The dream ended Sunday night in the Waldstadion when Rob Hart hooked his 40 yard FG with 4 seconds left giving the Fire a 13-10 victory in World Bowl 2000.

In what turned out to be a titanic defensive struggle, the Claymores Bravehearts on D played an incredible game - only finally cracking with 72 seconds left when RB Pepe Pearson dashed in from 1 yard to give the Fire the game's final points. By then the Hounds were showing signs of fatigue, after having been kept on the field because of the offense's inability to keep the ball.

Mel Gibson couldn't inspire the Bravehearts on Sunday

The game had started well for the Claymores. After holding the Fire to a 21 yard FG from Manny Burgsmuller on their first drive, it took Daft and co only 3 plays to find the end zone. After a 30 yard hook up to Willy Tate, Offensive Player of the Year Aaron Stecker took the handoff up the middle, shook off several tackles and darted 36 yards to the endzone to give them a 7-3 lead and send the 500 plus travelling support into delirium.

Claymores are introduced much to the delight of the 500 plus travelling fans

From then on however defense would dominate the rest of the game. Co-Defensive Player of the Year CB Duane Hawthorne picked off Wuerffel to end a Fire scoring threat on their next drive, then helped break up a 3^rd down pass intended for Kevin Drake on their next drive after a good punt return had given the Fire another chance. Pete Elezovic was short on his 43 yard attempt.

One final speech before kickoff

Daft finally found some WR's when the Claymores got the ball next, hitting Sulecio Sanford for 6 yards on a 3^rd and 1 and then finding Donnie Sellers for 25 yards to the 12 yard line. But a sack and a holding penalty pushed the Claymores back and they settled for a 32 yard FG from Rob Hart to give them a 10-3 lead.

Duane Hawthorne prepares to make a touchdown saving tackle on Pepe Pearson in the 1^st quarter

After a 48 kick return from Stephen Fisher, Matt Lytle came in from Wuerffel next, and using some short passes to his RB's drove the Fire to the Claymores 6 yard line, But once again the secondary held, and Burgsmuller slotted for a 23 yard FG to make it 10-6.

Touchdown Claymores!

The game would remain scoreless for over 30 minutes from here, as both teams squandered opportunities. Late in the 2^nd quarter, Willy Tate recovered a fumbled punt return lateral at the Fire 32 yard line, but the indecisive Daft was sacked twice to take them out of field goal range.

Kevin Daft throws out of the end zone in the 1^st quarter. Daft's two worse games of the season came against the Fire.

In the 3^rd quarter, two key plays occurred that were critical to keeping the Fire in the game. Firsly, after Blaine McElmurry had picked off a shaky Wuerffel, Kevin Daft had begun to find his range and had led the Claymores to the Fire 19 yard line. However on 1^st down, it appeared he threw incomplete just as he was hit by Derrick Ham. But with players standing around, and the Fire's nickel package jogging on the field DT Larry Fitzpatrick dived on the ball and incredibly the officials ruled Fire ball snuffing out a promising opportunity.

FOX's new sideline reporter - Jerry Jones!

Next time they had the ball, Daft threw high to a wide open Scott Couper at the 10 yard line and was picked off by DeShone Mallard. Although the Hounds would hold once more, they were put in a tougher spot when Daft, sitting in the pocket too long, fumbled when sacked by Ernie Brown (this time without controversy) on the Claymores next drive giving the Fire the ball at the Scottish 35 yard line. From then the secondary once again denied Wuerffel, breaking up passes in the end zone. And when Burgsmuller's FG hit the uprights and was no good, the Claymores were only 6:53 from victory.

Blaine McElmurry prepares to pick off a pass from Danny Wuerffel.

But the offense went 3 and out, and the Fire had the ball at the Claymores 43 yard line. From there, they used Pearson and Ontiwaun Carter to gain yards on the ground, before finally penetrating a tired defense when Pearson scored from 1 yard line.

Pepe Pearson goes in for the winning touchdown

But the Claymores weren't finished as Daft slowly moved the team into FG range, hitting Stecker for 9, Sellers for 13 and then 12 yards, and then Sanford for 17 yards to the 23 yard line with 8 seconds left. From there Rob Hart tried to send the game into overtime, but alas it wasn't to be, as his attempt sailed wide left.

Rob Hart lines up for the ill fated field goal attempt

So a disappointing end to a fantastic season. Another disappointment was the news that back up QB Marcus Crandell had been suspended for an indiscretion the night before. With Kevin Daft playing one of his worst games of the year, Crandell was sorely needed and his enforced absence cannot be overstated.

So roll on World Bowl 2001 - we'll never find a defense this good again, but somehow someway we'll find a way to get back to the Bowl!

Rhein Fire - World Bowl 2000 Champions

WORLD BOWL CHEDDARS

 CB Duane Hawthorne - Should have been MVP instead of Stecker. 2 tackles, 5 pass defenses and an INT. Gave Ogden and Drake nothing all day, and confirmed his Defensive Player of the Year honurs.

Hawthorne breaks up yet another pass

 CB Kory Blackwell, CB Hurley Tarver, CB Cordell Taylor, S Blaine McElmurry and S Marcus Ray - Awesome day from the rest of the secondary too. Helped hold Wuerfell to 12 of 30 for 90 yards and 2INT's. Deserved a ring.

 RB Aaron Stecker - 92 yards rushing 1 TD and 4 catches and was somewhat surprisingly named the game's MVP in a defensively dominated game.

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