The field was set up different this time as it was lengthened, the air-ball bunkers were removed and only solid bunkers were put in their place.  All the bunkers were mirrored with each side having bunkers placed in the same place on both sides of the field.  The only difference between these sides was that the south end of the field is slightly higher in elevation than the north end.

Before the match both teams and all the refs met in the center of the field for their final instructions and prayer.  Team captains Travis Brandon (Evil Intent) and David Morse (Hitmen) met for the coin toss.  Travis won the right to make the call and called tails… the coin landed on heads.  The Hitmen chose to take the flag first so Evil Intent got to pick which end they wanted to start at, they chose the south (higher elevation) end.  With those decisions over it was finally time to get down to business.

Out of the gate it appeared both teams timing was off and they also seemed like they were playing not to lose instead of playing to win.  Both defenses ruled the match as the offenses just played too timidly.  Evil Intent stopped the Hitmen with their first flag possession and the Hitmen returned the favor when Evil had the flag from the top.  The teams then switched ends of the field.  Again, the defenses were just too strong and stopped the offenses.  Evil Intent took the snake a couple of times but just could not push through the Hitmen’s sharp shooting to score a point.  Every time it looked like the Hitmen were on their heels they would either hold or make timely shots to stop the Evil push.

Still with no scores the teams switched ends of the field again, the Hitmen were on the low North end of the field and Evil Intent took the high ground.  This time in the Hitmen huddle, captain David Morse was heard saying, “No more sitting!  We are going to push and push. We will either push into the endzone for the score on this possession or this will be a quick win for Evil.”  When the whistle blew the Hitmen got the Evil’s snake side tape man out on the break and that was all they needed.  They started their push up the center and eliminated another Evil player.  Then the center man and tape criss-crossed their next moves and the center man (now right tape man) ran up the sidelines for a simultaneous elimination with the last remaining Evil Intent player.  This allowed the Hitmen to cross the goal line for the matches first score.  Now all they had to do was hold Evil from scoring and they would be the champions.

Back at the staging tents, the Hitmen were relieved to have finally scored and glad their game plan worked.  Captain Morse commended his squad for executing his plan in a big way, however he reminded his players not to get over confident and that Evil did beat them in the regular season.  He also told his players that there was a reason Evil Intent was in the championship match so they should respect that.  Over in the Evil camp the mood was tense and concerned but yet still confident they could come out on top.  They knew however, that they had to score on the next flag possession to keep their title hopes alive.  Anything less and the Hitmen would own the first SIPA championship.

When the whistle blew to start the next game, Evil Intent was throwing a ton of paint trying for a quick elimination, but it was not to be as the Hitmen made sure they took cover.  The Hitmen knew that all they had to do was stay in to win.  It was Evil that had the task of bringing it to the Hitmen this time in order to keep their championship dreams from slipping through their fingers.