Ten seasons ago the Pittsburgh Bulls suffered defeat in a TUFF Bowl.
Ten seasons later, the Pitt Bulls finally found its way back for another
shot at the title. This time, the Dawgs weren’t going to let their chance
slip away. The S013 Pitt Bulls, armed with the toughest defense and best
record in the regular season, proved to be the league’s best in the
postseason with a resounding and dominating 29-0 win over the Honolulu
Islanders to earn the franchise’s first TUFF championship.
During the past couple of weeks, the Honolulu Islanders dominated their
opposition with a combined score of 113-30 to earn their first TUFF Bowl
bid. Meanwhile the Pitt Bulls squeaked by win a combined winning margin
of 10 points with both games being decided in the final moments. If one
of the two participants was expected to be the dominator, most would
have expected the recently dominant Islanders. Instead, it was the Pitt
Bulls, behind a suffocating defense that confused and frustrated Islanders
QB Mars Calixtro all game long.
Both teams came out of the gate a bit tentative on offense in the 1st
Quarter, perhaps feeling each other out. Both teams managed a few first
downs but ultimately bogged down in the face of some stiff defenses.
Pittsburgh QB Joe Monday was victimized by a CB Frank Minnifield
interception inside Pitt Bulls territory, but Honolulu was unable to
capitalize after Calixtro was sacked twice in their ensuing possession.
Early in the 2nd Quarter the Pitt Bulls were able to get something going on
the ground with the running game behind RBs Tank Smythe and Felix
Sierra. Their running set up the first points of the game, a 32 yard field
goal by K Shad Dutschmann, for a 3-0 lead. Dutschmann added two
more field goals in the quarter after Monday got things heated up in the
passing game, hitting TE Jason Zink on a few key plays as things began
to open up. Pittsburgh carried a 9-0 lead into the locker room at the half,
while the Islanders carried frustration.
Ten seasons later, the Pitt Bulls finally found its way back for another
shot at the title. This time, the Dawgs weren’t going to let their chance
slip away. The S013 Pitt Bulls, armed with the toughest defense and best
record in the regular season, proved to be the league’s best in the
postseason with a resounding and dominating 29-0 win over the Honolulu
Islanders to earn the franchise’s first TUFF championship.
During the past couple of weeks, the Honolulu Islanders dominated their
opposition with a combined score of 113-30 to earn their first TUFF Bowl
bid. Meanwhile the Pitt Bulls squeaked by win a combined winning margin
of 10 points with both games being decided in the final moments. If one
of the two participants was expected to be the dominator, most would
have expected the recently dominant Islanders. Instead, it was the Pitt
Bulls, behind a suffocating defense that confused and frustrated Islanders
QB Mars Calixtro all game long.
Both teams came out of the gate a bit tentative on offense in the 1st
Quarter, perhaps feeling each other out. Both teams managed a few first
downs but ultimately bogged down in the face of some stiff defenses.
Pittsburgh QB Joe Monday was victimized by a CB Frank Minnifield
interception inside Pitt Bulls territory, but Honolulu was unable to
capitalize after Calixtro was sacked twice in their ensuing possession.
Early in the 2nd Quarter the Pitt Bulls were able to get something going on
the ground with the running game behind RBs Tank Smythe and Felix
Sierra. Their running set up the first points of the game, a 32 yard field
goal by K Shad Dutschmann, for a 3-0 lead. Dutschmann added two
more field goals in the quarter after Monday got things heated up in the
passing game, hitting TE Jason Zink on a few key plays as things began
to open up. Pittsburgh carried a 9-0 lead into the locker room at the half,
while the Islanders carried frustration.
Archives
The 3rd Quarter started with a near interception by Calixtro and a punt shortly after,
adding to the Hawaiians’ troubles. The Bulls added another field goal to go up 12-0.
