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  Northwest Football Alliance (1981 - 1987)

Originated 1981 from the NIFL

 

Commissioner Dick Suess (1984) Michael Highsmith (1985-87)

 

Champions:

1981 Seattle Cavaliers

1982 Washington County Grizzlies

1983 Oregon City Steelheads

1984 Auburn Panthers (12-0)

1985 Auburn Panthers (14-0)

1986 Auburn Panthers (16-0)

1987 Auburn Panthers (15-1)

 

Teams:

Auburn Panthers (1984-87)

Skagit Valley Raiders (1984-87)

Salem Stars (1985)

Seattle Cavaliers (1984-1987)

Snohomish County Blue Knights (1985)

Sno-King Blue Knights (1984-1987)

Peninsula Pioneers (1984)

Clark County Grizzlies (1984)

Spokane Fury (1984-87)

West Seattle/South End Warhawks (1984-87)

Bellevue/Eastside Express (1984-1987)

 

1984 Standings 1983 Schedule/Results:  
  Regular Season Overall
  W L PF PA W L T
Auburn Panthers 8 0 184 110 13 0 0
Spokane Fury 5 3 193 100 7 6 0
Bellevue Express 5 3 240 131 8 6 0
Skagit Valley Raiders 5 3 206 139 6 4 0
Sno-King Blue Knights 5 3 170 153 5 6 1
West Seattle Warhawks 4 4 63 72 5 4 0
Clark County Grizzlies 3 5 170 172 3 5 1
Peninsula Pioneers 1 7 82 190 1 7 0
Seattle Cavaliers 0 8 24 178 0 8 0

At first glance the 1984 season looks like a domination by the Auburn Panthers, but domination was not the case.  The NFA was possibly the most evenly matched league in recent history and the Panthers earned the title of "Luckiest Team in the League".   All of the teams sported competitive clubs with the exception of the Cavaliers who were in the midst of long losing streaks.  The Sno-King Blue Knights battled to a 5-3 regular season along with the Fury, Raiders and Express, but head-to-head match ups left the Knights on the outside looking in come playoff time.

The new addition started out with an overtime victory for it's first win in it's first franchise game.  Auburn followed that up with last second wins on field goals, come from behind victories, and fortunate bounces all season including the championship game where a botched field goal attempt nearly sent the game into overtime.  There was also the win against Clark County which turned into a tie, and then back to a victory after protests were filed by both teams. 

Controversy

During the game a Grizzly receiver fell down at the Panther 5-yard line, untouched by a defender he got up and scored an apparent touchdown.  However, officials had inadvertently blown the play dead.  The NFA plays by NCAA rules, with a couple of modifications including an untouched player being able to get up and continue the play even after their knee touches.  The officials ruled that the Grizzlies could either replay the down or take the ball 1st and Goal at the Panther 5.  Given the in-game options Clark County took the ball at the five, but the Panthers intercepted the ensuing pass halting the threat.  This brought a protest from Clark County which commissioner Dick Seuss heard and ruled the game should be a 28-28 tie in the record books.  But hold on, we aren't done yet.  Michael Highsmith filed a protest and met with Seuss on Monday and according to NCAA rules the play was dead at the time of the whistle, therefore the player cold not continue the play and score.  The officials rule on the field was correct and Seuss reversed his decision reinstating the final score; Panthers 28 Grizzlies 21.

Kenny Mayne made his NFA debut in 1984 sparking the Panthers to two second half touchdown drives in the championship game.  Mayne had just joined the team a week prior after leaving UNLV and trying to catch on with the Seattle Seahawks.  Milt Myers of Spokane fell just short of winning a championship after being drafted in the 5th Round of the USFL draft as an All-American QB from Whitworth.

Bryan Ross of the Blue Knights led the league in rushing with 746 yards.

1985 Standings

  Regular Season Overall

Northern Division

W L T PF PA W L T
Spokane Fury 7 3 0 263 119 8 4 0
Snohomish Co Blue Knights 7 3 0 274 128 9 3 0
Skagit Valley Raiders 3 7 0 149 217 4 7 0
Seattle Cavaliers 0 9 0 21 288 0 9 0

Southern Division

               
Auburn Panthers 10 0 0 276 54 12 0 0
Salem Stars 7 3 0 212 222 7 5 0
West Seattle Warhawks 4 6 0 143 141 4 7 0
Eastside Express 2 8 0 96 228 3 9 0

1985

On Oct 5, the Panthers intercepted the Warhawks 10 times for a league record number of interceptions in a single game.

Following the Panthers victory over the Seattle Cavaliers in the season finale, RB Daryl Baines learned he had set the NFA single season rushing record with 766 yards, topping Blue Knight Bryan Ross' 1984 mark of 746.  The loss by the Cavaliers was the teams 18th consecutive defeat.

Aug 6 West Seattle 16 Portland Steelheads  19  
Aug 13 West Seattle 10 Spokane Fury 0  
Aug 20 Skagit Valley Raiders 2 West Seattle 14  
Aug 27 West Seattle 22 Washington Co Grizzlies 14  
Sept 3 Seattle Cavs 6 West Seattle 12  
Sept 10 Skagit Valley 14 West Seattle 5  
Sept 24 Portland Steelheads 24 West Seattle 21  
Oct 1 West Seattle 13 Pacific County Vikings 9 Astoria
Portland 17 Spokane 14  
Oct 8 West Seattle 28 Spokane Fury 31  
Oct 15 Seattle Cavs 12 West Seattle 16  
OCt 29 West Seattle 15 Portland 40 (playoffs)  
Skagit @ Spokane  
   
   
   
