Club football eliminated from tournament
LANDA MCCLURE
Staff Writer
staffwriter2@occc.edu
Landa McClure/Pioneer
Front Row: Collin Gentry, receiver and captain; Aaron Rigsby, receiver; and Nick Pinkerton, running back. Back Row: Brian Back, wide receiver and corner back; Ty Hamilton, wide receiver; and Steven Myers, linebacker. Club Flag Football attended the National Campus Championship Series Regional Flag Football Championship in Nacogdoches, Texas, Nov. 13 to 15. The team competed in Region IV in the championship tournament. Club Football qualified for the tournament by winning a majority of their games. Last year, the team placed third in Regionals. Results not available at press time.
The OCCC Club Flag Football team was eliminated from the National Intramural-Recreation Sports Association regional flag football tournament Nov. 14 after suffering two defeats, said Eric Watson, Sport and Recreation specialist.
The team lost to Stephen F. Austin University 28-6 in the first round of the tournament that was held Friday, Nov. 13.
The second round pitted OCCC against the University of New Mexico Saturday, Nov. 14.
New Mexico defeated OCCC 21-8, ending the team’s chance to advance.
Even though OCCC went home empty handed, Collin Gentry, captain, said all the players had fun, but added they were not as prepared as they should have been.
“NIRSA rules are different than OCCC’s and we didn’t know ’til we got down there,” Gentry said.
“We should have kept up to date and we needed to practice more,” he said. “We needed to make plays, but we didn’t.”
Lack of players was a large factor in the games’ outcome, Gentry said.
“We also had a hard time because some of our players backed out, so we were short handed,” he said.
“Everyone on the team had fun though and it was a good experience,” Gentry said.
Watson said he is very proud the team competed this year.
“The experience is good for the boys because OCCC is not a traditional college, so it’s good NIRSA offers championship tournaments,” he said.
Club Flag Football members include Collin Gentry, Aaron Rigsby, Nick Pinkerton, Tyler Hamilton, Steven Myers, Ben Dunn and Brian Back.
The team was accompanied by Charlie Tarver, Recreation and Fitness sport assistant.
Watson said the team attended the NIRSA tournament Nov. 13 to 15 at Stephen F. Austin in Nacogdoches, Texas.
He said NIRSA allows all registered flag football teams to compete in the regional tournament.
However, he said, the players must be enrolled in at least six credit hours at an accredited community college or university.
For a complete listing of all colleges participating in the NIRSA tournament and their scores, visit their website at www.nirsa.org.
For more information about flag football and other athletic events, contact the Recreation and Fitness Department at 405-682-7860.
