Clean sweep ends Enforcers’ season
The San Diego Enforcers football team closed out a perfect 5-0 season on Saturday night at Cathedral Catholic High School with a 14-13 win over Inland Empire.
“It’s been fantastic, the best season thus far with players on the field as well as attendance,” said Greg Ellis, vice president of the National Public Safety League squad, which is made up of law enforcement athletes.
Their Hero Bowl in March drew a crowd of 3,000 and their other home game against rival Los Angeles Police Department attracted about 2,500.
The Enforcers traveled to Orange County and Texas for their two victorious road games.
The great turnout in the stands not only helps the Enforcers to “feel the love” but also raises funds for their charity of choice, the Injured Marines Semper Fi Fund.
With their spotless record, Team President Jason Sullivan thinks they will be even better next year.
“More and more guys are learning they have a chance to play for a winning organization,” Sullivan said.
The one thing Sullivan wants to see improve next year is firefighter participation. There’s only one firefighter on the team, linebacker Tony David, and Sullivan said they’d love to have more.
Their last game marked the debut of quarterback Cory Higbee taking the snaps.
The team was dealt a blow during their game against LAPD on April 4, when their starting quarterback JJ Carrell broke his non-throwing shoulder. Carrell toughed it out playing two quarters through the injury and the Enforcers came out on top, 39-17. Last week, Carrell had surgery on the shoulder.
That left Higbee, a border patrol agent listed as a wide receiver on the roster, as the team’s quarterback for their final game.
“He was nervous, he had big footsteps to fall into,” Sullivan said. “But he accepted the challenge. He’s one of our best all-around athletes.”
Higbee had a chance to show his stuff on the first touchdown of the game, airing it out for a 70-yard reception to Damon Foreman.
The Enforcers scored next with a Higbee toss to Chayin Osgood, brother of San Diego Chargers special teams ace Kassim Osgood who watched from the stands.
Entering the fourth quarter, the Enforcers were clinging to a one-point lead, at 14-13.
There was high drama in the closing three minutes after a goal-line turnover that gave Inland Empire excellent field position. The takeaway was overturned and the Enforcers set up to kick a field goal. A muffed snap turned into another interception and the game went into the defense’s hands.
In the crucial final minutes the Enforcers just needed to hold Inland Empire. And that’s what they did. Linebacker Jason Burk delivered some monster sacks.
Burk, sacked the quarterback so hard on second down he had to be helped off the field. Burk then brought the replacement QB down on third down.
The fourth down play was an incomplete pass and the Enforcers were able to end their season unblemished.
They celebrated the undefeated season at Seau’s Restaurant that night.
To learn more about the Enforcers, visit
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