FORT SILL, Okla. -- Soldiers in 2nd Battalion, 18th Field Artillery Regiment celebrated a first place in not one flag football tournament, but two.
They won their second trophy against E Battery, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Air Defense Artillery Oct. 8 on Butner Field with a final score of 26-19 to become the Fort Sill Flag Football Champions.
Their victory came after a rocky start according to their coach Sgt. Kevin Blaine, 69th Forward Support Company. Their team was split up to compete in Fort Riley, Kan., for Victory Week, where they represented 75th Fires Brigade to win the flag football championship.
"We did get some of our players back," said Blaine who is going to school for a business degree in sports marketing.
The team also faced an auspicious start to the season here forfeiting their first game because they were in the field and losing a second shortly after. Blaine said when it came time for the tournament a switch was flipped that shut down the competition.
"When playoffs started we started practicing, everybody got their game face on and everybody did an outstanding job."
He attributes their sucess to a well-rounded lineup of Soldiers talents to choose from.
"Looking at most teams we were very balanced. We had lineman; we had defenders; we had speed; we had people that played quarterback, we have a (lieutenant) that played at West Point; we had a few that played in college ... we have some outstanding players," said Blaine. "When it comes down to it, it's just whoever has the best athletes is going to win. Being an FSC unit we had a lot to pick from."
Right before the post championship game they lost three more players, including Blaine who was injured the night before, another Soldier tore his ACL and a third is attending the Warrior Leaders Course and could not play.
"They were a big part of the team too, but in the end we pulled it out."
Afterward, Maj. Gen. John Rossi, Fires Center of Excellence and Fort Sill commanding general, congratulated the winning team for their success.
"The Army is built on winning. We don't do ties. We don't do losses. The winners get the spoils in war and in sports and everywhere else," said Rossi.
For photos from the post championship game visit www.flickr.com/fortsillcannoneer.
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