New England Bowl II
Nov. 17th, 2007

On a cold crisp Saturday night at Foley Stadium in Worcester, MA, the Vermont Ravens seven game winning streak came to a screeching halt. The Mass Fury who came into the game on their own eight game winning streak proved to be too much for the first year team to overcome and went on to win the league title.

The Ravens held the Fury to a 3 and out series to start the game. On their own first series they were held as well and called on punter Warren Bombardier. His punt sailed high and deep driving the Fury’s return man back. As he caught the ball, gunner Clayton Torres tackled him and ball popped loose. Torres pounced on the ball at the Fury’s 33 yard line. A 28 yard pass play from QB Sean O’Connor to Torres gave the Ravens first and goal from the 5. Two plays later, Sean O’Connor dove in from the 1 and the Ravens were up 6-0. Jon Beaulieu connected on the extra point and the Ravens had a 7-0 lead.

The very next series the Fury came back and drove down to the Ravens 31 yard line with Marcus Price being the workhorse gaining yards inside and out. On a 3 and 5 Fury QB Ryan Minns passed the ball to WR Fran Collins who then flipped the ball to a racing Marcus Price on the hook and ladder play and he took it the distance. The extra point kick by Jay Godino was good and the score was tied 7-7. That’s how the quarter ended with a score of 7-7.

On the first series in the second quarter the Fury moved the ball down to the 7 yard line of the Ravens where Minns again hit WR Rayshawn Link this time in the end zone for a touchdown and the converted extra point made it 14-7.

The Ravens came right back with QB Sean O’Connor keeping the drive alive with a couple acrobatic scrambles and they moved the ball down to the 29 yard line before being stopped. There kicker Henri Moser lined up to attempt a 39 yard field goal, but it was blocked Big James Parker and the Ravens came up empty as the score remained 14-7 Fury.

On the last series for the Fury in the half RB Marcus Price took a handoff in the backfield and sliced and diced his way into the end zone from 20 yards out. The extra point was blocked and the score at the half was 20-7 Fury.

The second half started out strong for the Ravens as they held the Fury in check and moved the ball to the 35 yard line. Kicker Henri Moser attempted another field goal, this time from 45 yards out and it came up just a yard short. Fury return man Jermaine Smith caught it in the endzone and brought it out to the 12 yard line. The very next play for the Fury, Marcus Price found a hole and raced 88 yards to put the game away for the Fury. The extra point hit the cross bar and the score at the end of 3 was 26-7 Fury.

In the 4th both teams were unable to get anything going on offense. The Fury did however manage a to eat up over 9 minute on a 4th quarter drive and set up kicker Jay Godino for a 33 yard field goal. That would wrap up the scoring for the game, as it ended 29-7 in favor of the Fury.

The Fury’s defensive effort was led by a couple former rivals who played against each other in a little Turkey day game at Fitton Field. St. John’s product Jared Phillips and SPM’s Gary Senecal paced a monster defensive effort.

Fury RB Marcus Price was named New England Bowl II MVP for his outstanding performance. Price had 200+ yards rushing and 3 Touch Downs leading the Fury to the Title.

The Mass Fury ended the season a perfect 9-0, for what is believed to be the first semi-pro football championship ever for a Worcester Based Team. The Vermont Ravens in their first year as an organization finished at 7-3.

~General Release - December 3rd, 2007
Fury Team & Players gather League Honors
The N.I.F.L. announced there league wide 2007 awards at the 2nd Annual All-star game this past weekend.
Co-Offensive League MVP are Mass Fury QB Ryan Minns and Mass Fury RB Marus Price. Minns passed for 1,629 yards and 24 TD on the season, while Price rushed for 1,329 yards and added 13 rushing TD. Co-Defensive League MVP are Mass Fury CB Joe Okrah and Vermont Ravens SS Roy Rose. Okrah had 26 tackles, 3 assist, 10 INT, 354 return yards, 1 TD and 11 pass defends, while Rose racked up 40+ tackles, 8 INT, 1 TD, 4 fumble recoveries, and 6 pass defends. other league honors go to Mass Fury for Orginization of the Year, Vermont Ravens for Best New Team and the University of Vermont Catamounts for Coaching Staff of the Year.

