The Lancashire Academy of American Football will hold its Annual General Meeting at 2pm on 7th November 2010 at Blackburn RUFC. All members of the Academy are asked to attend.

At the AGM, election of the committee for 2010/2011 will take place. If you are interested in standing for a position on the committee, you can see an overview of the roles and responsibilities here. Further information is available in the constitution here. If you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch with Chairman Paul Horsburgh at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Further information regarding the election process will be announced closer to the time.

The Lancashire Wolverine Colts defeated the Manchester Titans this past Sunday to win the BAFA Youth Northern division, celebrating their second consecutive division title. The win also meant that for the second straight year, the Colts finished the regular season having won every home match. By virtue of winning the division they guaranteed that their quarter final fixture on the 5^th September will be played at home at Blackburn Rugby Club.

The Colts won the opening coin toss and elected to return. However, their first offensive series proved to be unsuccessful. Following the punt the visiting Titans took possession for their first offensive outing. On third down and inside their own 20, the Manchester quarterback slipped out of a tackle and scrambled up the middle for a first down. The Titans constructed a lengthy drive as the Colts defence initially struggled to contain the visitor’s wildcat formation. However, as the Titans looked to capitalize, a sack by Jake Hodgkinson relieved the pressure on the defence. On the next play the Colts forced Manchester to turn the ball over on downs as the visitors could not reach the 1^st down marker.

The Colts moved downfield on their second offensive possession and looked to have finished off the drive with a touchdown. However, Christian Facchin’s score was ruled out because of a penalty. The Colts failed to reclaim the touchdown but had the opportunity to apply pressure on the Manchester offence as they re-entered play close to their own goal-line. A sack may have left the Titans fighting desperately to stop out of their own endzone but they were relieved of that pressure when penalty yardage propelled them forward to the 44 yard line. They did not profit from this and both teams continued to struggle getting on the scoreboard throughout the first two quarters.

However, with the second quarter nearing completion, a terrific throw by Colts quarterback Lawrence Quinn was caught by Lee Horrocks who darted down the right sideline for a 64 yard touchdown. Alex Hodson’s extra points attempt was good giving the Colts an 8-0 lead at the break. Buoyed by the score before the half, the Colts looked a team full of vigour in the early third quarter. The defence quickly smothered the Manchester offence allowing the Colts “o” back on the field. An excellent run by Christian Facchin set the wheels in motion for another scoring drive. Receptions by wide receivers Rihan Malik and Jack Ginger extended the drive. After that, Johnny Glover continued his series of completions when he found GB tight end Seb Kerridge in the endzone for a touchdown. Alex Hodson maintained his fine kicking streak as he added the extra points once more.

The Colts defence quickly thwarted any immediate reply from the Titans who were forced to punt. Kyle Martindale fielded the boot at the Wolverine 30 and then proceeded to expertly cut his way through the coverage unit returning the ball all the way to the Manchester fifteen yard line. Energized by the huge return Alex Hodson weaved his way into the endzone for a 15-yard touchdown run only to be denied by a flag. However, with a series of powerful runs, the big back found himself in the endzone again moments later and this time without flags littering the field. The extra point attempt was blocked but the Colts still took a commanding 22-0 lead into the fourth quarter.

Quietly putting together a strong 3^rd quarter performance, the defence again forced Manchester to turn the ball over on downs aided by a Christian Facchin sack. The Colts next offensive series proved to be the fourth consecutive scoring drive. It got underway with a reception by Rihan Malik. Sam Johnson’s excellent 24 yard run then took the Colts into the red-zone. With first down at the 20 yard line, Johnny Glover neatly threw to Sam Reed prior to completing the drive with a throw to Seb Kerridge, who collected his second touchdown of the game. The Colts looked to have added two more points when Glover found a wide open Jon Varney but he was adjudged to have been ineligible down field on the conversion attempt. The scoring was complete at 28-0 but there was still time for history to be made. Wide receiver Rihan Malik’s 21^st reception of the season was greeted by rapturous applause from teammates, coaches and fans alike as he broke the Colt’s record for receptions in a regular season. The previous record of 20 receptions had been held by Steve Liggett since 1997. The proud moment for the receiver and for the Colts was a perfectly fitting end to the division winning day.

The Colts will now complete the regular season against the Gateshead Senators next Sunday before gearing up for a playoff quarter final at Blackburn Rugby Club on the 5^th September.

Article by Chris Ollett

Earlier in the season the Lancashire Wolverine Colts and the Leeds Varsity Bobcats fought out a tense and deadlocked battle which ended in a 6-6 tie at Leeds Corinthians RUFC Ground. The rematch between the two teams took place this past Sunday at Blackburn Rugby Club with both teams looking to take sole control of the race to win the BAFA Youth Northern Division. This time out, the Colts produced an irrepressible performance leading to an emphatic 30-0 win which shattered all notions of parity that existed between the teams from the first fixture.

The Colts got off to an electric start. Jake Hodgkinson took the opening kickoff to the Colts 32, from where the offence would start their quick strike drive. Johnny Glover’s first throw was a perfectly thrown deep ball to wide receiver Sam Reid who hauled in a catch at around the Leeds 45. Reid then sprinted down the right sideline and was finally caught at the six yard line. On first and goal, Christian Facchin then ran close behind the offensive line for a 6 yard touchdown giving the Colts an immediate lead. They could not convert the extra points attempt and so the early score was 6-0.

