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Perenial favorite CCR Novas met the 2005 "B" league champion Titans in the first round of the 2006 IFFL Spring A Playoffs in a very good, competitive game between two teams who demonstrated good sportsmanship and showed a lot of respect towards each other. From the beginning, it looked like a game that would be decided on a turnover and that turned out to be the case. The Titans took the opening kickoff and quickly marched down the field by exploiting the flats for 10 and 15 yard gains. They punctuated the drive with a nice fingertip TD reception in the back of the endzone. The extra point was good and the Titans led 7-0. CCR responded with a long, methodical drive that chewed up clock and was aided by a clutch 4th down conversion by RB Chris Mack. On third-and-goal Novas QB John Hering evaded a flag pull at the line of scrimmage and scrambled into the endzone for the TD. The extra point made it 7-7 with less than two minutes remaining in the half. After the ensuing kickoff, CCR forced a quick 3-and-out to get the ball back with 30 seconds remaining in the half. On the last play of the half, lineman AJ Jones almost darted and weaved his way to paydirt, but the Titans came up with a clutch flag pull at the 4-yard line to keep the game tied at halftime. The Novas received the second-half kickoff and again marched purposefully down the field. On third and goal from the 17, Hering hit C Bob Bryk in the back corner of the endzone for the go-ahead touchdown. The extra point made it 14-7 CCR. Just when it seemed the Novas had taken over the game, the momentum shifted in the blink-of-an-eye when the Titans QB went on a spectacular 80 yard jaunt to the endzone. He eluded several would be flag-pullers at the line of scrimmage, darted between two Nova LBs, and then outran the rest of the Nova secondary for the stunning game-tying TD. The Novas composed themselves and again drove efficiently down the field. With less than two minutes left, Hering scrambled for his second rushing TD of the game, but a missed extra point left the score at 20-14 and gave the Titans a golden opportunity to spring the upset. A botched lateral on the ensuing kickoff put the Titans in a deep hole at their own 10, and on the first play of the drive, Mack made a leaping interception to seal the game for the Novas. It was the only turnover of the game and proved costly for the Titans. From the CCR Coach: The game was highly enjoyable to the Novas and was demonstrative of the ideals of the IFFL -- good competition with good sportsmanship. The Novas wish the Titans well in the future. With the addition of a few key players in certain positions and continued improvement in their playbook and organization, the Titans are sure to be a force not just in the IFFL, but on a State level.