Minnesota adult 9-man full-contact amateur football team wins National Championship; Kirk men are coach, players for titlists
Sooey!
The South Central Hawgs are “prime pork.”
The adult 9-man full-contact amateur football team, based in Truman, has added National Champions to their list of accolades.
The Hawgs dropped the Salem (Oregon) Skallywags 45-20 in the Nine-Man National Championship Football Series game played in Albany, Oregon this afternoon (Saturday, July 30). The Skallywags, a semi-pro football team, represented the National Nineman Football League.
The Hawgs advanced to the title game by upending the previously-unbeaten Buffalo Ridge Wildcats 26-19 on Saturday, July 16 to win their fifth Southern Plains Football League (SPFL) Championship.
The Hawgs are one of 10 teams of the SPFL, which is based primarily in Minnesota.
In addition to the Hawgs, other teams who compete in the SPFL include:
+ Buffalo Ridge Wildcats, who play on the West City Field in Lake Benton.
+ Med City Freeze, whose home field is the Rochester Community and Technical College’s Regional Stadium.
+ North Iowa Bucks, who play on the Rockwell, Iowa football field.
+ Southwest Minnesota Crusaders, who play on the Edgerton High School football field.
+ Midwest Rampage, whose home field is the Carlisle football field.
+ Albert Lea Grizzlies, who play at Grizzly Field at Frank Hall Park in Albert Lea.
+ Tri-State Buffalos, whose home field is the Hills-Beaver Creek High School football field.
+ Watertown Rebels, who play at Allen Mitchell Field in Watertown, South Dakota.
+ Southeast Minnesota Warhawks, who play 0n the Westcott Athletic Complex in Austin.
This league has evolved over the past 15 years, and over the course of that time, has been known as the Windom Football League and the Great Plains Football League – and for 10+ years now as the SPFL.
Jay Doyscher is the Commissioner of the league, and its Directors include John Elkin, Brent Hanson, Josh Johnson, Stephen Piper and Mike “Wiley” Tiedeman.
The Hawgs sport two coaches – and three players – with Mountain Lake connections. Former Mountain Lake Public School (MLPS) Physical Education teacher and Activities Director Adam Bibbs, is the team’s Defensive Coordinator, while another MLPS Phy Ed instructor and Mountain Lake Area (MLA) Wolverine Head Football Coach, Tim Kirk, serves as a second-year Assistant Coach, bringing experience and knowledge as a Nine-Man Head Coach. Kirk is now able to once again coach his sons, Jordan and Carter, Hawg team members.
At 6′ 2″ and 275 pounds, Jordan Kirk is an anchor for both the offensive and defensive lines; Carter Kirk, at 6′ 7″ and 240 pounds, is a wide receiver and linebacker and 6′. This is Jordan’s second year with the team, while Carter is a rookie.
Bibbs has actually been with the team since 2014, and last summer played defensive line and fullback until he tore his ACL and Meniscus. Following the injury, he assisted the coaching staff and became the Defensive Coordinator last year. According to Bibbs, who played college football for the Gusties of Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, he has been rehabbing his injured leg and is hoping to make an appearance during the playoffs.
In addition to the contingent from Mountain Lake, team members hail from Houston, Texas; Wells; Truman; Chisholm; St. Peter; Fairmont; Lake Crystal; Buffalo; Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Lewisville; Corpus Christi, Texas; New Richland; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Eden Prairie; Winnebago; North Mankato; Chandler, Arizona; Ellensburg, Washington; Wabasso; Amboy and Mankato.
