Sometimes the Snow Makes Angels in Us: Moore Money, Moore Problems wins WIS Bowl I, 25-19

by Wes Mantooth

Today we spell redemption, M-A-T-T.

Mere weeks after Matt Moore was cast from the good graces of his mentor, the beatific Father Scott Priest, the two teamed up at a snow-covered Joe Lauducci ACL Memorial Field for an epic victory in the first inaugural WIS Bowl, 25-19.

With the score tied 19-19 and a mere 40 seconds left on the clock, Priest fired a laser rocket into the arms of Moore, who completed the slant pattern into the end zone for the go ahead score. A failed conversion and a 3 and out for the Twisted Nickers later, Moore Money Moore Probles (as they had been renamed by Tim Lavigne shortly before the game commenced) took home the title. They celebrated by drinking $7 "champagne" and smoking cigars that were mass manufactured in the Maldives or something. Classy.

The game was a close affair from start to finish. MMMP got the scoring started in the first quarter as Priest and Moore hooked up for a long pass play down the middle of the field. Ken Scott put MMMP up two touchdowns with a touchdown catch of his own after Priest intercepted a short pass by TN QB Davin Wilfrid. Alissa Nelson reported that this particular touchdown was "hot."

The score stayed at 12-0 for most of the first half, until the Nick's got on the board on a diving catch by the Abominable Renda in the back corner of the end zone. Renda became the first WISFFL player to catch a touchdown pass while blinded by caked-on snow.

Twisted Nickers charged out of the gate in the second half as Wilfrid used a combination of short passes and running plays to get TN within ten yards of the end zone. A TD reception by Sean "Small Wonder was way better than Mr. Belvedere" Edwards, who snagged a TD pass for the Nickers, who executed a one-point conversion when Wilfrid hit a cutting Nick Fox on an out pattern.

After a quick 3 and out for MMMP, the Nick's struck again when Wilfrid eluded a Moore tackle and rumbled into the end zone to put the Nick's up 19-12.

The lead was short-lived, however, as Priest marched MMMP downfield in the fourth quarter, blasting his way into the end zone despite Renda's best efforts to tackle him. Literally. A sweet hook and ladder play, in which Priest found Ken Scott on a short pass, and Scott lateraled back to a streaking Priest, tied the game.

The Nick's were unable to mount a drive for the rest of the game, as Stephanie "Bruce" Smith and Joanna "Do It" Douillette repeatedly crashed through the offensive line and pressured Wilfrid to release the ball early. Douillete finished with at least 7 tackles. MMMP also took advantage of great field position on a succession of long punt runbacks by Moore, who averaged 26.3 yards per return, matching R.W. McQuarters' career numbers from high school.

Matt Walsh gave the Nick's another life by scooping up a Priest fumble late in the game, but the Nick's were unable to capitalize.

On the final drive, Priest relied on the short passing game and a few key runs to get in the red zone. With 40 seconds left, Moore lined up on the right side and cut sharply across the center of the field, where Priest fired the ball just past a diving Nick Fox's outstretched hands. Moore gathered the ball and bounded into the end zone for the winning score.

Special thanks go to Steph Smith, who sang the national anthem through a megaphone before the game, and faithful fans and snack-bringers Laura Casasanto, Kathleen Rose, Alissa Nelson, Kelly Zablonski, Cara Bradley, and Wes Hosking (and anyone else I'm forgetting), who made WIS Bowl I a truly memorable affair.