Barbarians get a leg up on Verizon Nitro

The Miller Barbarians returned to the CPA Airport field with a vengeance on Saturday, as they disconnected the Verizon Nitro 22-12 in the fifth week of action in the Commonwealth Football League.

Led by quarterback Plasido Tagabuel, the Barbarians slowly wore down the Nitro defense, combining for 264 yards of total offense, compared to an overall 17-yard output from Verizon.

Tagabuel provided most of the offense for the black and gold, as their star running back Chong Won was out of the game with an ankle injury. Tagabuels had no problem shouldering the load, and had his best performance of the season. “Plas Pass” went 9-for-17 for 159 yards in the air, throwing for a trio of touchdowns and to lead all passers.

“The guys had good communication out there today, and there was no quit on our team. We just kept pushing until we won. It helps that I have two of the fastest receivers in the league with Alison Kaipat and B.J. Tagabuel. When I saw them in 1-on-1 coverage I told them to just go and they were open,” he said.

Kaipat and B.J. came up big for the Barbarians, as Kaipat caught four passes for 91 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and B.J. reeled in three for 53 yards. Kaipat moved ahead of Bryan Moors (100) for the lead in reception yardage with 172.

Tagabuel also found Shayne Villanueva for four yards, and Syl Teregeyo with an 11-yard touchdown pass late in the game to seal the victory.

Teregeyo contributed all over the field, playing both offensive and defensive situations. Besides the touchdown reception, Teregeyo rushed three times for 14 yards, and picked off a Guerrero pass to stall a driving Nitro team. Teregeyo leads the league with six interceptions

“It was a little bit rough, but both teams looked good. I just looked into the quarterback’s eyes to see where he was going to throw and I went up and got it,” he said.

The passing game for the Nitro was non-existent, as Jeremiah Guerrero attempted five passes that all fell incomplete for zero yards. “J-Boy” did plenty of work on the ground for the white and red, including a 30-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, but because of all of the sacks, his only netted –17 yards in the day.

The Nitro got a lot of help from newly acquired running back James Hargrove, who churned out 20 hard yards on six carries. Simon Sebu, Frank Sablan and Ham Haro also handled the ball, combining for 27 yards on 10 carries.

The Barbarians struck first when kicker Chris Guerrero booted a 27-yard field goal to give them a 3-0 lead in the second quarter. Guerrero’s kick was the first successful field goal of the 2004 season. He is also responsible for the kicking first ever CFL field goal back in 2002.

“It felt awesome. I told the line to hold them for two seconds and I could do it. There was a good snap, a good hold, and it just went up there,” said Guerrero.

Still in the second quarter, the Nitro roared back into the game when defensive standout turned special teams maven Keith Nabors rumbled, bumbled, and stumbled 43 yards for a touchdown on a punt return to give Verizon the 6-3 lead, its first lead of the year.

“I just saw the alley and I hit it as hard as I could. My teammates picked up the blocks and I took it to the house,” said Nabors.

The steel curtain yielded just 17 yards to the Nitro, and hand-delivered seven sacks, featuring a pair of solos and a half by Bill Saures (2.5), Fernando Rivera (1), Ambrose Ogumoro (1.5), Pat Tagabuel (.5), Sid Tebuteb (.5), Chris Guerrero (.5), John Limes (.5), and Alvin Takai (.5).

The Barbarians went into the halftime intermission down 6-3, but they came out flying in the second half. First they stopped the Nitro, and then Tagabuel them drove down the field before connecting with Kaipat for his first of two TDs to reclaim the lead 10-6.

The Barbarians scored again in the fourth quarter when Tagabuel hooked up with Kaipat for another score to give the black and gold a 10-point advantage. On the next possession, the Nitro moved the ball down the field into Barbarian territory, and “ J-Boy” finished it off when he ran a naked bootleg to the right side and raced for a 30-yard touchdown.

The Nitro came within four points, but the two-point attempt failed, and the score remained 16-12. The Barbarians went right back to work, and it was Syl “Slash” Teregeyo who gave his squad some insurance when he caught an 11-yard TD from Tagabuel. The Barbarians led 22-12, and looked to be pulling away from Verizon, but on the ensuing kickoff, “J-Boy” busted out a 71-yard return to the Miller nine-yard line before kicker Chris Guerrero made a touchdown saving tackle.

“I was just reading the receiver when there was only three guys left. I saw Nabors running alongside him making blocks, and I had to run past him to get to Guerrero. When I saw that I got him at the 10-yard line I said ‘Thank God’,” said Guerrero.

That stop proved to be key, because the defense kept the Nitro from scoring any points.

The heart-pounding action of the CFL continues next Saturday, Oct. 23, when the Verizon Nitro return to the CPA Airport field as the home team to take on the undefeated Shell Chiefs at 10am.