1984 Schedule/Results:  
July 29  
Auburn 12 Bellevue 6 OT  
Spokane 13   --- 22  
Aug 4  
Auburn 28 Clark County 7  
Spokane 36 Bellevue 0  
Sno-King 7 West Seattle 21  
Aug 11  
Spokane 14 Auburn 25  
Bellevue 36 West Seatte 6  
Aug 18  
Peninsula 6 Clark County 21  
Sno-King 7 Spokane 14  
West Seattle 21 Seattle 0 (2nd half PPD due to darkness)
Aug 19  
Bellevue 30Auburn 31  
Clark County 6  West Seattle 11  
Aug 25  
Auburn @ Peninsula PPD until Oct 20  
Spokane 28 Bellevue 8  
West Seattle 11 Clark County 6  
Sno-King 22 Skagit Valley 21  
Sept 1  
West Seattle 7 Auburn 10  
Seattle 6 Clark County 48  
Peninsula 0 Spokane 44  
Bellevue 14 Skagit Valley 26  
Sept 8  
Auburn 37 Seattle 6  
Spokane 6 West Seattle 7  
Skagit Valley 42 Peninsula 21  
Sept 9  
Sno-King 7 Bellevue 37  
Sept 15  
Clark County 21 Auburn 28  
West Seattle @ Skagit Valley  
Peninsula @ Sno-King  
Seattle 3 Spokane 43  
Sept 22  
Sno-King 14 West Seattle 0  
Clark County 25 Spokane 23  
Skagit Valley 21 Seattle 6  
Bellevue 42 Peninsula 20  
Sept 29  
Auburn 30 Spokane 6  
West Seattle 0 Bellevue 34  
Seattle 14 Sno-King 45  
Clark County 15 Skagit Valley 26  
Oct 6  
Skagit Valley 20 Auburn 24  
Sno-King 27 Clark County 23  
Peninsula 6 West Seattle 9  
Bellevue 30 Seattle 8  
Oct 13  
Auburn 23 Sno-King 20  
Clark County 11 Bellevue 45  
Seattle 3 Peninsula 8  
Oct 14  
Spokane 29 Skagit Valley 20  
Oct 20  
Auburn W Peninsula L FFT
Oct 27 - NFA Playoffs  
Bellevue 16 Spokane 32  
Skagit Valley 6 Auburn 12  
Nov 3 - NFA Championship  
Spokane 17 Auburn 20  
   
1985 Schedule/Results:  
July 20  
Auburn 30 Skagit Valley 0  
   
July 27  
Auburn 7 West Seattle 0 (Hi-Yu Trophy Game)  
Eastside 10 Spokane 3  
Snohomish County 18 Salem 12
Aug 3  
Eastside @ Auburn  
Salem 11 West Seattle 10  
Aug 4  
Seattle @ Snohomish County  
Aug 10  
Auburn Panthers @ Salem Stars  
West Seattle 2 Eastside 6  
   
Aug 17  
West Seattle 2 Auburn 10  
   
   
Aug 24  
Auburn @ Skagit Valley  
Seattle 0 West Seattle 18  
   
Aug 31  
Spokane @ Auburn  
Skagit Valley 22 West Seattle 40  
   
Sept 7  
Auburn @ Seattle  
   
   
Sept 14  
Snohomish County 0 Auburn 18  
   
   
Sept 21  
Salem @ Auburn  
Eastside 8 West Seattle 27  
   
Sept 28  
Auburn @ Eastside  
West Seattle  21 Salem 26  
   
Oct 5  
Auburn 0 West Seattle 31  
Salem 49 Eastside 34  
Seattle 3 Skagit Valley 20  
Spokane 13 Snohomish County 36  
Oct 12  
Auburn 39 Seattle 0  
Oct 19 - NFA Playoffs  
Snohomish County 8 Auburn 36  
Salem 33 Spokane 7  
Oct 26 - NFA Championship  
Salem 3 Auburn 19  
Nov 9 - MPFA West Coast Championship  
Auburn 7 San Jose Bandits 14  
   
1986  
July 18  
Warhawks 28 Salem 7  
July 25  
Warhawks 40 Skagit 6 (Hi-Yu Classic)  
Aug 2  
Auburn 38 Skagit 0  
   
Aug 9  
Auburn 22 Warhawks 0  
   
Aug 16  
Warhawks 14 Cavaliers 9  
   
Aug 23  
Eastside 7 Warhawks 6  
   
Aug 30  
Warhawks 0 Salem 19  
   
Sept 6  
Warhawks 24 Skagit 41  
   
Sept 13  
Auburn 23 Warhawks 0  
   
Sept 20  
   
   
Sept 27  
   
   
Oct 4  
Warhawks 28 Blue Knights 6  
   
Oct 11  
Warhawks 28 Cavaliers 6  
   
Oct 18  
Warhawks 10 Eastside 7 OT  
   
Oct 25 - NFA Playoffs  
Panthers vs Eastside  
Raiders 26 Warhawks 0  
   
Nov 1- NFA Championship  
Panthers 52 Raiders 7  
Nov 29 - AMLFA National Championship  
Panthers vs Chicago  
   
1987  
July 25 Cavaliers 0 Warhawks 50  
Aug 8 Warhawks @ Eastside  
Aug 15 Warhawks @ Cavaliers  
Aug 22 Skagit @ Warhawks  
Aug 29 Auburn @ Warhawks  
Sept 5 Warhawks @ Blue Knights  
Sept 12 Eastside @ Warhawks  
Sept 19 Cavaliers @ Warhawks  
Sept 26 Warhawks 12 Skagit 14  
Oct 3 Warhawks 0 Auburn 49  
Oct 10 Blue Knights @ Warhawks  
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
 
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