Diamond State Games IV
Weekend of June 18-19, 2005

Maryland Plunders Delaware's Gold

CHURCHVILLE, MD – After scoring the game-winning touchdown on a hail Mary pass in the gold-medal game of the Diamond State Games, all Kenyon Walker said, "too bad all of Delaware missed that."

Walker’s 60-yard reception pass from Will Turner on the last play of the game gave the Blazers from Silver Spring, MD a spectacular 42-40 win over the Grizzlies from Owings Mills, MD.

Walker and Turner combined for five touchdowns in the game overshadowing a brilliant and rare ground game performance by Kili Ashbar from the Grizzlies. Ashbar ran for over 250 yards and scored 3 touchdowns of his own including what his team thought was a game-clinching run with 30 seconds left in the game. The score was 40-36 after the run.

After taking the final kickoff back to their own 40, Turner fired long on two 30-yard pass attempts to Walker. On what was to be the last chance to score in the game, the next call was clear. "I knew I had to throw it into the end-zone and just hope that Kenyon could out jump everyone."

The Diamond State Games high school flag football portion of the annual sports festival was moved to Churchville at the last minute to accommodate the all-Maryland line-up of eight teams.

The event coordinator, Andrew Holtz, lives in Maryland so the switch was convenient for him too. "No Delaware teams signed up for their own state’s tournament and that is sad but the move and the tournament was great for us. Maybe we will keep it here next year too."

Diamond State Games director Marshal Manlove said, "All of the Delaware football teams start their summer season on this weekend and they were all sent registration forms. I don’t know why absolutely none of them would want to play in this but maybe now that is off the ground and all the medals went to Maryland teams, it will change next year."

The Sparrow Pointers from Sparrows Point beat The Lakers from Baltimore in the bronze-medal game.

Results
Diamond State Games
High School Flag Football

Gold- Blazers – Silver Spring, MD
Silver – Grizzlies – Owings Mills, MD
Bronze – Sparrow Pointers - Sparrows Point, MD

Playoff round scores

Blazers 24, Sparrow Pointers 14
Grizzlies 36, The Lakers 6
Blazers 42, Grizzlies 40
Sparrow Pointers 29, The Lakers 8