2009

Peabody League Champions

After another flag football season which seemed to be the longest one ever due to all the rain outs finally got finished before the end of the school year with all games being played. There were a record 44 teams that played this past spring spilt up into the 4 age categories, 5-6 division, 7-8 division, 9-11 division and 12-14 division.
In the 5-6 age group, 8 teams played flag football every Monday at the Higgins middle school. The 5-6 division has to be without a doubt the most challenging age division as the coaches not only have to introduce the game of football and teach the basics from snapping a ball to running in the right direction but they must also keep their players little legs and mind in one place. In the 5-6 division this past spring both the Packers and Lions managed to navigate their way through the season undefeated but as the games reached the playoffs it was the Packers that fell a little short as they lost out to the Chiefs, while the Lions continued their winning ways to the Championship and managed to win a close game against the Chiefs, to be crowned Champions of the 5-6 division.

The 7-8 division was the most competitive 7-8 division to date, with a lot of experienced players and coaches returning one more time before the majority of them move up to the next age group. There were some great games during the season and many decided on the last play of the game to add to the excitement. As the season entered the play-offs the Lions looked the favorites in the NFC and the Browns in the AFC, but it would be the Browns that were involved in an upset as the #4 Colts defeated them in a great back and forth game. In the NFC the Cardinals who were blown out by the Bears early in the season came back with purpose as they beat the Bears the second time round to reach the divisional Championships. In the end it was last year’s winners of the 7-8 division who were looking to repeat and they did as they defeated the Cardinals in the divisional championships and the Ravens in the Superbowl to be crowned the 7-8 division Champions.

The 9-11 division continues to be the most popular as this past spring 14 teams competed in the AFC and the NFC. For the second season In a row there was an all girls team that entered the league and for the second season in a row the smiles of the boys that were playing them were soon erased as the girls went on to win their first three games of the season. In the NFC the Cowboys, Cardinals and Lions all finished the season with just one loss, but on the other side it was the Chiefs that went undefeated looking to make some noise in the play-offs. The key matchup in the NFC was the Cardinals and Lions as they had already played earlier in the season, with the Cardinals winning the match up, the play-off game was one of the best games of the season as the Cards went up early and went up big but the Lions battled back into the game and almost pulled it off. In the divisional final the Cowboys however were too strong for the Cardinals as they moved on to the Superbowl. In the AFC the Chiefs knocked off the Broncos and Browns to reach the Superbowl and the young Chiefs gave the Cowboys a run for their money but in the end the Cowboys had too many weapons and put the game out of reach to become the 9-11 division champions.

In the always competitive 12-14 division games were fast and furious. Last season’s 9-11 champions made the jump to the 12-14 division and while they didn’t have all their players from the previous season they found the going tough against the older kids. Another all girls team entered the 12-14 division to play against the boys and while the difference in athletic ability starts to show between boys and girls at this age, the girls managed to hold their own and still win 2 games during the season. The Cardinals and Bears emerged as the two dominant teams and both faced each other during the season while they were both undefeated. The Bears won a close game but the Cardinals put the game down to experience. During the play-offs there were no upsets as both the Bears and Cardinals cruised though the bracket to play each other again in the Championship game, but on this rainy day it was the Cardinals who adapted to the conditions and won the game convincingly to be crowned the 12-14 division Champions.

Re-live the season through the photos and movies that are posted from each week of play.

Pictures HERE