This Week In the Frozen Badlands of Dakota

[Guest]

Week One: Dakota 20 Chicago 17 Nobody circles the wagons like.....the Dakota Totems! A much improved Chicago team absolutely smoked Dakota's secondary on their first drive of the game, converting 5/5 3rd downs on the drive. The terrifying receiving duo of Charlie Ross and Maurice Huntley helped convert a 3rd and two, three third and 9's, and a 3rd and goal from 7 for a touchdown. Unfortunately, Chicago went 1/12 on 3rd down for the rest of the game. Maurice Huntley suffered a hamstring injury at the end of the 3rd quarter but remained in the game. After a hot start, the Chicago passing game quieted down and Dakota creept back into the game.

With four minutes left and trailing by four points, Roy Parrish drove the Totems 71 yards in 3 minutes, including a clutch 4th down and 4 conversion to rookie Pat Donaghy, which Parrish followed up with a 6 yard TD pass to Nathan Garrett. It was another heartbreaker for a young and talented Chicago team which has lost some close ones to Dakota in the past few years. As Ethan Lepsis grows as a quarterback Chicago will challenge Dakota for supremacy in the division in the coming years.

[Guest]

Week 2

Dakota 27 Portland 17

It was a strange game, but two interceptions by star cornerback Jeremy Camilleri (equaling his interception total for last year) kept Dakota's three turnovers from making this a closer game. Camilleri's interception total is now second in league history with 50 and he needs only 3 more to make him OSFL's career interception leader.

Eddie Castillo, who cries whenever he sees a tree, started out with one completion out of his first seven attempts, and at once point was 2/13. Portland stayed in the game with a defensive touchdown and a huge scoring run by talented rookie RB Malcolm Harmon (9.93 ypc vs. Dakota), but Castillo's play held the team back. Castillo followed up a 43 yard completion to Poole by tossing a red zone interception to Camilleri.

Dakota had plenty of its own miscues, with 3 turnovers and a missed chip shot field goal after a goal line stand by Portland. That kind of sloppy play can't continue, as they won't be facing Eddie Castillo every week.

[Guest]

Week 3

Columbus 30 Dakota 24 (OT)

Dakota and Columbus always bring out the worst in each other. A wild and sloppy game of the week. Columbus turned it over six times and the teams combined for 17 penalties. Parrish suffered a groin injury early in the game and missed receivers left and right. Thanks to a defensive touchdown by Jeremy Camilleri, who is having his best season since his first in Dakota, and Tubbs' attempts to sabotage Columbus, the game went to overtime. Tyrus Dennis absolutely killed Dakota with big plays. The combined play of Dennis and the Columbus running backs was enough to overcome their miscues, and they booted a field goal on the first drive of OT, keyed by yet another big catch by Dennis. J.B. Trotter has continued to disappoint and will probably be replaced as the starting running back by Rob Wickes, who suffered a major knee injury in his rookie year and a separated shoulder in the summer league.

[Guest]

One needs to have three shutdown corners to cover Columbus's receivers. Who has that?

[Aston]

Nah, you don't actually need any corners to defend against that passing game :)

[Guest]

you need Jesus! or any diety of preferance

[Guest]

Dakota 16 San Francisco 15

It was another ugly game, but this time only for the two offenses. Parrish, playing hobbled for the second straight week, was ineffective. Grant Giefeke was targeted twice and dropped the ball twice, an annoying habit he has despite having a high avoid drops rating. The running game showed some signs of life after being near non-existent the first few weeks of the season, and the defense made some spectacular stands deep in their own territory, including another interception for Jeremy Camilleri who is now tied for the career record for interceptions. Three turnovers created by the defense were the difference in the game, along with two missed field goals by San Francisco.

San Francisco drove down the field and converted a short field goal with 59 seconds left from the Dakota 5 yard line. San Francisco fell victim to the AI which declined to take a roughing the kicker penalty which would take points off the board, but was likely the correct decision. A nice return by Leland King and a big catch by Seth Shapiro set up the game winning field goal for Nate Shelton as time expired.

The bye comes at a good time for Dakota who need a healthy Roy Parrish to function.

[Guest]

MY EMPIRE.....IS CRUUMMMMMMMMMMBLINNNNNNNNG.

One more loss and I'm probably eliminated from the playoff race after that tight loss to North Liberty. Dakota is on the outside looking in and needs to win out to even have a chance.

Rob Wickes will be getting some sort of injury related nickname, as in his first two seasons he has suffered a serious knee injury, a separated shoulder, and now an appendectomy. If anyone can get two appendectomies it's probably this guy.

This team has been getting older and weaker every year, and a lot of key players began their precipitous drops season. Next season's roster won't stand nearly as good of a shot as this season's.