Karen Boehler
CCSR writer/editor
Money Champs - Winner of Hike It & Spike It.
(CCSR photo by Karen Boehler)
The first day of the 15th annual Hike It & Spike It flag football tournament is in the books, with more than 500 games contested on 40 fields at the Cielo Grande Sports Complex.
Opening ceremonies began with with a welcome by national representative Bill Saunders, CEO of PS Sports, an invocation by Jerry Lots and the national anthem Crystal Jeffers-Polei.
Quarterback Josh Hunter of Roswell — with Wrong Way Down One Way — tries to get the ball past charging Martin Alvarez from Las Cruces. Alvarez' team — Average Idiots Dominating Sports — won, sending Wrong Way to Sunday's Down and Out Bowl.
(CCSR photo by Karen Boehler)
Then, after a number of presentations — Superbowl-style rings to local organizers Cla Avery and Jim Matteucci, sponsor awards, and a “Most Valuable Player” award to staff member Kristen Salyards — Roswell City Councilor Barry Forster kicked off what everyone was really waiting for with an opening pass to sponsor Brad Davis of Prudential-Enchanted Lands Realty.
After that, it was all football, all day, as each of the 512 teams got to play two games, with any team with at least one win advancing to Sunday’s final games.
In the highly contested “Show Me the Money” bracket, 14 of the original 30 teams are out of the money with two losses, no doubt very disappointed they won’t be taking some cash with them.
Still in the running for that $10,000 title prize, in the championship bracket are Kryptonite, KC First Horizon, Full Armor, Tucson Turfs Tigers, Dallas Rage, Got Game, Dallas Blackout and PWI Skin.
Playing on Fields A and B, those teams will begin action at 9 a.m.
Jason Roarke with Westech Extreme of Lubbock, Texas, tries to stop a pass by a member of the El Paso Young Gunz in the "Show Me the Money" division.
(CCSR photo by Karen Boehler)
Still in it in the consolation bracket — where one more loss means the weekend is over — are El Paso Young Gunz, Voodoo, EP Cobras, Rockers, House, Swagger, Ballers and DB.
Those games begin at 9 a.m., while other divisions start as early as 8 a.m.
The “Show Me the Money” championship is set for 3:30 p.m. on Field A, with other title games starting as early as mid-day and others running through early evening.
Those teams that were winless on opening day still might not go home empty-handed. Every winless team will have third chance for a victory, competing for the Down and Out Bowl title.
Day 1 results of all but about a half-dozen divisions are available by clicking on the following links. Complete results will be on this site and at "www.roswellgridiron.com after Sunday’s championships. (Results are listed by field as well as division.)
For more sports news, go to Chaves County Sports Report