then senior enlisted or officers that ive seen." When given the award the young coach was speechless, " I didnt know what to say, I really have nothing but respect for Shep and his team, he took them to the Best of the West Title and but every one during the season (except us) and then the Base Title, he's a heck of a guy and a hell of a Coach." In additon to that, the Rookie Coach also recieved praise from his Command when Regimental Commander Col. Micheal Marletto and SgtMaj. Wayne Bell awarded him a Certificate of Commandation for his leadership and takeing on the daunting task and responsibilities of coaching Marines all senior to him. Thanks to all who came out to support the team this year, it was greatly appreciated. Sorry we didnt bring it home this year but we'll be back next time. Thanks again to all of you especially Col. Marletto and SgtMaj. Bell for makeing it all possible.

Although not all their players were not present and haveing no practice since December the 11th Marines Football team filled in the gaps and continued were they left off by running over SOI 21-2 Tuesday at 11 area feild to improve to 6-1 on the season and advance to the base title game next friday against the winner of Mag-39 and 7th ESB. Jeremy Schuster rushed for two TD's and Micheal Guillory ran for another. QB Steven Phelps completed 7-13 passes for just over 100 yards. Returning to the team were LB Richard Owens, SS Jeremy Knutson and FB Benji Norris, all played an outstanding game. Great blocking up front from the offensive line and fullbacks sprung Schuster for 2 TDs and Ketrin Mays set Guillory for the other on two big runs of 15 and 18 yards. Mays rushed just shy of a 100 yards gaining many valuble first downs to keep drives alive, SOI made it to the red zone just once in the contest and were driven back by the stubborn cannon cocker defense lead by DT Micheal Teachi. Teachi planted the QB numerous times and provided outstanding run support along with a host LB's and DT's. The cannon cockers expect to play Mag next friday for the title and are anxious to get back at MAG after a loss in the best of the west. "We beat them once and we can do it again" said Head Coach Jacob Puda after the game, "MAG's biggest weakness is their overconfidence." If the Cannon Cockers Succed against MAG it will be the first base title since 1998 and their best record since then as well. We hope to see you all next friday for the Title game, we hope you will come watch and support the team so that our efforts dont go un-noticed.

You would think that it was a good thing that the cannon cockers key players Micheal Guillory and Steven Phelps in Fox Btry are staying here in the U.S. and not going on their regularly schedualed deployment. It is a good thing but then again that means something is not right in the world and that something is comeing down the pipe. As of right now the Regiment is standing by to see if they will recieve a deployment order on the 15th. Most of the players and coaches including me are hopeing that it will not come to that, it would end a great season for the team, its our best finish in teh league since 1998 when we won the title. We have a great feeling that this is the year for us to bring back the title and power in the league back to 11th Marines, but things aren't looking to good with the Regiment gearing up to deploy, but their is always still hope that our leaders will find a diplomatic solution to this mess and spare the lives of men on both sides so that we may stay with our families and friends.... and win a championship. Barring a deployment the Cannon Cockers will play Jan.10th on the 11 area feild at 1900 vs.SOI. Have a safe and happy new year

On Monday Dec 16th the 11th Marines football team arrived at the 11 area football feild ready to take on Supply Bn with some new familiar faces. With starting QB Steven Phelps and LB Scott Cook on leave and prepareing for a deployment the team looked to two people to fill in the gaps, two players from last year and both of them coached, last years head coach Richard Owens and current head coach Jacob Puda. Owens is fresh off a WESTPAC and was a golden helmet selection last year and will fill in a LB for Cook. Assumeing the starting QB role is head coach Jacob Puda. Also returning to the lineup was William Moyer who was out with a Rib injury after the HQBN 1st MarDiv game. The team was missing a few other key players, OL Jeff Beckum, Horacio Garza and Christopher Brooks and talented TB Ketrin Mays. Knocked out for good is SS Arlie Jordan because of to many concussions. Never the less the team was ready to play...then came the rain and still no sign of Supply. Eventually at 1700 the game was called and the Cannon Cockers picked up a win bringing them to 5-1 to finish the season. While other teams played 10 games 11th Marines was forced to settle with 5 plus a forfeit. Why so few games??? Your guess is as good as mine. However now its playoff time with the first games ready to begin on January 15th. It looks like 11th Marines will draw SOI in the first round and begin their march to the title. There's only one dissapointing thing about the playoffs comeing in January, and that is that 6 players are lost to deployment, 1 to Cpl's Course, 1 to a DUI and one more probable to Sgt's course. Every player in vital to the success of the team and thoes 6 players in Fox Btry contributed greatly to the success of the team. Miguel Ortiz, Mario Rodriguez, Micheal Guillory, Steven Phelps, Scott Cook, and Harvey Nix thanks for you hard work and dedication to the team you'll still be part of us if your here or not. Next action for the team is TBD on January 10th at a league coaches meeting. To you and yours have a happy and joyful holiday season.

At the begining of the year 11th Marines knew that they had good talent at running back, however throughout the year it was kinda dissappointing or not up to the standards that the coaching staff knew it could be. Well that all changed Monday night at the 11 Area Football feild against a hard nosed ESB defense. Ketrin Mays rushed for two TD's and Micheal Guillory added another as the team rolled past 7th ESB 20-6. The game started off kinda crazy with 11th Marines blowing their first drive on a 4 and out. The defense held as it always does and gave them the ball back. Micheal Guillory then broke a big run for 54 yards to set up Ketrin Mays a few plays later. ESB got on the board late in the second quarter just before the half on a deep pass on blown coverage and the reciever raced for 65 yards to paydirt the ensueing two point conversion failed. After the half 11th Marines came out and pounded the ball with Mays setting up Guillory for a 15 yard TD. Then again in the 4th qourter Mays iced the game after a long run by Guillory with a 21 yard TD run. Both back ran hard all game thanks to big blocks by the offensive line and by fullbacks Dewone Lowe and James Moore. Defensively the "Gun Line" a.k.a the cannon cocker defense made neumorus stops as they always do to give the offense the chancecs to score. Anthony Parker picked off his 4th pass and Kevin Schoep picked off his 5th in as many games to lead the secondary. The Defensive line witch includes Micheal Teachi, Ray Zychowski, Joeseph Kelly, and Ezra Tsosie once again put tremendous pressure on teh QB and wreaking havoc in the backfeild. Linebackers Scott Cook, Eric Southward, and Parrales kept the running game in check. It was a great win and that what 11th Marines is all about. The Cannon Cockers next game will be December 16th against Supply Bn. at 1700 on the 11 Area Feild.