Sutherland Seahawks

Saturday June 22nd represents the first team practice for the Sutherland Seahawks Division One team for the 2013 season.

Individual units and rookies have been running mini-practices over the last few weeks but saturday will be the first team practice. The Seahawks will play the Bondi Raiders in a Charity Game fundraiser on Saturday August 10th at 5 Sports Caringbah and then start the regular season 2 weeks later.

As one wold expect, there were several records in the 2013 Colts season which culminated in an 18-6 victory over the Sydney University Cubs on saturday.

Alex Mellor equalled Jordan Cook (twice) and Nick Baldwin as the only Seahawks to record 3 interceptions in a game for the club. The previous Colts record was held by Andrew Oliver (1998) Matt Crawford (2005) and Justin Rourke (2008) with 2 each.

Clay Hansell had 9 sacks on the season, the 4th most for the club in Colts.

Harrison Brindle had 69 total tackles, which ranked 3rd all time for the club in Colts.

Zac Holman had 14 tackles in a game vs the Predators; good enough for equal second most in a game for the club in Colts.

Zac Nichols had 574 yards rushing, good enough for 8th most in Colts for the club in a season.

Daniel Besz equalled Trevor Chambers' (2006) record for most touchdown passes in a game for the club in Colts football, with 5 against the Trojans.

As a team, the 2013 version set several marks.

The offense had the 2nd most first downs for a season with 81, just below the 2010 record of 89 when the team also won the championship.

The defense was particularly special.

It conceded only 3.22 yards per rush, which is the lowest for the club in Colts football. It beat the previous mark of 3.36 from 2001.

7 rushing touchdowns conceded was equal 2nd lowest with 2001, but still well short of the mighty 2003 defense that conceded only 2 all season. 2003 was the last year of 9 man football like 2013 was. 2004 to 2012 was 7-man.

13 touchdowns is the 4th lowest number of total touchdowns conceded in the season, 2003 had only 4.

3.93 avg yards per play, was the 3rd lowest conceded overall behind 2001 and 2006, which still holds the record with just 2.82.

28.4% equalled the lowest completion rate allowed for a season with 2005.

With an 18-6 victory over the Sydney University Cubs, the Sutherland Seahawks won its 6th Colts Championship in the last 11 seasons.

Starting the game with a back and forth of possessions inside Cubs territory, the Seahawks were positioned for an early go ahead after a key first down to receiver Zach Hughes. The ensuing touchdown pass to Aaron O'Neill was brought back on a penalty and the Seahawks were left stranded in the red zone without scoring.

On the next possession, converted running back Jordan Kidis had consecutive carries of 8 and 20 yards, which set up a 1 yard Daniel Besz touchdown carry. Defensively, the Seahawks proved again that they are the best defense in the competition allowing only 27 total yards in the game. Clay Hansell, Peter Tandi and Khaled Alfas made timely tackles for loss whilst Harrison Brindle added 6 more tackles to his season leading total. 

On the next Seahawk possession, a 30 yard pass from Besz to Jackson Young put the ball on the 13 yard line where Besz would cross for his second touchdown of the game and 12-0 score. The Cubs' final possession ended with a fumble recovery by Clay Hansell and the Seahawks were in control 12-0.

Things would not go so smoothly in the beginning of the second half. A three and out possession to start the half resulted in a punt. The low punt was contacted by a Cubs defender at the line of scrimmage, scooped up and returned for a touchdown. The lead down to 12-6 by stopping the PAT.

Two possessions later, backed up through penalty, a key open field tackle by Blake Ebsworth, and then gang tackling on fourth down, turned the ball over for the Seahawks. The defense had 10 total tackles for loss in the game, and gave up only 2 passes; one of those turned into a 7 yard loss.

One week after having to leave the field with an elbow injury, Daniel Besz's 8 yard carry on fourth down extended the next drive, setting up the biggest offensive play of the game. Jordan Kidis's 41 yard touchdown run would ice the game and put the Seahawks up 18-6.

The victory would be the first for Seahawks Head Coach Christos Lambropolous. His staff of assistants and sideline personnel took what is still a relatively young team, from 2 wins in 2012 to a championship in 2013.

Daniel Besz was named Game MVP in his second season.

SEAHAWKS 18, CUBS 6

The Sutherland Seahawks Colts team will play in its first Championship game since 2010 against the Sydney University Cubs after a 14-0 victory over Bondi in the semi finals.

The defenses of both teams held firm for the majority of the game, the turnovers being 3 each; yards being hard to come by as the game was locked in a scoreless tie until 9 minutes to play.

Back up QB Jackson Young took over the controls of a Seahawk offense that had failed to find the big play necessary to crack the Raiders and with his last 3 carries of the game scored all 14 points. Tackles for loss by Clay Hansell and Peter Tanti put the Raiders in a desperate situation, backed into their own territory on consecutive drives. The Seahawks would score on both of the final 2 possessions.

Once again Harrison Brindle led the Seahawks on the tackle sheet, Zac Holeman and Alex Mellor had 2 timely fumble recoveries.

The win represented a triumph over a second half of the season which had maliased in anxiety, injury and flat performance. The 2013 Championship represents the 7th ever championship game and attempt at a 6th championship title. In 2010 the Seahawks were victorious over Sydney Uni 34-32.

