The 10-to-12 year-old playoffs delivered what most everyone expected, as the No. 1 PATRIOTS and No. 2 CARDINALS advanced to the finals on Sunday.

The game was a rematch of last week’s de facto regular-season championship. The PATRIOTS came out on top then, winning a low-scoring 12-6 contest. Each team earned a bye in the playoffs, and it seemed to help as both handled their competition in the early rounds.

At the start of the game, the PATRIOTS jumped out to an early lead, scoring on a run by the speedy Amier Murray. Murray’s athleticism caused problems all day for the CARDINALS, as he weaved in and out of defenders on his way to a strong rushing performance.

After the touchdown, the conversion was unsuccessful, giving the CARDINALS the ball down six. They moved quickly, tying the game on a rushing touchdown by Adante Berrien. The two-point conversion attempt was good, and the PATRIOTS’ 6-0 lead had turned into a 8-6 deficit.

They immediately retook the lead though, scoring on a long touchdown pass. The CARDINALS defense allowed a receiver to get behind them, and the pass hit the player in stride. A successful conversion made it 14-8 in favor of the PATRIOTS.

With 1:35 to go, the CARDINALS got the ball with a chance to tie or take the lead. On third down, the quarterback dropped back to pass, rolling to his right to avoid the pressure. He aired the ball down the right sideline, and Berrien ran underneath it to make the catch.

But before he could cross the first down marker, he went out of bounds, turning the ball over. The PATRIOTS ran out the clock, taking home the title after a long, hard-fought season.

Both teams huddled up after the game, and while the CARDINALS were dealing with their runner-up finish, the PATRIOTS accepted their trophies as the 2017 spring-season champions.