FINAL DESTINATION?  OR NEXT STOP REDEMPTION?

     Saturday night's game in Wallingford, CT will be as big as any game for the Militia.  They enter Saturday's game after a dominating 16-0 win over the Armor.  The second time in the last three games they shut out the Armor.  The third straight shut out overall.  It was QB Kevin Oberg's first game back from injury.  Yet this game in even bigger.  The Connecticut Bearcats have been the Militia's biggest opponent.  These two teams opened the season in Danbury with the Militia dominating the Bearcats 30-12.  Three weeks later the Bearcats would humble the Militia with an embarrassing 38-0 victory in Wallingford.  This narrative hasn't existed in a divisional rivalry in a long time.  Two teams with dominating wins over each other.  The Bearcats had to go to overtime in comeback fashion to dispatch the Panthers 20-14.  A dramatic last minute touchdown in the final minute of regulation saved their season.  Now they meet to see who will represent the AAA South in the NEFL AAA Championship game. 

     This game has meaning for both teams.  The Militia were in this position as the number one seed last year without their starting quarterback and pulled off a major upset in dramatic fashion 28-0 over the Panthers.  Their championship dreams were dashed when the Boston Bandits came to Danbury and claimed the title 28-19.  That game has haunted this team ever since.  This team throughout the season has thought about that every game.  It is the fire that burns the when they are trying to find the endzone.  It is the frustration when they allow a touchdown, and the anger when they turn the ball over.  Every loss including the preseason loss to the Gators has reminded them of that game.  Winning this game will be the next step in exorcising the demons of the past.

     The Bearcats were once the keepers of the Leo Lombardi trophy.  The Militia were one of the teams to dethrone them in 2012.  The Bearcats came back with a passion to return to dominance here in 2016.  After dropping the opener to the Militia they reeled off 9 straight wins.  With former players returning mingled in with some new faces the reborn Bearcats have been just as impressive.  They have dominated games and have gritted through some overtime buzzsaws.  Now they try to end the Militia's season and retun to the championship game for the first time their last title in 2011.