Flag champions finally crowned

With IU's football team failing to reach a bowl game for the 10th consecutive year, the Bloomington football community focused its attention on the Mellencamp Pavilion and the RecSports flag football championship last week. After weather delays and scheduling conflicts, the flag football season crowned five division champions.\nThe festivities kicked off with an All-Star game, featuring players from teams who failed to make the final eight. The Cream All-stars defeated the Crimson All-Stars 28-25. \nWhile football was the order of the day, not every aspect of the event was dedicated to the gridiron. Cans of food were accepted as admission to help the Hoosier Hills Foodbank, as RecSports looked to help the local community and to serve the needs of the IU student body.\nAfter a day of sweat, intense play and competition, five teams laid claim to the title of champions: Team Spencer (Co-ed Division I), Smithville (Co-ed II), Wissler Wombats (Women), Sigma Nu (Men's I) and Big Nutz (Men's II).\nThe final event of the night was the Men's Division I championship between The Ruggers and Sigma Nu. The Ruggers, composed of members of the IU club rugby team, were led by junior quarterback Eric Moore. The last time Moore suited up in a championship game, he went 13-16 for 183 yards and threw three touchdowns as he led Penn High School of Mishawaka, Ind., to the 2000 5A Indiana state championship. Moore again hooked up for three scores but threw two critical interceptions.\nSigma Nu quarterback senior Charlie Roeder threw for two touchdowns, but his team's strong defensive effort led the way for Sigma Nu's championship run. Roeder showed his defensive skills as he ran back a Moore interception to tie the game at 8-8 with time winding down in the first half. \nThe Sigma Nu defense stepped up at a crucial moment of the game. With the ball and up by two points, thanks to a blown two point conversion, and less than a minute remaining in the game, the Ruggers seemed assured of a victory. But the Sigma Nu defense forced the Ruggers to punt and gave Roeder 49 seconds to work his magic. After a quick drive, a quarterback-keeper by Roeder sealed the deal with 20 seconds to go to give Sigma Nu the championship.\n"It feels great to win the championship, especially with my friends in my fraternity," Roeder said. "I was worried about the Ruggers and their ability to lateral the ball. I was proud of the way our defense played."\nOverall, RecSports considered the afternoon a success. The weekend was a perfect end to a prolonged season full of unexpected delays.\n"It was a really good day of football," said Director of Intramurals Josh Downing. "We had lots of good competition and fun today."\n-- Contact staff writer Chris Engel at ccengel@indiana.edu.