Hohenfels' David Vidovic carries the ball while Alconbury's Pavel Karamshin tries to tackle him during a football game at RAF Alconbury, England, on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014. The Tigers beat the Dragons 52-8. (Adam L. Mathis/Stars and Stripes)
Hohenfels' David Vidovic carries the ball while Alconbury's Pavel Karamshin tries to tackle him during a football game at RAF Alconbury, England, on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014. The Tigers beat the Dragons 52-8. (Adam L. Mathis/Stars and Stripes)
Alconbury's Forrest Booker tries to take down a Hohenfels player during a game at RAF Alconbury, England, on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014. The game ended early in Hohenfels favor because of the mercy rule. (Adam L. Mathis/Stars and Stripes)
Alconbury's Adarius Gallon tries to outmaneuver Hohenfels' Marcus Dudley Jr. during a football game at RAF Alconbury, England, Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014. (Adam L. Mathis/Stars and Stripes)
Hohenfels' AJ Day tries to move through Alconbury's defense during a football game on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014, at RAF Alconbury, England. (Adam L. Mathis/Stars and Stripes)
RAF ALCONBURY, England – In a game marked by injury and mistakes, last year’s Division II football champions took down the Alconbury Dragons in a contest cut short by the mercy rule.
Hohenfels shook off Alconbury, which played a competitive first quarter, to score 36 points in the last three quarters and suppressed the Dragons’ offense to end the game 52-8.
Tigers coach Larry Daffin said his team had some penalties, but they were “honest mistakes” that come with the start of a new season. “I like the determination that the kids had,” Daffin said.
While the game was a big loss for Alconbury, Dragon Coach Rashad Gallon picked up some strategy for the Dragons’ next game against Rota. He noted that Alconbury struggled to contain Hohenfels, who moved the ball to the outside and away from the Dragons’ strong interior defense.
Gallon also praised David Vidovic, a Hohenfels senior who rushed for 291 yards and five touchdowns, as “tough to take down.”
“I don’t think you can practice for a player like that,” Gallon said. Chris Defresne scored Alconbury’s lone touchdown and Dominic Carrasco added the two-point conversion.
The game also saw Alconbury suffer one serious medical incident when Ricky Newcomer was injured and taken off the field in an ambulance. Newcomer’s situation was complicated by the absence of medical personnel, who left the game unexpectedly and were called back to attend to Newcomer, according to Jeff Black, the school’s athletics director.
Black said it is not normal for medical personnel to leave during a game and play was suspended after he became aware of their absence. He estimated only one to two plays occurred before the game was stopped.
An official with the Air Force fire department, who declined to provide his name, said personnel were responding to another call and are only staffed to handle one event. He also said the school was aware of this arrangement.
No update on Newcomer’s condition was available from officials at the end of the game and Black was unaware of the severity of his injury.
Twitter: @AMathisStripes
