BRECKENRIDGE - The scene was all too familiar. Ullr's vs. Grand Timber Lodge in the Breckenridge Flag Football League finals, under the lights at Kingdom Park, with a healthy coat of snow blanketing the field.

By the time the game was over, the scene got even more familiar. Ullr's had won, 27-6, marking the fourth consecutive year that the champs had defeated their archrivals to claim the championship trophy. Thursday's win made it six straight titles overall for Ullr's, every bit a dynasty if such a thing exists on the rec league level.

Judging by the numbers, such a thing does indeed exist. Ullr's has won 63 of its last 64 games since the championship run began - a streak that includes 41 straight wins. Grand Timber was the last team to defeat Ullr's, in the 2003 regular-season finale. This season, Ullr's outscored its nine opponents 205-24.

Six of those 24 points scored against the unbreakable Ullr's defense came on Grand Timber's opening drive of the game. It was a long march from Timber, as the upstarts have made a habit of doing against Ullr's early in the championship games. They took a 12-0 lead last year only to have it unravel as the game went on.

A controversial pass interference call set up 1st and goal, then GTL quarterback Mike Dudick passed into the end zone to make it 6-0.

After GTL stymied Ullr's on a first-and-goal opportunity, the ball was dropped on a snap in the end zone which gave Ullr's a safety. Two points, and possession of the ball was rewarded to Ullr's, who made the ensuing drive count.

Ullr's QB Rob Margison, with time running down in the half, soon hummed a bullet to Devon O'Neil, who tiptoed inside the orange goal-line cone with 15 seconds remaining. What had been a 6-0 deficit a minute earlier was now an 8-6 Ullr's lead to end the first half.

After shutting down GTL's first possession of the second half, Ullr's soon had the ball back and got some breathing room.

First-year Ullr's team member TJ Johnson caught a Margison pass and spun his way to extra yardage. Smoke Wilkins then did the same to set up 1st and goal. A short pass from Margison found the hands of Johnson for a touchdown and a 14-6 lead, with 10 minutes to play.

Determined Dudick fired to Justin Phelps who quickly was de-flagged by Todd Vander Weit. "He's like a pick-pocket," Chip Dunmon of Ullr's said of Vander Weit, a top recruit who joined the team this year. "Todd could snatch a guy's flags and his wallet without him noticing."

With a pick-pocketing display of his own, O'Neil subsequently strip the ball from Dudick on the run and with four players blocking for him, O'Neil easily ran the ball in for a touchdown.

"Turnovers are killing us," said GTL's Mark Hennes. "The play at the end of the first half cost us eight points, and now six more."

With the score now 20-6, it was indeed a back-breaking play.

Dudick's next pass was picked off by Dunmon, who put on some moves while running the ball back onto the GTL half of the field.

Ryan Joyce put icing on the cake when he caught a Margison pass near the end zone, evaded a defender and increased the lead to 26-6. Johnson converted a Margison pass into an extra point on the only converted attempt of the game to seal the score at 27-6.

The only thing that made the squad happier than their sixth straight title was the New York strip steaks waiting for them at Ullr's Sports Bar and Grill after the game, their prize for another season of dominance.



Matthew Duffy covers rec sports for the Summit Daily News. He can be reached at mapadu@gmail.com.