SEAHAWKS 14, RAIDERS 0

The Sutherland Seahawks will play in the GNSW Colts playoffs for the first time since 2010 after 2 games in a week.

On Wednesday night, the Seahawks had to play a make up game against the West Sydney Trojans. Despite scoring first, Chaz Whiteley scoring his maiden TD from back up QB Jackson Young, the Seahawks would not score again. The Trojans on the other hand scored 4 TD, the first from a fumble recovery, then 3 more through long range passes on a night where the offense in particular struggled, lacking the presense of starting QB Daniel Besz.

Defensively, Harrison Bridle continued his consistency in tackling, Clay Hansell had 2 sacks. Peter Tandi's blocked kick a big play on top of his leadership on the defensive line.

The Seahawks would go on to lose the game 27-6 and perch the team with the prospect of missing out on the playoffs after being undefeated through the first 5 games and soundly defeating the Trojans earlier in the season 40-21.

In the second game of the week, the Seahawks would round out the 2013 regular season taking on the North West Sydney Predators.

The winner would make the playoffs, the lose would finish the season.

The Seahawks defense has been the best all season, conceding only 13 TD in 8 contests. Sacks and turnovers thwarted the Predators. Whilst Zac Holman would lead all tacklers with 14, Alex Mellor would have a club record tying 3 interceptions and Clay Hansell a record tying 4 sacks.

Zach Hughes would add 2 TD receptions from back up QB Jackson Young, Aaron O'Neill had his 3rd TD of the year to make the final score 20-6 and assure the Seahawks of a playoff berth, after winning just 2 games in 2012.

Having not played a game for a month, the Sutherland Seahawks were defeated 16-14 to the Wollongong Brumbies in Wollongong on Friday night.

Qb Daniel Besz was injured on the first series in a play that resulted in an intercept return touchdown; he would leave the field on the next series. Teh horrible start to the game the offense was never able to recover from.

Despite outgaining the Brumbies by 123 yards in total offense, poor execution in the redzone left points off the board. Backup QB Jackson Young stepped in and threw TD passes to Zach Hughes and Aaron O'neill, RB Zac Nichols  had 117 yards rushing.

The Defense allowed only 2 yards rushing from the Brumbies in the second half but the damage had already been done from the intercept TD and a long passing TD in the first half.

The Seahawks now face the daunting prospect of having to play 3 games in 7 days; first taking on the West Sydney Trojans in a make up game from last week and then backing up to play the Predators on the Friday night.

SEAHAWKS 14, BRUMBIES 16.

This week's originally schedulled game against the UTS Titans has been suspended and will be recorded as a forfeited loss by the Sutherland Seahawks.

Gridiron NSW has taken this action in response to last week's Round 5 win over the West Sydney Trojans where after the game, a fight broken out between players of both teams. The West Sydney Trojans team has also been suspended for this week.

With a league BYE week for the Junior Nationals the following week, the next game for the Seahawks will be Saturday April 27th vs the West Sydney Trojans at Kyeemagh RSL.

The Sutherland Seahawks remain on top of the competition.

Veteran players will report for off season training for 2 initial practices on saturday April 20th and April 27th.

The 2 practices will aim to begin the preparation for team training in June for the 2013 season by establishing the basis of schemes, general skills and physical preparation.

Practices will be 3:30pm to 5:15pm at Waratah Athletics Track.

After a 42-21 victory over the previously competition leading West Sydney Trojans, the Sutherland Seahawks now sit alone at the top with a 4-1-0 record.

Several stats emerged from the game, a key one being turnovers. On the opening Trojans drive a loose ball was recovered by linebacker Jordan Kidis. On the ensuing Seahawk possession, wide receiver Aaron O'Neill would catch the first of 5 record equalling touchdown passes thrown by quarterback Daniel Besz.

The offense would score on 6 of its 8 possessions. Zac Nicholls would score the first touchdown of his career on the third Seahawk possession from scrimmage, his short catch and run out of the backfield broke a 6-6 deadlock in the first half.

A second Trojans fumble, this time recovered by Harrison Brindle, set up a quick strike to receiver Jackson Young, his first of 2 touchdowns on the evening, this one a 29 yard reception that extended from the middle of the field to inside the corner post. The PAT was good and the Seahawk would lead at halftime 20-9.

Since the first play of the season, a kick off return touchdown, Zach Hughes has been making big plays. His game winning touchdown as time expired vaulted the Seahawks over the Cubs in round 2 and in this game he would score twice more on just receptions. The first, a beautiful 55 yard over the shoulder catch and run, the second and catch as he fell into the endzone from an pass interference call by the Trojans defender.

The comfortable victory leads into a round 6 game against the UTS Titans. Next week's game will again be at 5 Sports Caringbah, this time saturday April 13th 6pm kickoff.

SEAHAWKS 42, TROJANS 21.

The round 5 game originally scheduled for this saturday April 6th in Wollongong, will now be played at 5 Sports at Caringbah 8pm.

The Sutherland Seahawks (3-1-0) will play the West Sydney Trojans (4-0), the winner will sit alone at the top of the table. Kick off time will be 8pm.