Chambers to Coach for Team USA
Mass Fury's Chris Chambers heads to Nevada to coach for Team USA Football as they get set to take on Team Canada on December 8, 2007. This is the first fielding of a team from Canada and their first ever Senior National Team. The game will be part of a four game event held in conjunction with the Minor League Football News Hall of Fame Banquet and Induction Ceremony for the Class of 2007. Team USA will play Canada at 3:00 pm in Mesquite, Nevada. Other games will feature the Far West Football Association Zone 1 and 2 Championship games and an All-Star Game featuring the Minor League Football News All Stars versus the Copper State Football League All Stars. Team USA Football will arrive in Las Vegas on December 3 and travel one-hour north to Mesquite to begin its week long preparation for the game. The Team will practice twice each day in Mesquite. Team Canada will arrive on December 6. This is the 15th international game played by Team USA Football .
www.teamusafootball.org

Former St. John's and Northeastern star
Joe Okrah leads the Mass Fury.

Mass Fury game away from Bowl
by Tom Flanagan, posted November 7, 2007


WORCESTER - If you're a football fan you can accomplish two things this weekend.
Despite the Best Team of All Time's bye week, you can still see some great football and get off the couch in the process.

The Mass Fury, a semipro team loaded with CMass stars, will meet the University of Maine on Sunday at 2 p.m. at Leicester's town field for the right to advance to the New England Bowl II and vie for the NIFL championship.

The Fury has been the league's most dominant team up to this point, thanks to a talented roster that includes Joe Okrah and Marcus Price, a duo that give the Fury the league's most potent rushing attack. The Fury can also air it out behind quarterback Ryan Minns.

The Fury also features SPM alum Gary Senecal, Leominster's Rayshawn Link, Craig Derrell from Holy Cross and two-time Minor League Football News Player of the Week Shawn Phillips at tight end.

The Fury don't leave their talent on the field. Safety Teddy Merkel is part of the hip-hop group 495 West Camp. Merkel and his boys perform the team's official song. It's no "Super Bowl Shuffle," either. It will make you want to destroy a running back. See for yourself at www.massfuryfootball.com

Sunday (11/11/7) - DIVISION FINALS
University of Vermont @ Vermont Ravens - Barre, VT @ 1:00pm
Universtiry of Maine @ Mass Fury - Leicester, MA @ 2:00pm

Fury over Cats, 35-14

In the battle of Northeast Independent Football League unbeaten, the University of Vermont Catamounts were beaten by the Mass Fury, 35-14 at Worcester State College on Sunday. The Catamounts (3-1) had no answer for Fury RB Marcus Price who wove his way through the Cats defense 18 times for 120 yards and two scores. The Fury is now 4-0.

The Catamounts actually started strong, driving to the Fury 7-yard line before a bad snap on a field goal attempt ended the drive. After forcing a Fury punt, UVM drove 80 yards in five plays to record the first score on a 30-yard touchdown pass to Tim Snow.

The Fury answered with an 80-yard drive of their own on the next series capped by a 10-yard pass from Ryan Minns to Danny Palacio. The Fury were in the end zone again minutes later after intercepting a Drew Trombley pass. The five play, 34-yard drive ended with another Minns TD pass, this time for 7-yards to Rayshawn Link.

Three plays later, Doug DeLuca hauled in a long pass from Trombley, broke a tackle, and sped into the end zone for a 79-yard touchdown. But there was no time to celebrate as Ryan Minns had the Fury on the march again before the half. Eight plays and 82-yards was all it took for the Fury to score again on Price’s first rushing touchdown from 15 yards out. The score at the half was Fury 21, Cats 14.

