With a shot at the flag-football national championships in Tampa, Fla., on the line, the Amish Mafia handily defeated Union in the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association’s regional championship game on Sunday, 40-0.

Iowa City was a host site for the flag-football tournament this weekend, bringing in Iowa flag-football squads and other college teams from around the state and the rest of the Midwest.

Amish Mafia dominated the championship in every facet, putting on offensive and defensive clinics.

“I usually put my hands up when I rush the quarterback,” he said. “I just got lucky that the ball hit me in just the right spot.”

Amish Mafia players Dustin Boardman, Anthony Concialdi, and Kevin Serna picked off passes in the victory as well.

On offense, quarterback Eric Izzo led the squad. Also a member of the all-tournament team, Izzo completed 27-of-36 passes, tossing five touchdowns and running for another.

Four different receivers snagged balls in the end zone for the Amish Mafia. Boardman added two scores, and Matt Erickson, Concialdi, and Sharp each had one.

The team now heads to the organization’s national championship in January 2010, when it will compete against the champions from seven other regional sites.

“We’re hoping to bring a championship to the Midwest,” Sharp said.

Truman Fury buries Vikings in out-of-state clash

Along with the weather, Truman Fury froze the Vikings’ offense in Sunday evening’s regional women’s flag-football championship, winning 19-0.

The Vikings of Augustana College in Illinois beat the UI’s Show Stoppaz, 7-0, on its way to the title game. But the Show Stoppaz’ Anna Schmitz and Kendall Gifford both made the all-tournament team.

Truman Fury, a team from Kirksville, Mo., now gets to travel to a much warmer locale in Tampa Bay, Fla., for a chance to be crowned as the national champions.

“Our fingers were freezing,” junior Holly Cooper said. “It’d be better to be in Florida right now.”

The Vikings would probably agree.

The team failed to generate much of an offensive threat. Freshman quarterback Sarah Adams was only 5-of-22 in passing to go along with three interceptions — all coming at the hands of Truman Fury’s Ellen Russell, who took one pick back for a score.

Truman Fury junior signal caller Amy Ficker had a much more productive night, going 14-of-24 with a pair of touchdown passes to Russell and senior Amy Schachner.

“This was definitely harder competition than we’re used to,” Cooper said. “But our defense kept us alive.”

The Vikings also acknowledged the more difficult competition.

“This was a lot rougher,” junior Brittney Bennett said. “They could actually read what we were doing.”

Despite the victory, both teams came together at the end of the game for a group hug and congratulated one another on the game. It was fitting that Truman Fury also won the sportsmanship award.

“It was a great experience overall,” Bennett said. “Everyone out there was a good sport.”