The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

MISSED opportunities by the defending champions, and a dominant performance by one of the league’s top running backs propelled the V8 Fusion Stingrays to the 2014 Commonwealth American Football League Boil Fish Bowl title.

The Stingrays defeated the Orry J Sands Pros 12-2 in the title game Sunday at the DW Davis Field, in the third consecutive title matchup between the two teams.

Stingrays’ running back Jamaal Storr and safety Watley Etienne were named co-MVPs of the game. Storr finished with 15 carries for 84 yards and two touchdowns, while Etienne added five tackles, four passes defended and one interception.

The Pros’ offence gained the edge early on as they marched the ball down the field into the redzone on their opening three possessions, but came away with no points on the board.

Two fumbles on the one yard line and an interception from Wayde Higgs kept the Pros scoreless in the first half.

Storr scored his first touchdown of the day when he took a pitch up the sideline for a 40-yard score and a 6-0 lead.

Following Higgs’ interception, the Stingrays capitalised on good field position when Storr converted a short yardage run to give his team a 12-0 run at the half.

The Pros squandered another two opportunities in the second half with a third fumble near the goal line on one possession and an interception from Donavon Stubbs in the endzone.

Etienne’s interception closed out a stellar defensive effort from the Stingrays which forced six turnovers on the day.

Both teams finished the regular season at 5-1 and defeated each other with the Stingrays drawing first blood in their first match-up, winning 20-6.

The Pros took their second match-up, 14-6. It was the second championship title for the Stingrays in the past three years.

The teams have alternated Boil Fish Bowl titles since 2011.

In 2012, after seven consecutive titles, the Stingrays snapped the Pros’ seven straight championship run in 2012 with a 24-12 win.

The Pros regained the title in 2013 with a 30-12 win over the Stingrays.