CE defeats Med Group to win flag football championship

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Chuck Walker
  • 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  In last season's flag football championship the 436th Civil Engineer Squadron needed to win only one game against the 436th Medical Group to win the title. Unfortunately for them, they lost two and the 436th MDG were crowned champions.

This season the 436th CES was presented with the same scenario and this time they delivered. The 436th CES came back from a 13-0 deficit to defeat the 436th MDG 27-19 on Nov. 30, 2012 at the softball field on Dover Air Force Base, Del.

The victory completes a season-long goal for the 436th CES and finally gives them a flag football title.

"Last year was a heartbreaker for us and it just makes you play like you have to win the first one," 436th CES quarterback-coach Steven Peaper said. "Each year we know we are one of the contenders for the base championship, it all comes down to finishing the games. We finished it tonight and made two big stands on defense when it counted."

Early on, it looked like it was going to be a repeat of last year's championship.

436th MDG quarterback-coach Terrance McCormack scored on a 5-yard run and after a goal line stand on the 436th CES' first possession, McCormack threw a 40-yard bomb to Kevin Krantz to give the 436th MDG a 13-0 lead.

From that point on the 436th CES began chipping away.

Peaper threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Victor Quach and on the first possession of the second half, Peaper scored on a 5-yard run to tie the game at 13-13.

The 436th MDG regained the lead after Connor Gough caught a 3-yard TD pass from McCormack to take a 19-13 lead.

That's when it became winning time for the 436th CES.

Taking advantage of a roughing the passer penalty that gave them an automatic first down, Quach scampered 10 yards on a TD run and the extra point was good giving the 436th CES its first lead at 20-19.

The 436th CES defense finally woke up coming up with a sack of McCormack on 4th and 15 to give the ball back to its offense.

Peaper said the sack was the key moment of the game.

"We have a lot of faith in our secondary," Peaper said. "That 4th down sack was huge. To be able to get in there and stop them was big for defense. Our line had been getting in there a lot, that time we finally got the flag."

The 436th CES iced the game with a 15-yard strike from Peaper to Paul Jordan and came up with an interception in the end zone to win the base championship.

For the 436th MDG it was a disappointing end to a successful season.

"We respect our opponents," 436th MDG assistant coach Brandon Leonard said. "They earned it because we played our butt off. I'm proud of our effort. We had a really good season both offensively and defensively."

Quach said winning the base championship was special.

"It means everything," Quach said. "All season this is what we wanted. We just had to go out and get it and we did. We're the champions."