Monarchs rule the PFL with win

HILLSBORO - It was a year late, but the Portland Monarchs became champions of the Pacific Football League Saturday at Hare Field with a decisive 54-34 victory over the Bellingham Bulldogs.

Russell Schneider threw for 439 yards and six touchdowns and the Portland defense came up with five turnovers to finish the season at 8-0.
Bellingham led 10-0 in the first quarter and were poised to score again when the Portland defense stiffened and Schneider shook off some early miscues to guide the offense to victory.
Portland was primed to win the Southern Division of the PFL last year, and earn a spot in the title game, but lost to Springfield in the first round of the playoffs in one of the biggest upsets in the recent history of minor league teams from Oregon.
The Monarchs are the second team to hold the PFL Championship trophy after Kitsap won the inaugural title game last year over the Southern Oregon Renegades.
Nick Bodeman caught four touchdowns in Saturday's game.

A DVD version of the championship game is available for $20.00

Coach of Year, Sportsmen of the Year

After three years of league championships, Portland Monarchs coach Aaron Fentress finally earned an award he’s been bypassed for – Coach of the Year – for the Pacific Football League’s inaugural season.
Fentress guided the Monarchs to a perfect season in which they won the Southern Division title and played just one game decided by fewer than three scores.
“It’s wonderful to see him get that award,” team co-owner Heath Wharton said in announcing the honor on behalf of the league. “He’s certainly put the work in to deserve it.”
Along with Coach of the Year, the league announced Team Sportsmanship of the Year, which went to the Grays Harbor Bearcats, who missed the playoffs with a 2-6 record in the Northern Division, but suffered their six losses by an average of less than a touchdown. The Bearcats finished as the only team in the league without a player ejected from a game.
The announcements precede the PFL All-League Team and player honors, which will be decided by Sunday and released on Pacific Football Weekly Monday evening.
The playoffs begin Saturday with four games: Clark County at Kitsap, Yakima at South King, Springfield at the Portland Monarchs and the Portland Raiders at Southern Oregon.
The weekly list of ejections:
WEEK, TEAM, PLAYER, PLAYER, No.
1, Monarchs          Chris Jackson            23
1, Renegades        Buddy Tuamasaga             55
4, Colts                Fred Hawthorne             22
4, Mavericks          Kenny Peterson            9
4, Outlaws            Bobby Edwards            1
4, Shockers          Antonio S. Moore            14
4, Vipers              Quentin Sullivan            6
5. Colts                Dwayne Caldwell JR            6
5, Lightning          Cameron W. Mitchell            98
5, Shockers          Gabe Tuivaiave            77
6, Bulldogs           Arthur J. Sanchez            6
6, Monarchs          Jered Roberts            21
6, Raiders             Alexander A. Karpstein             11
8, Outlaws            Bobby Edwards            1
8, Renegades        Antonio Cobbs             99
8, Renegades        Kristopher B. Mix             84
8, Vikings             Rich Lee-Kim            44
9, Bears                Mory Keita             25
9, Warriors            Alapati Malu             42
10, Buzzards          Kurt Steele            4
10, Monarchs         Kenny Roberts            3
10, Outlaws            Mario Sanchez            76
10, Outlaws            Bobby Edwards            1
10, Outlaws            Dayton Edwards            0
10, Raiders            Alexander A. Karpstein             11

