9th AS defeats the 436th MDG in flag football

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class William Johnson
  • 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  The past three seasons the 436th Medical Group has played in the flag football championship game, winning the title in 2010 and 2011 and losing last year.

Its road to the title in a short season got a little bumpier as it fell to the 9th Airlift Squadron 32-12 in a National League game Nov. 14, at Dover Air Force Base, Del.

Cid Fernandez, 9th AS quarterback, threw three touchdown passes and the 9th AS defense intercepted the 436th MDG four times as they remained unbeaten at 4-0 this season.

"Everybody steps up every game," Fernandez said. "It's never just one person stepping up; there are no stars on our team. Everybody knows their roles and we all make the big plays every game."

The first half was close as the 9th AS went into halftime with just a 13-6 lead. And it looked as though the 436th MDG had turned the momentum completely around when they returned an interception for a touchdown to cut the 9th AS's lead to 13-12.

Unfortunately for the 436th MDG, that would be the last time they saw the end zone as the 9th AS scored 19 unanswered to points to close out the game.

Joel Loftus, 9th AS head coach, said his team played well and they stepped up big in the second half.

"We overcame a lot of adversity, especially in the second half," Loftus said. "We had two turnovers and we didn't lose our cool. We came back and played a great game."

For the 436th MDG it was not only their first loss of the season, but they had to do it without starting quarterback/coach Terrance McCormack, who was suspended for the game. McCormack said his team came into the game too confident and that cost them.

"We didn't seem like the Med Group team," said McCormack. "We came into the game overconfident. Then we lost all of our confidence after the opposing team got their first score. We just didn't keep our composure."

That lack of confidence for the 436th MDG was key, as they allowed the 9th AS to take complete control of the game in the second half.

McCormack stayed positive after his team's loss and promised they would be back in their usual spot at the end of the season.

"The Med group will be in the championship game this year and we will win the whole thing this year," McCormack said. "We are that confident and we are that good."

Loftus said cutting down on mistakes will be crucial if his team is to remain unbeaten through the rest of the season and through the playoffs.

"We need to work on turnovers, we had too many," Loftus said. "We need to stop throwing dumb passes. Other than that, I think we are playing real well."