Spring intramurals in full swing
Portland State’s spring intramural sports season is in high gear. Competitive and recreational basketball, soccer, football and racquetball games are being played Monday through Thursday in and around the Peter W. Stott Center on the Portland State campus.
While it’s a week too late to sign up for the spring intramural season, there is always fun to be had watching the teams play for the various championships.
Take, for example, the flag football games out on the recreation field next to the Stott Center. Five-player teams compete on a shortened 40-yard field, where the sidelines are jut outside the numbers. It’s a lot like the playground football kids play in middle school, where first down is the middle of the field, in this case the 20-yard line. The quarterback cannot run, and there is no blitzing or rushing the quarterback in return. The emphasis is on noncontact play, and the biggest penalties in the league, 10 yards and replay of the down, are for physical contact.
Interceptions have an interesting twist. An interception scores the defense one point, or two points if the ball is returned past the 40-yard line, and the receiving team takes over possession. This interesting and fun style of football is on display on the recreation field every Thursday from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Intramural soccer games go off on Tuesdays and Wednesdays on the recreation field. The six-on-six games are fast-paced and fair. Teams must have at least one woman player who plays at least the entire first half. If teams don’t have a woman player, they have to start the game with one less player. The goals are smaller than normal and there are no goalies. Handball rules apply, and penalty kicks are awarded for infractions inside the penalty area. The games end up being high-scoring affairs. For example, in the winter indoor soccer league championship game, The Cheaters beat Kung-Fu Highway 9-5. Halves are 23 minutes long. Games are played from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on the recreation field outside the Stott Center.
There are 12 basketball teams playing in the intramurals league every Wednesday this term. Playing with a running clock and 20-minute halves, the pace is frantic. The clock stops only after a dead ball in the last two minutes of the second half. The teams have anywhere from seven to 11 players. And dunking is allowed, but only during the game. Any dunking before the game is a technical, and dunking after the game gets a player suspended for next week’s game. And if a team’s fans are too rowdy, it can end up forfeiting the game. So if you go watch, keep it down to a dull roar. Basketball games are played on the Stott Center basketball courts from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The Intramural Sports Office is also offering organized pick-up volleyball on Wednesday nights from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. in the Stott Center. Students who wish to play need to show up with a valid student or faculty I.D.
The Intramural Sports Office is located in Room 102 of the Peter W. Stott Center. You can call the office at 503-725-5647, e-mail the office at [email protected], or log on to www.intramurals.pdx.edu for game times, schedules, rosters and more information.
