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Gilberto Alvarado ties the game for the USMA Frailes

FSU couldn't catch him...
photos by Eric Jackson, article by Fernando Franco

The principal game of the March 26 tripleheader at Balboa Stadium, between the defending league champion USMA Frailes and the Florida State University - Panama Seminoles --- both undefeated --- left us with a tie. Neither the Frailes nor the Seminoles could get the upper hand, and after four quarters the final score was 14 to 14.

The game was very intense from the start, and as expected the ground game was key for both offensive teams, with FSU being led by running back Kendrick Belgrave and Patrick Fahy playing quarterback in the absence of the usual starter Diego Cohen.

The FSU team allowed its first points of the season, and at times had problems due to the versatility and spontaneity of the Frailes' ground attack. Nevertheless, the Seminoles' defense provoked an interception and two fumbles, which they were however unable to recover.

FSU went up 7-0 in the first quarter when Patrick Fahy connected with Juan Pablo Quintero on a 20-yard pass. The Frailes responded with a 60-yard scoring drive ending in a touchdown by Rubiel De Leontoward the end of the first half, and the teams went off for halftime tied at 7.

FSU took the lead in the third quarter with a 45-yard drive that culminated in a Kendrick Belgrave touchdown run. But USMA answered with a 65-yard drive that culminated in a 35-yard run by running back Gilberto Alvarado to equalize the score.

The fourth quarter ended with neither team being able to move the ball against the other. Finally, with all of USMA's time outs gone, the ball on their end of the field, downs running out and only a few seconds left to play, FSU's quarterback took the ball and put his knee down to run the clock out, settling for a tie. This left both teams at the head of the pack for the playoffs.

In the day's other games, the Saints scored 41 points on the UTP Hurricanes, and the Colon Tigers put 39 points on the board against the Dragons.

In that latter game Colon's Jorge Campbell scored four touchdowns --- two on pass receptions, one on an interception and one on a kick return --- leaving him in as a leading candidate for most valuable player in this season.