By Frank Rizzo
MONTICELLO — November 24, 2000 – After being repeatedly frustrated, Currency Club gained a measure of poetic justice, scoring in overtime to beat E&T Landscaping 6-0 in the championship game of the Sullivan County Flag Football League.
The contest was played on a chilly Sunday morning at the Town of Thompson Park in Monticello.
The game was a defensive struggle, with both offenses having trouble moving the ball, and first downs were few.
Early in the second half Currency Club’s Joe Staudt threw a pass over the middle and Dwayne Martin — not the intended receiver — somehow got his hands on it and streaked toward the end zone. Only a diving “tackle” by safety Jamie Black saved a TD.
Two plays later Pete Pagan took a handoff and waltzed into the end zone, but ref Dan Hendrickson ruled that he had stepped out of bounds at the 17.
This drive was aborted when Jamie Black intercepted a Staudt pass.
After forcing yet another E&T punt, Currency threatened again, reaching the 19 on Staudt’s keeper. Staudt then found Pagan on a pass connection to the 5, but E&T stopped Eric Williams on a run and time ran out.
In the overtime, each team got four downs to score from the 10. Currency stopped E&T and on its second play Staudt threw a low pass to Pagan, covered by Bruce Ackerley. Pagan dove and snatched the ball, setting off a celebration as Currency won its second straight title.
E&T received a trophy as the regular season champs.
Rob King of Bum & Kel’s was the league’s Offensive Player of the Year. Eric Williams of Currency was the Defensive Player of the Year.