Turkey’s Koç Rams surge ahead in Turkish American Football League

Turkey’s Koç Rams overwhelmed the second place Sakarya Tatankalari in the fourth week of action in the Turkish American Football League last weekend to remain unbeaten and top the league. Meanwhile, the Yeditepe Eagles defeated the Gazi Warriors, the Bogazici Sultans earned their first win beating the  ODTÜ Falcons and the ITÜ Hornets easily defeated the Hacettepe Red Deers to hang on to fourth place.

Koç Rams (4-0) 42 – Sakarya Tatankaları 15 @ Sakarya

Rams quarterback Quentin Williams threw two touchdown passes and rushed for two more as the Rams trounced the second place Tatankaları. Running back Taha Çokadar added 105 yds rushing and scored two touchdowns while wide receivers Ozan Özcan and Kaan Özer had one touchdown reception each.

The Rams got on the board early as Cokadar rushed for a seven yard TD in the first. In the second quarter Williams hit Ozcan for an 18 yard TD. Williams followed that up with a TD pass to Ozer and a rushing TD after Sakarya fumbled on their own 1 yd. Line.

Sakarya did manage to score a touchdown when quarterback Bilguun Altankhuyag tossed a 30 yard TD. The second half was all Koç as Williams ran it in for another rushing TD and running back Cokadar broke off a 15 yard TD run. Sakarya scored on a passing TD with the game already out of sight in the fourth to bring the final score to 42-15.

The Koc Rams defense was led by linebacker Yusuf Kaan Ozbek, safety Andrew Whyte who finished with 8 tackles and safety Charles McCrea who notched 2 interceptions.

İTU Hornets (2-2) 35 – Hacettepe Red Deers (1-3) 9 @ İstanbul (Hornets)

Hornets quarterback Ateş Akkor threw for three touchdowns to receivers Gabriel Chambers (2 TDs) and Alexander Johnson  (1 TD) while running backs Sayfettin Saruhan and Tolun Tosun rushed for one each in the win.

The game was close in the first half. ITU scored early when Akkor connected with Chambers for a 35 yd touchdown and Hacettepe kicked a field goal and the Hornets went into the break leading 7-3.

At the start of the second half Akkor found Chambers for a 72 yd touchdown. Hacettepe followed that as Oğuzhan Kısa returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown.

After that it was all ITU scoring through the air and the ground in the third quarter.

The ITU defense was led by defensive linemen Timothy Mcgee and Oğuzhan Turgay who limited the Red Deers to no offensive touchdowns.

Yeditepe Eagles (3-1) 17 – Gazi Warriors (0-4) 6 @ İstanbul (Eagles Home)

Yeditepe Eagles quarterback Austin Stubbs threw for 135 yds and one touchdown and also rushed for 91 yards as the Eagles kept the Warriors out of the win column. Running back Christ Elliott had a 30 rushing touchdown while tight end Yavuz Akaydin added a 25 yd receiving touchdown. Cağrı Atalay kicked a field goal to round out the scoring for the Eagles.

Yeditepe got on the board early with a Atalay field goal in the first quarter. On their following drive Stubbs connected with Akaydin for a 25 yard touchdown. Gazi managed to keep the game close as the half finished at 9-6 with the Eagles in the lead.

In the fourth Elliot broke off a 30 yard touchdown run which pretty much sealed the game. The Yeditepe defense was led by linebacker Tuğrul Gökpınar who finished with six tackles other defensive contributors for the Eagles were defensive end Erdi Yatgın and defensive back Yaşarcan Kandur who logged an interception.