IN CASE YOU MISSED IT!
THE 2016 DAVID ROYCE SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP WAS ONE FOR THE AGES
The 2016 David Royce Season Championship was the most intense and competitive FINALE in David Royce Season History! The match up was between two highly trained and qualified class of 2017 Long Snappers. The #1 Seed with 7 Wins on the Season was Erik Abrell out of Aurora Christian High School, IL. Erik was going into the Championship with all the confidence needed as he had been on fire for several weeks straight. His competitor and #3 Seed, Tuck Gill out of Mount Carmel High School, IL was the Pre-Game Favorite as the voting polls closed prior to game time in his favor. There had been 4 MONTHS of anticipation and hype build up for 8:00PM CST on Friday, December 16, 2016. Erik Abrell and Tuck Gill were the last two standing among the over 30 Competitors who tried their efforts of being declared the 2016 Champion. The 2016 David Royce Season Championship Pre-Game Show started at 8:11PM CST complete with introductions, warm-ups, and the National Anthem. The official Kick-Off was at 8:26PM CST with Erik Abrell starting things off, as per David Royce Season rulings, the higher seed always goes first. For your viewing pleasure you can watch the 2016 David Royce Season Championship at the below link and be sure to come back for the recap of the Championship below.
RECAP OF THE 2016 DAVID ROYCE TROPHY SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP
The quotes: "The hardest thing I have ever done" and "That was the most intense competition of my life" from finalists Erik Abrell and Tuck Gill just about sums up how truly difficult the 2016 David Royce Season Championship was. The snappers had to execute perfect Punt and Field Goal snaps while having to overcome live post snap responsibilities, time limits, screaming fans with blaring college marching band fight songs, megaphones, and all the while having to perform LIVE on Periscope/Twitter for any and all to see.
If it wasn't enough for the competition to come down to the 5th and final game of the best of 5 series, the game was decided on the last snap of the entire competition! With both snappers tied, Twitter favorite Tuck Gill quickly lined up, received his blocking call and executed a perfect Red Box snap to close the door on Erik Abrell's hard fought rally. Erik Abrell was able to force a game 5 after rallying from being behind 2 games to none. By the 5th Game both snappers were exhausted and feeding off of the adrenaline of knowing that it was the fifth and final round. In the end, Tuck Gill got a hold of a perfect snap at the right time to not let Erik's rally force a sudden death PAT overtime.
NOLAN'S FINAL THOUGHTS...
As the coach, I could NOT be more proud of BOTH competitors on how they rallied through the extensive and pressure packed competition. Both snappers overcame adversity throughout the entire season and brought this season home with the closest finish in David Royce Season history! Congratulations to Erik Abrell for making it to the end and rallying from behind to force a fifth and final game. Erik should be VERY proud of his accomplishments as he is one of the most improved long snappers in the nation for the Class of 2017! That said, TUCK GILL, with over 30 competitors, 4 straight months of weekly competitions, hours of practice and lessons, YOU are the last snapper standing. "Success is made when Preparation meets Opportunity." Tuck prepared through daily hard work, he was given the opportunity, he took advantage of it and made his success.
Congratulations Tuck Gill, you are the 2016 David Royce Season Champion!
