LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas –
The defending intramural flag football champs closed out another perfect season, shutting out both the Clinical Support Group and the 543rd Support Squadron Trojans.
The 59th Dental Squadron exhibited a potent mixture of stingy defense and explosive offensive through the two games, amassing 59 points.
Beating the previously undefeated Clinical team, Dental cemented its No. 1 rank in the American Conference on Oct. 19. On Oct. 20, the team wrapped up its 10th and final game in a 32-0 win over the Trojans.
From the outset of the match, defense was the only side of the ball to show up as both offenses had trouble moving the ball.
Dental struggled to find its offense in the first quarter, giving up an interception in the process. However, its defense kept getting the ball back for them, and it eventually led to the game's first touchdown early in the second quarter.
From there all it took was a little constructive criticism by Clinical players to fuel the Dental scoring machine and motivate quarterback and coach Rick Guajardo into rolling out some touchdowns.
"They were talking a little smack so (Guajardo) took it a little personally," Bedell said. "He got internally upset, and when he came out he just started throwing pinpoint passes all over the field."
Guajardo found paydirt on two bombs for Dental's second and third scores.
Key to its defensive stand, Dental isolated safety Rashard Erskine on one of Clinical's three receivers over 6-feet tall.
In their last game of the season against the 543rd Support Squadron, the team continued to play like they have all year.
In 10 games, Dental has scored 217 points while allowing only 13.
Bedell saluted the combination of his team's defense and Guajardo's gameplan as keys to following up last year's championship with a perfect season.
"It just seems to work all the time," the third-year player said. "Once you get ahead in flag football, the other team usually tries to turn deep bombs and that's when our defense steps it up."
Bragging rights aside, Guajardo said the real test begins in the playoffs, which start Nov. 2, and the season is just preparation for them.