EM Squad captures D-I intramural title 13-8

By Nathan Hathaway

In front of possibly the largest cheering section in intramural history, Air Force came within mere yards of pulling out a win in Thursday’s Division I intramural championship game.

Instead, an interception with about 30 seconds remaining killed Air Force’s best shot at a win as EM Squad beat Air Force 13-8.

With about 70 Air Force cadets cheering from the sideline while their team moved within about five yards of scoring a touchdown, Air Force quarterback Shawn Chamberlin threw a pass toward the left sideline that got picked off by EM Squad’s Chris Anthony.

Anthony took the ball about 30 yards, setting up EM Squad with a chance to extend its lead. But the team went three and out, using each down to eat time off the clock.

Punting on fourth down, with a chance to pin Air Force very close to its own end zone, EM Squad instead kicked a weak punt that went just over the heads of the defensive lineman and very close to the first down marker.

On Air Force’s first play after the punt, Chamberlin threw an incomplete pass. With four seconds left and Air Force down by five points, Chamberlin had to throw a hail Mary pass that was not only batted down, but also resulted in an offensive pass interference penalty.

Air Force hurt itself with eight penalties in the game and didn’t have an answer for the EM Squad defense. EM Squad’s Tim Walsh was consistently in the Air Force backfield and often pinned the offense behind the line of scrimmage.

One bright spot for Air Force came after an EM Squad touchdown. On the two-point conversion attempt, the pass from quarterback Ernest Hill was intercepted and run back the length of the field for two points.

In Thursday’s other intramural championship games, Rec’N’Crew beat the Greeks for the co-ed title 40-25. In Division II, PSE topped Baker Third Floor 28-20.