The South Sound of Music for PFL

Is it possible for a team to "pass" on a playoff game?
If it's not, the PFL Board of Directors should look into after seeing what's happening with the Clark County Vipers.
"It's terrible what's happened with the team," receiver Nick Crawford said Thursday. "Once Kyle (English) got hurt, it all seemed to fall apart."
The Vipers lost the last two games, both classified as home games, by a combined score of 129-6, and they're scheduled to play at Kitsap County Saturday in the semifinals of the Northern Division playoffs.
Clark County qualified for the playoffs based on its results from the first half of the season, when it went 5-0 in division games and 6-0 overall in PFL games. But, English's season ended June 11 during a game against Southern Oregon, and the Vipers lost 42-7 to start a four-game losing streak. In those four games, they've been outscored 211-26.
They're in the playoffs, though, because of a key win during their first half - 36-30 over the South Sound Shockers.
South Sound started the season 1-4 in division games and 1-5 overall, but closed with four straight wins. Further, the Shockers beat Yakima (23-13) and narrowly lost to both Kitsap (20-17) and South King (36-29). South Sound at Kitsap looks like an entertaining playoff game, if it were to happen.
It's an interesting dilemma for the league - should a team be allowed to let another team takes its place in the playoffs?
Crawford said job responsibilities hit the team hard at the same time English went down.
"I got a new job and just couldn't risk an injury," he said. "That happened to several other guys."
Crawford said he might drive to the game to support his teammates who make the trip, including longtime veteran quarterback Naamon Archer.

The second season begins

With Week 10 of the Pacific Football League in the record books, the business of playoff runs begins with division semifinals this week.
Pacific Football Weekly will look back to the regular season and then into each of the four playoff games.
We'll also feature game highlights and comments from South King's 38-20 win over Kitsap in what could be a preview of the Northern Division final. If the Colts get past Yakima.

And, we'll get some commentary on the Northern Division view of the Southern Division, starting with the Portland Monarchs.
The show will also feature game highlights and comments from the Monarchs win over the Portland Raiders Saturday.
So, look in on the webcast, Monday at 8:30 p.m. on oregonsports.com.

Coasting into the big games

Having the North Division title wrapped up has significant advantages for the Kitsap County Bears, especially if rumors of their preparations for this week's games are true.
The Bears plan to rest many of their starters in for their game against South King County thanks to having a two-game lead over the Colts and Clark County Vipers. The Bears are guaranteed homefield advantage through the North Division playoffs.
South King needs a win to wrap up a home game in the first round.
If Yakima wins as expected at Clark County Saturday, the Bears will play host to the Vipers in the first round, while Yakima is at South King.
And with the Vipers late-season swoon, Kitsap might be able to rest many starters then, too.
The Bears got their two-game edge with a 24-17 win over Yakima, June 26. South King beat Clark County 66-6 as 10 different players scored.
The Portland Monarchs have the South Division wrapped up, so they'll likely offer plenty of playing time to players hungry for it in their game with the Portland Raiders.
The Springfield Buzzards need a win at the Oregon Outlaws to advance to the playoffs, so they'll have their top line-up available.
The league playoffs begin July 16.

Having a great time promotin' future battles

Members of the Portland Raiders had a significant amount of fun talkin' up their chances for upending the Portland Monarchs' unbeaten season when the teams meet, July 9, at Rex Putnam High School in Milwaukie.
The Monarchs clobbered the Raiders 69-15 when the teams met April 30, but the Raiders have developed a solid defense that regularly scores and pumped that up during Monday's episode of Pacific Football Weekly.
Teams in the Pacific Football League have the weekend off before playing out the regular season, July 9.
Only one playoff berth remains in both the North and South Divisions.

PACIFIC FOOTBALL WEEKLY

Discipline key to Bears-Mavs battle?

Linebacker Jesse "Captain Caveman" Cardenas has the Mavericks playing under control.

If results in one key area in wins by Kitsap County and Yakima on Saturday are an indication of which team has an edge in this weekend's Pacific Football League battle for playoff momentum, then the visiting Mavericks could be looked on as the favorite.
The key area is penalties, and the Mavericks dominated that in their 42-32 win at Grays Harbor by having just one at a meaningless moment.
Kitsap County, meanwhile, got involved in what the published account of the game might be referred to as the "Antietam" of penalties during its 40-13 win over Clark County. The first half, according to the report, included 30 penalties, which caused the half to last two hours.
Grays Harbor actually had just a handful of penalties called by an officiating crew that just got cleared to move up to small college games, but those penalties came at key times. The first caused the Mavs to shun a punt on fourth-and-6, in favor of a run on fourth-and-1 on a drive that ended with a touchdown on play No. 13. Another penalty wiped out a recovered onsides kick. The Mavs rerturned the ensuing kickoff 70 yards for a score.