The sun shone on Inverness on Saturday signalling the
start of a great day for all attending this climax to the Scottish Flag
Football Association's season.
The day kicked with the first of the play off games. At
Cadet the Inverness Rockets played the Glasgow Hornets. The Hornets winning
comfortably 48-12. At Junior the Inverness Rockets played the Glasgow
Tigers. The Tigers winning comfortably 63-12. At Youth the C.V. Predators
played the Inverness Rockets. The Rockets winning decisively 31-19.
In the Second playoff games. At Cadet the Glasgow Tigers
played the Lochardil Buccaneers. The Tigers winning comfortably 52 - 14.
At Junior the Glen Urquhart Gladiators played the Grangemouth Broncos.
The Broncos winning in the final minute 38 - 31. At Youth the Aberdeen
Oilcans played the Glasgow Tigers. The Tigers winning 47-34.
The scene was now set for a worthy set of championship
matches with the Glasgow Tigers winning through at all age levels to face
three very strong teams the Glasgow Hornets, the Grangemouth Broncos and
the Inverness Rockets. Six well coached and well drilled squads poised
to play to the final whistle in an attempt to lift the Wallace Trophies
and the all important Scottish Titles.
However before these games were played out there was a
matter of the 3rd/ 4th places to be decided. The Inverness Rockets played
the Lochardil Buccaneers at Cadet, with the Buccaneers coming out clear
winners 44 -8. The Inverness Rockets played the Glen Urquhart Gladiators
at Junior. With the Rockets winning 39-32 in a tightly contested match.
The C.V. Predators played the Aberdeen Oilcats at Youth, with the Predators
winning in overtime 45 -39.
All three finals were exceptional and each team were relentless
in their pursuit for the 2006 titles. The crowd were served up three nail
biting encounters that could have gone either way throughout the 40mins
of playing time. However there had to be a winner and Champion in each
age group and therefore a looser too.
In the cadet game old rivals the Tigers and the Hornets
battled out in an end to end tussle that saw both teams fight with all
they had to gain the title. However it was the Hornets who managed to
come out on top and despite a relentless onslaught from the Tigers, held
their lead to Win 39-30 and be crowned Cadet Scottish Flag Football Champions.
A terrific achievement for the club and the coaches.
The Junior title match was no different as old rivals
the Tigers and Broncos met to decide the Junior Champions. Despite taking
an early lead the Tigers struggled to maintain it and the Broncos got
themselves back into the game and began to hold their own. Both teams
matched each other on scores throughout the rest of the match, forcing
the game into overtime. 19 -19 The Broncos put up a brilliant defence
and prevented the Tigers from scoring then managed to get that important
TD to become the 2006 Scottish Champions 25 -19 in o/t and lift the Wallace
trophy.
The Youth game saw the Tigers meet the Rockets at this
level for the fist time in a competitive match. The Tigers struggled to
stop the Rockets offence but stayed in touch with their own offence which
eventually pulled them in front with the PAT attempts. The lead see sawed
between both teams until the Tigers threw an untimely interception which
set-up another Rockets score, which opened a decisive lead. Despite a
late rally which saw the Tigers reduced the Inverness lead back to 5 the
time ran out. Leaving the Rockets Youth Scottish Champions 45 - 40.