MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII -- The 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment Savages topped the Marine Aircraft Group 24 Bandits during a football game at Riseley Field, Oct. 29, 2013.
This was both teams’ second game of the regular season. Each team had high expectations for themselves to win the game.
“I think we have a really good team this year,” said Ryan Chau, a defensive end for the Bandits. Although we have a lot of people missing, we are still capable of being a dangerous team.”
The Savages started the game with football. The Bandits’ defense couldn’t seem to find a way to stop the running game of the Savages. The Savages’ quarterback and running back continued to run first downs all the way down the field until they reached the Bandits’ ten-yard line. The Savages’ offensive line made a wall for the quarterback to finish the drive in the end zone for a touchdown and a three-point conversion.
Riseley Field doesn’t have field goal posts, so after each touchdown, players had to choose whether to go for a two or three-point conversion. In order to get a three-point conversion, a team had one play to reach the end zone from the five-yard line. If a team reached the end zone from the three-yard line, they would receive two points. Those were the only two options offered to replace an extra point kick.
It looked as if the Savages were going to dominate both sides of the ball after they held the Bandits to a three and out first drive. The Bandits punted the ball and to their advantage, the Savages fumbled the punt and the Bandits recovered the ball on the Savages’ five-yard line. A few plays later and the Bandits found the end zone for their first score of the game, but couldn’t convert for any extra points.
The Savages led after the first quarter with a score of 9 – 6.
The second quarter started with the Savages receiving the ball from the kick off and returning the football to their own 30-yard line. An illegal formation killed the Savages’ drive and forced them to punt.
The Bandits started their drive inside their own five-yard line. The Savages kept pushing them closer to a safety. The Bandits are forced to punt, but only punt it 15 yards down the field, setting the Savages up in great field position.
The Savages’ running back rushed for a 25-yard touchdown, but was brought back because of a holding penalty. The down was replayed and the running back rushed it into the end zone the very next play and put the icing on the cake with a three point conversion.
The Bandits couldn’t get anything started on offense and were forced to punt the ball on their next possession. Before the ball was punted, the Bandits fumbled the punt and gave the Savages the football on their own 10-yard line.
Although the Savages had a great field position to start the drive, they couldn’t punch it into the end zone and turned the football over after fourth down.
Although the Savages offenses couldn’t reach the end zone, the defense intercepted a pass and brought it all the way back for a touchdown. The offense came back to score three points for the conversion.
That ended the 2nd quarter with the Savages on top with a 27 – 6 lead.
“The defense kept getting the ball back which allowed us to kept putting points on the board,” said Jauvaurion McCray, a running back for the Savages. “It was because of them I even had an opportunity to reach the end zone.”
Neither team could find a way to score a touchdown in the third quarter. It could be called an offensive struggle or a defensively dominated quarter. Either team had trouble putting drives together to put points on the board.
The fourth quarter was much more entertaining. The Bandits started the quarter with the ball but went three and out and had to punt.
The Savages started their drive near midfield. They threw a screen pass to the running back, and he took it all the way for a touchdown. Unfortunately for the Savages, they couldn’t tack on the three-point conversion.
A kick return from the Bandits was the only positive yardage they would have during their next series of downs. The Savages’ defense drove the Bandits’ offense all the way back for a safety.
After the safety, the Savages received the ball but couldn’t start a drive and had to punt.
A long pass from the Bandits’ quarterback to the corner of the end zone edged them closer to the Savages’ lead.
An onside kick came promptly after the touchdown, but the Bandits couldn’t get the ball back. On the first play, the Savages ran the ball down to the three-yard line. Although they were close to scoring, the Savages gathered into their victory formation and took a knee to end the game.
The Savages remained on top with the ending score of 35 – 12.
“I was really proud of how my whole team played tonight,” McCray said. “We can always improve, but I think we have a good season ahead of us."