The Jewish Community Center of Bayonne’s Indoor Flag Football Senior Division Championship Tournament got underway with the Bengals (5-7) taking on the Chargers (4-8), with the winner advancing to the championship game to face the Eagles (9-3). The Chargers started fast as their defense trapped the Bengals’ runner in the end zone for a safety and a quick 2-0 lead. The lead ballooned to 8-0 when the Chargers’ Malachi Smith hauled in a coast-to-coast post-route as Smith torched the Bengals’ secondary.
While the Chargers’ offense gained momentum, their defense continued its early dominance as Jaime Betancur picked off a Bengals’ pass attempt. Up 8 zip, the Chargers once again unleashed a full-court TD strike as Malachi Smith tallied his second TD of the bout, followed by James Johnson’s two-point sweep to make it 16-0, Chargers. Needing a spark, the Bengals turned to the “Radilators” Drew and Jared Radil. They answered the call as Drew tossed to Jared, who made a leaping grab and then bolted in for the TD.
Drew Radil then made it a 16-8 game when he held onto a two-point laser from Anthony Minotto. As the Bengals battled back, the Chargers gained some breathing room as tailback Jan Patrick Egan turned a dive play into a goal-to-goal TD express. When Jaime Betancur latched onto a two-point pass, the Chargers led 24-8. The Chargers’ defense played a huge role all game long as Michael Tedesco, Janaaron Aquino and Malachi Smith ball-hawked like heat-seeking missiles.
A Chargers’ knock-out blow was avoided when the Bengals’ Jared Radil intercepted a pass at his own four yard line. Back in business, the Bengals’ offense worked the ball up court with Natalleyah Teixeira jetting around end. One play after Teixeira’s run, the Bengals made it 24-14 as Jared Radil pulled in his second TD catch. Leading by 10, the Chargers wisely used their stable of speedsters to run out the clock and clinch at 24-14 victory and secure a spot in the championship game.