SVS holds off 1st ASOG

  • Published
  • By Tyler Hemstreet
  • 62nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
McChord Air Force Base, Wash. --  The 62nd Services Squadron's flag football team isn't spending much time this year studying their playbooks. 

The way they've been playing lately, they haven't needed to. 

Since following their set plays early in the season didn't lead to the desired results, the team decided to put the book on the back burner. 

"We didn't scrap it," said quarterback Nicholas Brooks. "But now we'll take whatever the other team gives us. We have a freelanced style of plays." 

SVS showcased its modified style of play Monday in a 27-20 win over the 1st Air Support Operations Group team at Rainier Field. 

The victory brought the team back to .500 for the season and marked the first time this year SVS (4-4) has put together back-to-back wins. 

"We needed this one," said SVS' wide receiver Brad Nugent. 

But it was ASOG (2-5) that came out of the gate hot, scoring on its first possession as quarterback Justin Metzger found Shawn Linke in the middle of the end zone with a
15-yard touchdown pass. 

After throwing an interception on the previous drive, Brooks got SVS back on the board to close the half, hooking up with Gavin Jones from 5 yards out. An extra point conversion to Anthony Ribeiro gave SVS a 7-6 lead at the half. 

In the second half, SVS' offense really got rolling. 

A 40-yard pass to Aaron Alston set up a one-yard quarterback keeper by Brooks on the very next play as SVS took a 14-6 lead. 

SVS struck again after Corry Rice intercepted Metzger to get the ball back. This time, Brooks tossed a 20-yard strike to Nugent, just over the outstretched arms of the ASOG defense. 

ASOG's defense couldn't slow the duo as Nugent hauled in another touchdown pass with less than two minutes left in the game to cap the win. 

"They were playing a full zone, so we just adjusted and exploited their pressure," Nugent said of his team's second half outburst. 

ASOG made a push at the end of the game as Metzger threw two touchdown passes to Jason Hopper, but it was too little, too late. 

The win could be a start of a good thing for SVS, as it still has a few games to get tuned up before the difficult part of its schedule, Nugent said. 

"We didn't start that well," Brooks added. "We still have a lot of adjustments. We're working on getting our team on the same page. We hope to be competitive for the championship."