The Rams clinched the Division Two Northern Conference Championship on Sunday with a superb all round performance shutting out the Staffordshire Surge 54 - 0
Yorkshire scored early in the first quarter, following good running by Jay Alexander and Justin Lester, with a 24 yard pass from Simon Dewdney to Dave Pawson who was alone in the endzone. More solid runs by Alexander moved the ball well but the Surge defence would not let anything go too close to their endzone. Yorkshire did add to their score at the close of the quarter when Alexander ploughed through the middle to go 14 yards for the six. Dewdney’s kick was good to make the score 13 - 0.
The Surge could not find a way through the stingy Rams ‘D’ and were forced to punt at the start of the second period. Yorkshire ground out the yardage with fine runs by Eric Bell and Lester with the drive being capped by a 13 yard touchdown by Lester, who was deservedly awarded the offensive MVP. Following the kick off the Surge quarterback, Richard Large, was picked off by Rupert Bolingbroke to begin another assault on the visitor’s endzone. On the first play Dewdney was sacked foe a big loss when Staffordshire’s defence swarmed through, but this did not rattle the Ram’s QB as on the next play he rolled right and raced 34 yards down the sideline for his TD. Approaching half time a bad snap by the Surge ended with the ball on their 9 yard line from where Large had to punt. Tim Adams took the catch well at midfield and threaded his way through to go 45 yards for the six. Dewdney added the PAT to finish the half with the score 32 - 0.
The second half began with the Surge starting to move the ball with some well thrown passes by Large, Pat Carney gaining the MVP with his tireless efforts, but again the Ram’s defence stood firm and pushed them back. Large was intercepted by Stuart Jones when trying a long pass and Jones was clear to go 31 yards for the TD. Dewdney split the sticks for the point after. Staffordshire’s Anthony Charles saved a certain touchdown when Rik Lowthion, standing in for Dewdney, tossed a pass to Tonie Browne out on the right but Charles raced across to bat the ball away as it reached Browne. With a couple of minutes left in the period Lester added to the score when Lowthion handed the ball to him and after breaking some initial tackles went 38 yards for his second touchdown. Lowthion’s pass to Paul Calvert was good for another couple of points.
The fourth quarter was all defence, Steve Newton gaining the defensive MVP for an outstanding game, but Alexander found a way through after nine minutes to get his own second TD from 17 yards out. Dewdney again added the one to end the scoring at 54 - 0. Richard Donaldson finished the game sacking Large for a loss of 11 yards, and the Rams go into the play offs as Conference Champions.
The quarter final, possibly facing the Surge once more, is on Sunday 11th August at Westgate Redoubt ARLFC, Broadway, Lupset, Wakefield kick off 2:30 pm.