CHAMPIONSHIPS WON IN THE OFFSEASON

The matchup between the Sabers and the Panthers will be a special one. Two teams who have made great offseason additions which have earned them a ticket to their first AAA Championship game. &ldquot;We felt you have to get better each year or you'll fall out of contention in this league&rdquot; said Panthers Derek Bortz&rdquot;. The Panthers and the Sabers both utilized a similar recipe to find success this season.

 &ldquot;We really recruited hard this offseason&rdquot; said Sabers GM Steve Goodrich, &ldquot;we wanted to make a serious run at a championship this year; and here we are.&rdquot; The acquisition of  DII All American Jon Wiechman started the ball rolling for the Sabers. &ldquot;After getting Jon, I really started hitting the pavement for talent.&rdquot; The return of Husson product Jeremy Shorey after a year hiatus gave the Sabers a proven passer to compete at the NEFL AAA level. The 6'5 tight end Travis Barnes helped secure the running game and was a huge target near the end zone. 

The Panthers had a much talked about recruiting season pulling in some of the best defensive players in the league. &ldquot;We were already a solid team to say the least; we just needed to bring in guys who had been on the winning side of big games.&rdquot;  said Bortz. Two time champion and former Bearcats quarterback Richie Snowden was the lynch pin that opened the door for defensive standouts like Defensive Player of the Year David Reese and perianal All Stars Gerald Patrick, Jamar Rawles, and Court Sutherland. &ldquot;We've won a lot of games together in the past and we wanted to do it again…together&rdquot; said Snowden.

Both organizations really showed that to be a contender in the NEFL you have to work on it all year long. Conversations in February have turned into a championship bid Saturday night in Maine. &ldquot;Both of these teams have earned the right to be here&rdquot; said Western Mass Warriors Junior Williams, &ldquot;this will be a special night for both of them&rdquot;. 

Pictured Above: Jon Wiechman (26) was a key recruit for the Sabers this spring