NO DOUBT: 552nd AMXS nails base championship, 27-0

  • Published
  • By John Parker
  • Tinker Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Recovering after a 10-7 loss in a double-elimination championship, the 552nd AMXS left no doubt about their dominance with a 27-0 shutout to own the 2015 Tinker intramural football championship.

Shouting and high-fiving players celebrated at midfield after the Nov. 19 victory.
"You guys won this championship, and you set this standard for excellence in this squadron," 552nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Chief Master Sgt. Jeffery Leemon Sr. said. "There is no better, prouder moment than right this second for all of y'all.
"And I'm still going to fill out this team's three-day pass," he said to cheers.

AMXS finished the regular season undefeated and kept winning in the playoffs throughout November until the three-game finals night.

72nd Security Forces Squadron and Reserve Gold, each with one loss in the playoffs, faced off first for a berth in the final. After a scoreless first half, Reserve Gold intercepted a pass and scored quickly on a 3-yarder, followed by an extra point. The game's only score advanced Reserve Gold, 6-1 in the regular season, to the lose-two-and-you're-out final against AMXS.

Gold QB Jeffrey Inferrere struck Jay Harris for a quick 7 on their first drive. AMXS responded with three plays and a punt. AMXS' Cory Brookin shut down Gold's next drive, intercepting a pass on AMXS' 21. AMXS couldn't turn that into a score, though, and the half ended with Gold at AMXS' 48 yard line.

AMXS' Richard Lewis pulled down a Reserve Gold pass on that team's first drive and ran it to Gold's 26. Cole Bradley snagged a four-yard pass from QB Marc Bates for AMXS' first score. The teams tied at 7-7 with the extra point.

Gold was forced to punt on the next drive, matched by AMXS on the next drive.
Reserve Gold started the fourth quarter on their 25. Lewis intercepted again near Gold's 45, but referees called pass interference. Nonetheless, Gold punted, giving AMXS the ball at their own 7. AMXS couldn't convert third down and punted.

From their own 45, Gold struck gold with the longest gain of the game. QB Inferrere zipped a short backfield pass to his left to Randy Schell. Running laterally to the other field side, Schell chucked a 44-yard pass to Henry Pope that planted Gold on the AMXS 11.

Three plays later, Joseph Peace and Cole Bradley batted down Gold's field goal attempt from the 3. Gold got a second chance, though, on a penalty for AMXS players rushing the scrimmage on the protected kick. Ryan Clary booted it in to clinch a 10-7 Gold win.

The final game was do-or-die for both teams, and AMXS launched first with an aerial attack that wouldn't quit. QB Bates fired a bomb to Bradley for a 68-yard TD on their first possession. A failed kick made the game 6-0.

After three and out, AMXS put together a drive from their 20 that included QB Bates scrambling from the AMXS 45 to Gold's 11 yard line. He later ran it in from the 1 for 6. Gold sacked him on the 2-point try.

Michael Washington ended Gold's next shot from the 20 with an interception, putting AMXS at Gold's 30. Bates dashed with the ball to the 18 on one play, but the drive ended with a missed field goal. Gold failed to score by the 12-0 halftime.

First with the ball, Gold punted after three downs. From the AMXS 43, Bates passed to Jose Delgado for a gain to the 32. He then hit Lewis in the end zone, making it 19-0 after the kick.

AMXS got the ball again at their 34 after a Gold punt. AMXS' drive ended in Gold territory on a fumble at the 23. AMXS' interceptors struck again, though, with Lewis running back a pick from the 45 to Gold's 15. Delgado pulled down a short Bates pass in the end zone and a successful 2-point conversion ended the game 27-0.

Delgado said the first game was tough and AMXS was expecting overtime before the penalty gave Gold a second kick.

"We just needed to warm up and really get into the game, which you would see in the second game," Delgado said. "Once we warmed up and started playing our game, there was no stopping us. We just needed to wake up and show why we were undefeated throughout the season."

Inferrere said he's proud of Gold's performance.

"We were able to put together three straight shutouts in the playoffs, landing us in the base championship," he said. "Unfortunately, we ran out of steam against the No. 1 team. This is Reserve Gold's best results in league history, which is a testament to each and every player, regardless if they played just a few downs or every single snap."