Previous Meetings in 2011:
09/10: NY Sharks 27 @ Long Island 19
10/31: NY Sharks 17 @ Long Island 24
11/24: Long Island 20 @ NY Sharks 17
12/25: Long Island 10 @ NY Sharks 3
Though they won't admit it, the New York Sharks (14-6) have a ghost to vanquish on Friday night: the archrival Long Island Amazin' (12-8).
When the teams kick off at 815pm ET in front of 130,006 strong at the Flat Grounds, it'll make official their staggering 15th meeting in the last 28 months. It's also the third consecutive time the teams meet in the opening round of the playoffs in the fourth seed vs. fifth seed matchup; in the two previous meetings, the Amazin' disposed of the Sharks at Sprint PCS Field in Smithtown.
This time, the Sharks insist, it will be different. The always mild-mannered Shark head coach Evan Schleichkorn remarked, "We have no plans to lose this game". The gamblers do agree, spotting the Sharks as a 3.5-point favorite.
However, that figure is staggeringly low when objectively considering the matchup. The Sharks improved significantly from their twin 11-10 showings in '09 and '10, moving to 14-6, and leading the ESFL in both points allowed and fewest points scored. The much-maligned offense of eccentric coordinator Benny Trousers exploded late in the season, as the team found a healthy division of responsibilities for QB Matt Morales (64.2% comp. pct, 26 TD, 10 INT) and jack-of-all trades WR/QB Rick Ryzer (58.9% comp. pct, 7 TD, 2 INT; 5.4 yds/carry, 6 TD; 51 rec., 11.8 yds/rec., 4 TD). Even the aged QB John Barrywinkle was able to light up a second-string Seacook defense in the season's final game on Dec. 31st; Schleichkorn and Trousers both insist that no Barrywinkle appearance will be made in the playoffs barring an injury to Morales.
While the Sharks feel confident in their return to juggernaut status, the Amazin' have lagged behind both of their Flat Grounds rivals in 2011. Mostly to blame is an anemic offense, driven by an uninspiring performance by QB Curt Anes (56.6% comp. pct, 18 TD, 21 INT) and injuries to starting RB Chester Cole (4.5 yds/carry, 4 TD) and all-pro WR Horatio Nefarious (66 rec., 15.8 yds/rec, 10 TD). Both will be unavailable for the duration of the playoffs.
It's been the vaunted Long Island defense that has kept the team above water. Despite having to face the Sharks' electric merry-go-round and the Seacooks' Elijah Banker-driven attack a total of eight times on the season, the team managed to hold opposing offenses to the fewest aggregate points of any team in the ESFL. Fifth-year head coach Roland Williams puts together quite a show, made possible by the incredible talent at his disposal in all phases of the defensive game. Safety Kiorin McCaffrey picked off a league-high 15 passes in just 18 games, becoming the first safety to lead the ESFL/USFL in interceptions since Bronson Hemmenberner did in for the Denver Muffins in 1979. Offseason aqcuisition DE/LB Detrick Rust blossomed into the disruptive passrusher the Panthers hoped to see him become when they drafted him second overall in 2007. Run-stuffing DT Leonard Wilkins continues to plug along into his eleventh year, and rookie LB Osticott Gregory is headed to the All-Star Game in Ft. Pierce, Florida in late January, the first rookie middle linebacker to earn a trip since 2006. Even aging former Shark CB Jameel Wynn stepped up and played a solid man-coverage corner for a team that struggled in the secondary in recent years.
With all of that said, it will be the tallest of tasks for Williams and defensive coordinator Paul Remmis to hold back the Shark onslaught as well have they have in the past three meetings. Coming off a virtual bye week, the Shark cast of characters is sure to be well-rested and Trousers is just as certain to develop his next rabbit-in-the-hat scheme. The presence of Rust serves to limit the Sharks ability to throw down the field; and McCaffrey can likely shut down the threat of TE Jeremy Conganitus (74 rec, 8.7 yds/rec, 13 TD) doing any damage over the middle of the field. Expect a healthy dose of Rick Ryzer under center; Ryzer took only 13% of snaps during the regular season, and far fewer in the last two meetings vs. Long Island. That may betray a desire on the part of Trousers to keep Ryzer a bit hidden in the case of a playoff meeting with the Amazin', and Ryzer, who usually either rolls out of the pocket or takes a very short drop, can neutralize the Long Island pass rush.
Another option for the Sharks on offense is the hybrid set, with involves both Ryzer and Morales standing side-by-side. This serves to allow the Sharks to preserve the element of surprise, with the defense not knowing who will take the snap, preventing them from overcommitting deep (in the case of Morales) or stuffing the box (as teams chose to do oftentimes when facing Ryzer). The Sharks either opt to motion one player out just before the snap or simply keep one in at halfback; a problem is posed when the snap goes to Ryzer, as the less-athletic Morales can be left in an uncomfortable position, even becoming a target for adventurous defensive players seeing their opportunity to injure the miscast quarterback.
A magic number, if we are to identify one, is 21. If the Amazin' cannot hold the Sharks under three touchdowns, it likely will be hard for them to put up enough points to win barring an advantage in turnover differential. While the Long Island defense has in the past proven up to the task, it is an awful lot to ask, and not probable --- expect the superior Sharks to roll into Semifinal matchup next Saturday.
prediction: New York Sharks 31, Long Island Amazin' 17
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