BAFA Premier League 2013 Playoff Review
As the countdown continues to the new BAFA season we once again go back a few months and look at how last season ended, and there was a power shift in London.
Two teams entered the playoffs with 100% records, the East Kilbride Pirates won the North conference edging out the Tamworth Phoenix by one game, and in the South the London Warriors got the better of their across town rivals the Blitz also by one game.
Gaining the number one seed the Pirates played host to the number four from the South in the form of the Bristol Aztecs in the last eight. The Scots coming away with a 28-6 win over the 7-5 Aztecs. The Warriors started off with an easy 61-0 win over the North’s four seed, the 6-4 Doncaster Mustangs.
Tamworth had home advantage over the London Olympians, but it was the 8-2 O’s who ran out 40-20 winners ending the Phoenix sooner than anticipated, in the last of the quarter-finals the Blitz put their 9-1 record on the lins against the Sheffield Predators who ended the year with a very credible 8-2, however it was the two-time champion Blitz that won by a score of 47-18
The final four then saw the three London based teams and the pride of Scotland fight it out.
in a one sided game the Warriors proved they were a team on a mission and walked away comfortable 47-6 winners over the Olympians. in the second semi two evenly matched sides come together. it was the defending champs that prevailed though, the Blitz moving onto the final after a closely fought contest with the Pirates, 16-12 the final score.
As the previous days National final, the Premier League title would be decided at the John Charles Stadium in Leeds. Both London based teams travelling up the M1 for their date with destiny. For the Blitz it was a chance to three-peat, the Warriors had their best chance yet of turning the tables on their long time rivals.
The game started in the early evening and by the final gun, in darkness a new champion was crowned, the London Warriors completed an unbeaten year and finally got to the top of the UK gridiron tree with a 26-23 win.
If the 2014 season is as exciting and competitive as the one just gone we are in for a treat.
The game, with full commentary from the Gridiron TV guys with their special guest Neil Reynolds, can be seen below.