On the ensuing kick-off a shell-shocked Leeds looked to calm the early storm but Jonny Frayne’s thundering hit forced a fumble which Christian Facchin recovered for the Colts. However, they couldn’t capitalize on the excellent field position as the Leeds defence held firm forcing a field goal attempt. The kick came up short and so the score remained 6-0. As a result, Leeds finally got a chance to get their offence on the field. They enjoyed little success and a sack by Jake Hodgkinson put Leeds in a hole. It was a hole that they might have gotten themselves out of but their wide receiver couldn’t quite pull in a pass after the visitors faked the punt.

Although they enjoyed good fortune in surviving the previous play, escaping a potentially momentum shifting moment, the Colts deserved credit for instantly capitalizing on their good luck. Johnny Glover lofted a pass to his right which was collected by wide receiver Rihan Malik in the front corner of the endzone for the Colt’s second touchdown. Alex Hodson then added the extra points, extending the home team’s lead to 14-0, a lead which they carried into the half time break.

Leeds’ opening series proved unsuccessful as the Colts forced them three and out. Mark Balcombe and Jon Varney were the defensive players swallowing up the Leeds ball carrier on third down. Taking over possession on the 37 yard line the Colts set about putting together another scoring drive. Glover threw to Lee Horrocks to grab a first down. This was followed up soon after with another excellent throw downfield which receiver Rihan Malik plucked out of the air for a 42 yard completion. This set up another 1^st and goal at the two, eerily similar to the Colt’s first touchdown. This time it was running back Ryan Morton who capped off the drive as he powered into the endzone for the rushing touchdown. Alex Hodson again added the extra points leaving Leeds chasing an insurmountable 22 point deficit.

Leeds misery on offence continued on their next series. An outrageous hit in mid air by Jonny Frayne on the Leeds wide receiver broke up a pass which would have resulted in a first down. When James McGovern and Andrew Newby convened in the Leeds backfield, combining to bring the Yorkshire quarterback down on third down, Leeds were again forced to punt. The boot from the Leeds’ punter was low and short. Linebacker Jon Varney returned the punt for a touchdown by first shrugging off a would-be tackler with ease and then motoring into the endzone. Johnny Glover juggled the snap on the extra point attempt yet still managed a deft toss to Lee Horrocks ensuring the extra points attempt was good. Now at 30-0, this was the final score, completing the rout, capping off the tremendous team performance and confirming the Colt’s place atop of the division at present.

The Colt’s next outing is a home fixture with the Manchester Titans Youth as part of a Lancashire Academy of American Football double header at Blackburn Rugby Club on Sunday, 15^th August. Despite their excellent win against their closest challengers Leeds, the Colts need to continue performing at a high level to secure the division crown, starting next Sunday.

Article by Christopher Ollett

The Lancashire Wolverine Colts secured a playoff place last weekend with a win north of the border. The Colts had beaten the Scottish based Lanarkshire Longhorns on the opening day of the season and completed a season sweep with a comfortable 14-0 win.

After winning the opening coin toss the Colts elected to receive. The offence got off to a fast start when Johnny Glover scrambled for a first down. He quickly followed that up with an excellent deep throw which was caught by wide receiver Sam Reid for 32 yards. The catch represented Reid’s first in a Colts uniform. However, the early momentum was dented when the Longhorn’s defence forced a field goal. A misplaced snap forced holder Johnny Glover to improvise, but despite a neat completion, the Colts were held out of the endzone.

The Longhorns subsequently took over for their first offensive series. It began well with some powerful running by the home team’s back. However, under duress from the Colts pass rush, Ste Czarnecki expertly picked off an ill-advised throw by the Scottish quarterback to give the Colts great field position around midfield. Although the Colts offence couldn’t capitalise on the turnover, their defence again proved air-tight with Ste Czarnecki inches away from his second interception. Christian Facchin blocked the ensuing Lanarkshire punt and assured the Colts offence of excellent field position once more.

This time the Colts were not to be denied and grabbed the lead with a quick-strike score. Johnny Glover’s dump off to Ryan Morton resulted with the running back weaving through the Lanarkshire defence to score a fantastic 48 yard touchdown. The extra point was no good leaving the Colts in charge with a 6-0 lead which remained at the half. The third quarter started with Alex Hodson’s hefty boot forcing a touchback. The Longhorns began in search of an equalizing score. Heavy pressure from the Colts ensured that that was not to be the case and the home team were again forced to punt. As they had in the first half, the Colts offence opened the second half with promise. Rihan Malik pulled off yet another circus catch when he leapt above the Longhorns defensive back to snag a well thrown pass from Johnny Glover. In the red zone the Colts needed all four downs to set up a 1st and goal at the 4 yard line. Lee Horrocks caught a short pass and fought well for an extra yard to keep the Colts drive alive. With the first down Johnny Glover punched the ball into the endzone with a four yard touchdown run. Alex Hodson’s extra point was good and so gave the Colts a 14-0 lead.    

That concluded the scoring as neither team could get on the scoreboard in the fourth quarter. The Longhorns did find some success running the ball in fits and starts. Yet, the Colts defence preserved their shutout by hounding the Lanarkshire quarterback resulting in a series of sacks and near interceptions. Jake Hodgkinson and Andrew Newby teamed for a sack and James McGovern added another. Ste Czarnecki continued his impressive coverage as he broke up what looked to be a sure connection for the Longhorns. Rihan Malik twice looked to have picked off the opposing quarterback but had one called back for a penalty and couldn’t quite gather the other. This fourth quarter action made certain that the full time whistle marked the Colts second shutout of the season.

The win in Scotland represented a balanced performance by the Colts, one in which they imposed their authority in all phases of the game. Such a well rounded performance will be needed again in their fixture against the Leeds Varsity Bobcats. The game will be part of a double header at Blackburn Rugby Club on Sunday August 8th and will most probably decide whether the division crown stays in Lancashire or is wrestled away to Yorkshire.

Article by Chris Ollett