The Tribune

THE fifth annual Bahamas Flag Football League postseason invitational tournament saw one new champion crowned while another repeated as title holders at the Winton Rugby Field during the National Heroes Day holiday.

Both New Providence- based teams kept the trophies at home for a second consecutive year.

In the women’s division, the Johnson’s Trucking Lady Spartans won over the Bommer G’s Bobcats, 7-6.

The Bobcats defeated the defending champion Summit Academy Ravens in the semi-final to earn a berth to the championship but came up just short in their search for their first league title.

On the men’s side, the Finlandia Predators won their second consecutive invitational title after a 17-14 overtime thriller over the visiting Freecon Alliance.

A total of 11 teams participated - seven men’s and four women’s teams from the New Providence and Grand Bahama leagues.

The current BFFL men’s champions, the Finlandia Predators, continued their winning streak among the field which included A Sure Win Team Elite, Avengers, RBC Lions, Orry J Sands Spartans, and from the Grand Bahamas Flag Football League (GBFFL) the Sands Bears and three-time tournament and defending GBFFL champions, Frecon Alliance.

In the women’s division the Spartans, Bommer G Bobcats, Summit Academy Ravens represented the BFFL while the MLM Eagles represented the GBFFL.

John-Marc Nutt, vice president of the BFFL, said the tournament serves several purposes to supplement the growth of the sport.

“We know the league is growing in popularity every year with our regular season, but the invitational is always very important to us because it keeps the excitement around the sport alive just about year round,” he said. “It was a well played tournament overall and many teams use this tournament as a stepping stone to set the tone for the regular season and it is always great to get the inter-island rivalry going between New Providence and Grand Bahama.”

The tournament was sponsored by BTC, Burns House and Powerade.