Honolulu coaches scrambled for answers to the smothering defense of Pittsburgh’s,
and Honolulu’s offense failed to find even the positive side of midfield during the
entire 3rd Quarter. Visibly frustrated, Mars Calixtro could do little but shake his head
as on every snap Pittsburgh’s corners blanketed Hawaiian receivers while the pass
rush bore down around him.
The 4th Quarter brought even fewer answers for Calixtro and the Islanders. Then
down 15-0, Calixtro found WR Casey Drott on a short crossing pattern, but Drott
fumbled at the Honolulu 33 yardline. The loose ball bounced up into the hands of
Pittsburgh DE Buck Brusco at the 34 who ran unmolested in for the game’s first
touchdown and a commanding 22-0 advantage for the Bulls with 6:54 left in the
game.
Just two plays later, Calixtro’s pass was picked off by CB Hanford Dixon at the
Islander 39. From there, the Pitt Bulls looked to run out the clock. Five plays later,
RB Tank Smythe busted through the line and scored on an 8 yard scoring run to
claim a 29-0 lead with 3:29 on the clock.
With the game decided, the only drama remaining was whether the Pitt Bulls would
post the first shutout in TUFF Bowl history. Calixtro stayed on the bench and with
just over two minutes remaining in the 2nd Half the Islanders finally sniffed Pitt Bulls
territory. Advancing to the Bulls 27 yardline was as close as they would get, as
Pittsburgh CB Derek Evans sealed the shutout with an interception at the 20 with 1:
02 remaining.
As dominating as a defense can get in a big game, the Pitt Bulls held the vaunted
Islanders offense to 236 total net yards, collecting five sacks, and four turnovers
while posting a shutout. Fittingly, a defensive player was named MVP: CB Hanford
Dixon. Dixon posted 8 tackles, 2 sacks, 3 passes defensed, and an interception.
More importantly Pittsburgh, after 13 seasons in TUFF, one of the few remaining
original franchises, finally posted their first TUFF Bowl win.
adding to the Hawaiians’ troubles. The Bulls added another field goal to go up 12-0.
Honolulu coaches scrambled for answers to the smothering defense of Pittsburgh’s,
and Honolulu’s offense failed to find even the positive side of midfield during the
entire 3rd Quarter. Visibly frustrated, Mars Calixtro could do little but shake his head
as on every snap Pittsburgh’s corners blanketed Hawaiian receivers while the pass
rush bore down around him.
The 4th Quarter brought even fewer answers for Calixtro and the Islanders. Then
down 15-0, Calixtro found WR Casey Drott on a short crossing pattern, but Drott
fumbled at the Honolulu 33 yardline. The loose ball bounced up into the hands of
Pittsburgh DE Buck Brusco at the 34 who ran unmolested in for the game’s first
touchdown and a commanding 22-0 advantage for the Bulls with 6:54 left in the
game.
Just two plays later, Calixtro’s pass was picked off by CB Hanford Dixon at the
Islander 39. From there, the Pitt Bulls looked to run out the clock. Five plays later,
RB Tank Smythe busted through the line and scored on an 8 yard scoring run to
claim a 29-0 lead with 3:29 on the clock.
With the game decided, the only drama remaining was whether the Pitt Bulls would
post the first shutout in TUFF Bowl history. Calixtro stayed on the bench and with
just over two minutes remaining in the 2nd Half the Islanders finally sniffed Pitt Bulls
territory. Advancing to the Bulls 27 yardline was as close as they would get, as
Pittsburgh CB Derek Evans sealed the shutout with an interception at the 20 with 1:
02 remaining.
As dominating as a defense can get in a big game, the Pitt Bulls held the vaunted
Islanders offense to 236 total net yards, collecting five sacks, and four turnovers
while posting a shutout. Fittingly, a defensive player was named MVP: CB Hanford
Dixon. Dixon posted 8 tackles, 2 sacks, 3 passes defensed, and an interception.
More importantly Pittsburgh, after 13 seasons in TUFF, one of the few remaining
original franchises, finally posted their first TUFF Bowl win.
 |  |  |  |  |  |
| Click thumbnails for full size |