Game after game, four teams proved throughout the intramural football season they would stand the test and become the best.
Da Real Deal, Gibbs Hall, Pick 6, and Da Bottom shook off twelve other teams throughout the week to get to the Final Four round of the intramural league playoffs.
Da Real Deal faced off against Gibbs hall in a close contest. Trailing at halftime, Da Real Deal took control and showed in the Final Four, that defense would be the key to victory.
“Defense wins championships and we have to believe in our D”, Victoriano Arboleda, a senior from Tampa, said.
Arboleda played a big role in the team’s comeback victory. He became vocal throughout the game and instructed the team on how to get the win in the second half.
Pick 6 and Da Bottom both played efficiently and brought highlights to the field with unquestioned talent.
“I’m hoping for a big win,” Charles Johnson, a junior from Tampa, said. He was excited that his team’s play resulted in continuous wins.
Johnson is a wide receiver and quarterback for Pick 6, and he understood that winning would be a collective team effort.
“We have to come out and play tough ball as a family because we want the ultimate prize,” Johnson said.
Johnson wanted to play hard so he and his teammates could reach their highest potential.
“They can really compete at a high level of fun,” Tony Brewington, the intramural sports coordinator, said.
Brewington was a referee and saw first hand the competition and energy being demonstrated throughout both games.
Competition was extremely high for all teams throughout the intramural playoffs. Teams and players made acrobatic catches and returned interceptions for touchdowns, but each squad had to play with perfection to get to the final rounds.
“Making the right decisions and scoring early will help us against our next opponent”, Arboleda said. He said those two things helped thus far, and nothing should change going into the championship game.
Making the most of their opportunities, the Final Four teams played with passion and heart. Only two teams can make the final round, but the four showed it’s more than talent that gets you to the Final Four.