GDFL PLAYOFFS FIRST-ROUND RECAP: WINNERS, LOSERS, BEST MOMENTS

MEMPHIS – Round one of the 2023 GDFL Playoffs was arguably filled with some surprising upsets, all-time performances and crazy highlights but that doesn’t even begin to tell the whole story this weekend was filled with the most blowouts in the first round in recent memory.

Racine Raiders Make Easy Work Of Outlaws(9-0) Racine Raiders (Wisconsin) came to play against the (6-3) Tri-City Outlaws (Tennessee) as they easily advanced in the 1st round of play in the GDFL’s National Playoffs.

Andre Locke who had an amazing performance had four passing touchdowns in the game to four different receivers Jashon Foster, Will Norwood, Joe Garcia and Rico Flores combined to score 4 touchdowns in the first half of play.

The Raiders defense focused in on reigning in QB Kalon Jeter(Outlaws)sacking him 5x in just the 1st quarter alone.The entire defense was able to step up to the plate and shut the Outlaws down completely. 

Many GDFL fans had doubted the Raiders despite their top seed and regular season success. Making quick work of the Outlaws is a good sign if Racine hopes to go all the way.

Rockets Take Care Of Business Against Fire(7-2) Columbus Fire(Ohio) tried to make the series interesting by taking the early lead in the 1st half 7-0 but this felt like a Fire game to lose from the very first play of the second half. 

With their backs against the wall, the (7-2) Huntsville Rockets (Alabama) willed their way to a win with 28 unanswered points in the 2nd half by a score of 28-13.

Overall,most fans were saying they would have liked to seen the Raiders versus the Fire match-up for this playoff run, but who doesn’t love a good upset?

Red&Black Can’t Get Past Upstate Predators 

The vast majority of GDFL fans will agree that the rivalry games between these two blue collar teams will be fun to watch for many years to come the score really doesn’t tell the story.

It felt like no one knew who would come out on top in this game.Some believed that the youth and energy on the (5-4) Watertown Red&Black roster would get the job done. Others thought that the experience on the Upstate Predators (7-2) roster would be too much for the Red&Black. 

But for 3rd time this season the Predators proved once again they had Watertown figured out as they move to the quarterfinals after a convincing 28-0 victory.The Predators will now travel to play the #1 team in the country The Syracuse Strong!  

Buzzards Beat Back Knights In First-Round of the GDFL Playoffs South Lane Buzzards (Oregon) breezed past a Grit City Knight team that desperately needed a play maker to have any chance of winning.

This was one of the biggest surprises of the first round,as the Buzzards steamrolled past Grit City 47-0.

Royals Take Advantage Of Shorthanded Wolfpack Team

Everett Royals (8-1) After going winless in 2022 in GDFL play, what a difference a year makes! The Royals defeated a beaten-up Wolfpack team in GDFL Playoff action 36-0 to advance to the quarterfinals to face the undefeated Inglewood Blackhawks (9-0).

The Wolfpack were without several key starters for the game do to injuries. With the absence of those players, it was too much to overcome as the the Royals took advantage and made short work of the Spokane Wolfpack(4-5). 

Inglewood Blackhawks advance to quarterfinals of GDFL Playoffs Due to unforeseen issues that have arose with the Arizona Roadrunners (5-4) program,they where not able to travel to Los Angeles this weekend for the first round of the GDFL National Playoffs,therefore the game was canceled. Inglewood Blackhawks(9-0) has been awarded a 7 point forfeit victory and advances to the quarterfinals. We wish the RoadRunners well and now we will focus on our second round game next week when the Blackhawks will play the Everett Royals (8-1) game. 

QuarterFinals Bracket: