STEELTON – The Harrisburg Sharks ended their 2016 AFA season with a loss in the Northern Conference Championship on Saturday, June 11. The Sharks were knocked out of the playoffs by the Virginia Chargers 21-10. The following game recap was submitted by the Sharks’ Dan Ford.
On a hot, Saturday afternoon on Cottage Hill at War Veterans Memorial Field, the Chargers exacted revenge on the Sharks for the AFA Northern Conference Championship. The Sharks, led by quarterback Mike DeTemple, came into the game with an impressive 10-1 record for the year. Virginia drove up interstate 81 led by former Virginia Cavalier, Dominque Terrell, carrying an equally impressive 10-1 record. The only loss was at the hands of the Sharks in Week 1 of the regular season.
The game started off with Harrisburg receiving the opening kickoff and stalling shortly thereafter. However, on the Chargers opening drive, Sharks defensive end Willie Buie forced quarterback Dominique Terrell out of the end zone for a safety. The ensuing Sharks drive led to another turnover. The Chargers capitalized to go up 7 to 2 after a touchdown strike by Quarterback Dominique Terrell to wide receiver Ivan Fitchett. The Sharks replied with a Touchdown strike from QB Brandon Derr to Willie Buie who would take off and break one last defender before backpedaling in to put the Sharks back on top. Running back Clayton McNair converted the Harrisburg 2-point conversion. This would be the last points of the day for the Sharks.
Virginia scored two more times in the first half. Running Back Michael Roberts rumbled his way in to put the Chargers up 14 to 10 in the first half. To close the half, linebacker CJ Robinson scooped up a loose ball and sprinted through the goal line to go up 21 to 10. This would be the final score by either team for the game. The second half was a back and forth battle for the entire 30 minutes. When the final horn sounded and the dust settled, The Virginia Chargers walked away with the 21-10 win and the right to move on for a chance to take home the Atlantic Football Association Championship trophy.
The Virginia Chargers play again Saturday, June 18th, against the New River Nitro at Bluefield State University in West Virginia for the 2016 AFA Championship.
