FOOTBALL: FINALS VENUE NOT A FAN FAVORITE

By Robert Balajadia

This year the 2014 football high school championship game will be played on neutral grounds, the Okkodo Bulldogs field Saturday night at 7 pm, where the 2013 championship game was played.

Considering the two teams in the finals are the undefeated GW Geckos and FD Friars, who share the same home field in Mangilao, many fans were upset given the current rules and situations surrounding the Bulldogs field having nothing to do with the field itself.

No Spectators On The Track

No fans of either team are permitted to enter the track having to watch the game from behind the gate that the surrounds the field. Only coaches, team personnel, cheerleaders, and media are allowed inside the track.

Sharing The Bleachers

The long time rivalry between the two schools will have plenty of members in the bleachers of what made the Geckos and Friars a rivalry. Emotional parents, avid students showing school spirit, and long time time fans of both teams will be packed tightly into a section where emotions are expected to run high.

Watching Through The Gate

Many fans opt to drive their cars close to the gate of the closest end zone where they watch the game from the outside. Only there are fans allowed to set up canopies and pull out beach chairs, and given the usual turnout, fans on both sides will be fighting for those spots.

Fans will have to watch from outside the gate of the track if they elect to forgo the bleachers.

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Aside from the field, the two teams in the Friars and Geckos will only have the championship game on their mind as they ready for another championship showdown with both teams splitting their last two championship meetings with the Friars winning in 2007 while the Geckos won in 2010.

Geckos Aim For Perfect Ending

-while-

Friars Expecting Much Different Game

Geckos Record (6-0)

Friars Record (6-2)

Regular Season Meeting: Geckos 19, Friars 0

The GW Geckos will be fighting harder than ever to ensure they repeat their success against the FD Friars in the regular season where GW managed to score three touchdowns in the final period to drop FD in their last regular season game.

GW got through their toughest opponents of the season thus far in the semifinals against the Okkodo Bulldogs, surviving late with a game changing interception to score a much needed interception. The Bulldogs displayed a tough defensive, much like they have all season, holding the Geckos offense down for majority of the game.

The Geckos hardy defense did their job keeping the Bulldogs offense in check, holding them to just seven points after Okkodo was coming off a stellar offensive outing against the Sanchez Sharks.

The Friars defeated the JFK Islanders in the semifinals, and even to their surprise, FD shutout the Islanders in a 21-0 victory.

FD is charging into the finals with a full head of steam, but the Geckos have had their number this season making FD one of the few teams they did hold scoreless.

Will FD bounce back in a big way from their last meeting or are the GW Geckos ready to take the title that has eluded them for the past two years? Saturday’s showdown will be packed, loud, and full of excitement at the Okkodo field in Dededo, despite to many of the fans disappointment.