My bracket prediction came true this Sunday in terms of the exciting Steel Conference Championship matchup.  After battling their way through three rounds of play, BILLY GOATZ and HIGH OCTANE faced off against each other in the championship game.  However, HIGH OCTANE ended up not only proving me wrong but everyone else as well to take the Steel Conference title from reigning champs BILLY GOATZ in a well-played game. Here’s a recap of the game.

HIGH OCTANE started the game off strong offensively.  Quarterback Lance Brunsell completed several passes to Bryan Maldonado to move the ball up the field.  On third down, Brunsell found Marrio Poston in the endzone for the game’s first touchdown.  The extra point was good to Dustin Dean and HIGH OCTANE took an early 7-0 lead.  

BILLY GOATZ looked disorganized on their first possession of the game and quickly turned the ball over on downs.  HIGH OCTANE, on the other hand, took care of things again on offense.  After two completions to Danny Pepper and Quinlan Dean, Brunsell found Bryan Maldonado for a touchdown and the successful extra point to increase their lead to 14-0.

BILLY GOATZ was not only having offensive struggles but seemed non-existent on defense as well.  However, they were able to put points on the board before halftime.  Quarterback Jordan Fowler completed back to back passes to Rick Douglas to bring them just shy of the endzone.  On his third completion, Fowler went to Douglas again – this time for a touchdown off of a shuffle pass.  BILLY GOATZ went into halftime down 14-6.

BILLY GOATZ kept the momentum going into the second half.  The team sustained a strong six-play drive, capping it off with a touchdown pass from Fowler to a wide-open Matt Griffith in the endzone.  They failed to convert the two-point attempt and remained down 14-12.

However, HIGH OCTANE got the ball back on offense and were ready to answer the score.  Brunsell worked his team up the field on several completions to Poston and Q. Dean to bring them just outside the endzone.  On the fourth play of the drive, Brunsell found Maldonado up the middle for a touchdown, his second of the game.

Down 21-12, BILLY GOATZ tried to fight their way back to tie the game and force overtime.  The drive started off bleak with two long bomb incompletions.  Fowler turned it around and worked his team up the field on passes to Douglas and Simon Bekavac and it appeared they could make the comeback.  However, two incompletions in a row and a third in the endzone ended BILLY GOATZ’s chances at the win.  HIGH OCTANE’s defensive stand led them to the victory and Steel Conference Champion title in a final score of 21-12.

BILLY GOATZ struggled in this game offensively.  Throughout the season, they relied on the long ball for a touchdown or two a game and Fowler and his wide receivers failed to make that connection this game.  HIGH OCTANE, on the other hand, was clicking on all cylinders – making the necessary defensive stops and finishing their drives on offense.  Congratulations to both teams on a great season and especially to HIGH OCTANE: Fall 2016 Steel Conference Champions.