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2009 Football Year-End Report

submitted by: Jeff Persson (Nashville, TN)

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2009 was another great year for the Nashville Kangaroos Football team. The team on the scoreboard had an up and down year, finishing with a 7-6 record, the sixth consecutive winning season, and ninth out of thirteen seasons overall (you can see all the Kangaroos Football History on our football Records & History page).

At the start of season, we named our co-captains, Luke Nemeth and Damian Serong. This is the third season as co-captain for Luke and the first for Damian. We also had a full roster of veterans returning, including our leader in games played Dee "Weeman" Vsetecka, Dave "Walka" Walker, Mischa Nemeth, Travis "Quig" Quigley, Matt "Wheats" Wheatley, and Chris "Bagman" Moerman. We also welcomed newcomers Dave "Ackers" Ackley, Justin "Biggie" White, Cliff "Nugget" Cosnahan, Daniell "Whippet" Leipply, and Neil "Nizza" Cumming. All in all, we had 36 Rooboys during the year, one of our biggest ever.

The season began with a bout against Baton Rouge that resulted in an easy win, followed by a return trip to Florida United, where lack of numbers hurt us, and we lost a match that was closer than the final score. The match of the year then followed in Chicago as two-time MAAFL champ Chicago United and the Roos tangled for supremacy. This match was close until the final minute, when Chicago kicked the goal that seased victory.

The year got a little strange with St. Louis forfeiting its match due to lack of numbers. Then the Roos went on the road one more time, and soundly beat the Ohio Valley boys in a spirited match, evening the record at 3-3. In the first real home game, Atlanta came up and surprised the Roos with a 5-goal win. The Roos righted the ship two weeks later with a game for the record books, clobbering Minnesota by 18 goals. But then the Roos stumbled on the road, losing to newcomer Columbus by two points.

Strangeness continued in 2009 as Milwaukee forfeited its match, making two such forfeits in one season, also the first two in Roo history. The Rooboys then headed to Atlanta to close out the regular season, and put together a complete game, winning by four goals and ending the regular season at 6-4.

Along the way, the Roos also sent two teams to the inagural John Harrell Memorial Cup in Louisville, playing the nine-a-side Metro style. The A squad won out to take the Cup, while the B side lost two close matches.

Hopes were high heading into the USAFL Nationals. The first match against North Carolina was a bit of a grudge match, the Tigers having pummeled the Roos in 2007. This time the Roos prevailed, winning by a mere two points. That brought up the Milwaukee rematch and strangeness again reared its ugly head. The Roos lost by two points, on a strange call at the goal line in the last minute. Needing a solid win to have a shot at the Grand Final, the Roos took on San Diego, a team we had not played since the 2000 Nationals. San Diego looked like champions in putting away the Roos by five-goals, and the Roos finished at 7-6.

In October we handed out our Year End Awards. The turnout was fantastic and great fun was had with Marty Bingo - former Rooboy John Brinker being the first to fill his score card. Thanks to Mike "Goon" Guinsburg for that one! It was a great way to close out the year and we are so excited for the future as we head into 2010, our 14th as a club. Until then, I leave you with the The 2009 Awards recipients. See you next year.