Warwick Wolves deny Coventry play-off glory

The Warwick Wolves ended their 2013 season on a high as they overcame the Coventry Jets to the tune of a 14-0 scoreline.

In claiming victory over their Varsity rivals, the Wolves capped a remarkable three-game run, during which they scored 94 points and conceded zero.

Coming into Sunday’s match, Coventry had everything to play for knowing that a win would earn them the fifth and final play-off spot in the Midlands Athletic Conference.

Warwick, meanwhile, had only the role of spoilsports to play, with the play-offs beyond them.

Despite going into the game with little to play for other than the bragging rights that come with beating Varsity rivals, Wolves offensive lineman David Boyles heralded the game as the biggest match of the season – regardless of the lack of post-season implication.

When asked prior to Sunday’s game about the importance of the Varsity fixture, he said: “With a difficult schedule behind us, we will not have the chance to compete in the playoffs this year, so this is our Superbowl.

“There may not be giant, diamond-encrusted rings at stake, but believe me, this means a lot to our players, especially those of us who will be leaving this year.’

In shutting out their old rivals and finishing the season with a 4-4 record in what is one of the toughest conferences in the country, the Wolves managed to break the hearts of their old rivals by preventing them from making the playoffs. This only made the victory sweeter according to Team President Luke Selzer, a finalist for whom Varsity was his final match.

Warwick, meanwhile, had only the role of spoilsports to play, with the playoffs beyond them

The Wolves seized the initiative in Sunday’s game from kickoff, driving down the field regularly on offense whilst keeping Coventry’s offense quiet with a stymieing defence.

It was no surprise, then, that the Wolves took the lead in the second quarter when quarterback Dom Ferdani ran the ball in for a touchdown. They doubled their lead just one possession later as wide receiver Ian Sheldrake caught a touch-down pass at the back of the end zone.

Although Coventry’s offense have a reputation as one of the most high-powered in the Midlands Athletic Conference, the Wolves’ defence only conceded three first downs in the game

The 14-0 victory topped off a massively improved second half of the season for the Wolves, who can have a rejuvenated and reenergised defense to thank for the fact that they haven’t conceded a single point this year.

After a disappointing start to the season that saw Warwick go 4-1 down, with four defeats and only the single, solitary victory, they came back with a better focus and a heightened level of intensity.

Defensive co-ordinator Alex Marsden expressed the difficulty in picking oneself up after a losing streak.

He told me: “With a new goal of turning our overall record into 4-4 after the Christmas break, we approached training with intensity and focus, something which has been evident on the field.”

Whether they can continue their momentum into next year remains to be seen, but with a roster stacked full of talented players and a host of dedicated coaches, the future certainly looks bright for the Warwick Wolves.