The Catamounts forced Mass Fury to punt on the first drive of the second half, but the punt was downed on the UVM 5-yard line. After a Trombley incompletion, the next pass was intercepted and run back to the UVM 3-yard line. Marcus Price took the next carry into the end zone for a 14-point Fury lead.

The Catamounts, now led by Quarterback Kyle Rickstead, were able to take the next drive to the Fury 24, but turned the ball over on downs. Another eight play drive for the Fury was finished off by Minns’ pass to TE Sean Phillips from 44-yards out.

Ryan Minns finished 10-of-13 for 141 yards and three touchdown passes, halfback Matt Miles had 10 carried for 63 yards and Sean Phillips hauled in 3 catches for 67 yards and a touchdown. The Fury rushed for 193 yards and passed for 150 for a total of 343 yards total offense.

Drew Trombley finished 5-of-13 for 158 yards with 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions while Kyle Rickstead contributed 5-of-10 for 80 yards and one interception. Tim Snow caught 6 passes for 139 yards and Doug DeLuca added 2 for 85 yards and both caught a touchdown apiece. Nate Goddard led the Cats on the ground with 9 carries for 30 yards. UVM finished with 299 total yards: 238 in the air and 61 on the ground.

The Mass Fury next play on Sunday September 30 against the Exeter Gamblers (1-3) at James L. Landry Memorial Stadium in Amesbury, MA.

~Announcement – April 5th, 2007
Off-season Recruiting.....
The Fury has begun recruiting for the 2007 season. We are currently looking for players in all positions. So if you are interested in try-out for the team, please fill out the RECRUITING FORM and we will contact you with times and dates for upcoming team events.
We are also looking to add a few Coaches for the 2007 season. So if you are interested in coming on board, please fill out the same form and submit.

~Announcement – April 28th, 2007
Chambers to represent Team USA in Norway
On May 13th Team USA Football heads to Norway to begin preparation to face the Norwegian Team. Team USA will land in Oslo on the 14th and then head to Eidsvoll and begin there week of practice for the game that is slatted for May 19th vs. the Eidsvoll 1814’s.
While in Norway Team USA will be special guess of the town of Eidsvoll, during their week long Independence Celebration. Norway’s constitution was drafted in Eidsvoll, and on May 17th, 1814, Norway declared its independence. Chambers says, “It will be a special time to be in Norway, and have the chance to compete in front of a crowd like this. I’m very excited to have the opportunity to represent my country and Team USA abroad.”  Chambers will be the QB/WR Coach as well as the Special Teams Coordinator.

~Announcement – April 9th, 2007
Fury making impact overseas in Europe
Former Northeastern University and current Mass Fury d-back, Joe Okrah, has signed a pro contract to play for the Cineplexx Blue Devils of the European Football Federation. He will be competing against teams from all over the European Union……Congratulations Joe !!

~ General Release – March 15th, 2007
495 West Camp release Mass Fury Song !!
After much anticipation, local Worcester Hip Hop group 495 West Camp, releases the all new Mass Fury Song. The song will debut live at 495’s upcoming show in Worcester. “We bring the heat in this one fellas,” says 495 West Camp Artist & Mass Fury Safety Teddy Merkel, “and the base track is gonna bring down the house!” So everyone come on down to Tammany Hall in Worcester on April 7th, doors open at 9pm, admission is $5 and there will be prizes, drink specials and I good time had by all. The Mass Fury Football team will also be on hand as special guest. So come on down and party with the Fury !!

~ General Release – March 10th, 2007
Team Meeting……..
The next team meeting is scheduled for Saturday March 31st at 11:00am at the Knights of Columbus on 44 Circuit Ave in Worcester (Click here for MAP). The focus of these meeting will be to holds “Chalk Talks” and discuss the game plans of the “O” & “D” as we get ready to head into the pre-season which begins the June 3rd. All Team Personnel should be in attendance, as well as all new and interested players.

Worcester