Media Time Out: RHA flag football game produces small crowd

There were two football games at Ball State Saturday.

One took place in front of almost 13,000 fans at Ball State Stadium. The other took place in front of almost 13 fans at the field hockey venue. The former was Ball State's home opener against Indiana State. The latter was the Residence Hall Association's third annual flag football tournament championship game.

This year's matchup pitted the team from Botsford/Swinford against Howick/Williams. The game, which took place in relative obscurity, was one for the ages.

The team from Bot/Swin was coached by Tyson Runkle, a sophomore who strode the sideline, playbook in hand shouting orders to his team. Despite his best efforts, though, Runkle looked less like a college-age football coach and more like a college-age "Squints" Paladoros, straight from the movie "The Sandlot."

Runkle's team was led by freshman phenom David Staples, an athletic quarterback with more moves than a Russian chess player. Howick/Williams was captained by sophomore Frank Blair.

The game wasn't without its subplots either. Three members of the Howick/Williams squad won the title in a Bot/Swin uniform not more than a year ago. Blair, Andy Koenig, and "Big" Joe Hurt were out to prove Runkle's young club couldn't compete with their experience and know-how.

The two undefeated teams took to the field and then, without anybody noticing, play began. In the first half, balls were thrown, tackles were made, and trash was talked, but no leeway was gained by either team.

A 6-6 halftime score meant only that the score was tied midway through the game. The residence hall squads then prepared for another ten minutes of flag-grabbing fun.

The second half was a defensive struggle from the beginning. In fact, it was also an offensive struggle, as both teams struggled to have an offense. The horn then sounded, signaling the end of the second half. Twenty minutes was not sufficient to settle this dispute, and the game went into overtime.

After an interception, the Howick/Williams squad faced a fourth and goal. Quarterback Miki Savic dropped back and tossed a Hail Mary to Jen Catellier, and the game was over. Blair, Koenig, and Hurt defended their title, and the Bot/Swin team left defeated and dejected.

To comfort his team, Runkle appropriately quoted from "The Sandlot."

"Even though the team lost," he said, "they all walked a little taller that day."