Central Football League (American football)
{{Infobox sports league
| logo = Cfllogo2.JPG
|sport=[[American football]]
|founded=1999
|teams=10
|country={{USA}}
|champion=[[Joplin (MO) Crusaders]]
|website=[http://www.cfleague.com Official CFL Website]
}}
The Central Football League is a Semi-Pro/Minor League football organization based out of Oklahoma. The league started play in 1999.
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'''2008 Season'''<br />
The 2008 CFL season is set to kick off on February 24, 2008. 10 teams have signed on for the 2008 season and the league has broken into two divisions. The CFL North and CFL South. Each team will play eight regular season games with a bye week over Easter weekend (March 22). <br />
'''CFL North'''<br />
Arkansas Warriors (Springdale, AR) <br />
Enid Enforcers (Enid, OK) <br />
Joplin Crusaders (Joplin, MO) <br />
Kansas Cougars (Newton, KS) <br />
Oklahoma Knights (Claremore, OK) <br />
'''CFL South'''<br />
Ft Smith Lions (Ft Smith, AR) <br />
Oklahoma Outlawz (Stratford, OK) <br />
Oklahoma Rebels (Based out of Lawton, OK but playing in Cache, OK)<br />
River Valley Buccaneers (Panama, OK) <br />
Southern Oklahoma Roughnecks (Healdton, OK)<br />
'''2008 CFL Championship'''<br />
The 2008 CFL Championship is set to be played on May 17, 2008. The location of the game has yet to be announced. <br />
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'''2007 Season'''<br />
The 2007 CFL Season had a total of 12 teams take the field. The league broke into two divisions. The Elite 12 North and The Elite 12 South. The Championship game was held in Panama, OK at the River Valley Buccaneers home field where the Joplin Crusaders (North) beat the North Texas Falcons (South). <br />
'''''2007 Standings'''''<br />
Elite 12 North<br />
1. Joplin Crusaders (13-0)<br />
2. Arkansas Warriors (8-4)<br />
3. Oklahoma Rhinos (5-6)<br />
4. Kansas Cougars (4-7)<br />
5. Arkansas Panthers (3-7)<br />
6. River Valley Buccaneers (1-9)<br />
Elite 12 South<br />
1. North Texas Falcons (10-3)<br />
2. Oklahoma Outlaws (9-3)<br />
3. Oklahoms Rebels (7-4)<br />
4. Oklahoma City Gunners (4-7)<br />
5. Midwest City Force (2-8)<br />
6. Ada Firestorm (0-10)<br />
'''2007 All Star Game'''<br />
The 2007 season of the CFL-Elite 12 wrapped up Saturday, June 2nd, with the All-Star Game, hosted by the Midwest City Force. 50-55 players converged on the Midwest City Field and divided up into the Red and Blue Squads.<br />
The Red squad posted two scores in the 1st half, to lead at the break 16-0. The 2nd half saw the Blue squad battle back to cut the score to 6-18, and after the Red squad scored again to go up 24-6, the Blue squad responded with a defensive INT for a TD and tacked on a 2 point conversion to make to score 24-14. The clock ran out on the blue as they were moving in to score again and the CFL-Elite 12’s season came to an exciting close, with the Red All-Stars defeating the Blue All-Stars 24-14.<br />
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'''Teams Currently in the CFL'''<br />
Arkansas Warriors<br />
Enid Enforcers<br />
Joplin Crusaders<br />
Kansas Cougars<br />
Oklahoma Knights<br />
Ft Smith Lions<br />
Oklahoma Outlawz<br />
Oklahoma Rebels<br />
River Valley Buccaneers<br />
Southern Oklahoma Roughnecks<br />
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'''Past Champions'''<br />
{|| class="wikitable"
!Year!!'''Champion team'''!!Defeated team
|-
|1999||Tulsa Stampede||Yukon (OK) Thunder
|-
|2000||Oklahoma Panthers||Lawton (OK) Big Guns
|-
|2001||Southwest Oklahoma Rebels||Wichita (KS) Aztecas
|-
|2002||McAlester (OK) Bulls||Stigler (OK) Panthers
|-
|2003||Joplin (MO) Crusaders||Wichita (KS) Aztecas
|-
|2004||Joplin (MO) Crusaders||Northern Oklahoma Rampage
|-
|2005||Oklahoma Rebels||Joplin (MO) Crusaders
|-
|2006||Oklahoma Rebels||Joplin (MO) Crusaders
|-
|2007||Joplin (MO) Crusaders||North Texas Falcons
|}<br />
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'''Official Playing Rules'''<br />
In July 2005, the Executive Committee voted to adopt the football playing rules of the
National Federation of State High School Associations Rules with modifications.<br />
1. Chain gang crew MUST be 16 years old and may not have cell phones.
Opposing team may place a representative on the chain. Referees may replace
a member of the chain.<br />
2. Jersey numbers do not have to be assigned by position played. Many
players play different positions at this level of football. Check in with
referee.<br />
3. Coin toss – Winning team may choose to kick, receive, defer.<br />
4. Football size – each team may select their own ball as long as it is NFL
regulation size.<br />
5. Timing<br />
a. 15 minute quarter<br />
b. 2 minute warning 2nd and 4th quarters<br />
c. Change of possession – clock starts on snap<br />
d. 1st down – clock will continue to run while chains are moved<br />
e. Out of bounds – clock stops until ball is set then re-starts, except in
LAST 2 minutes of 2nd quarter and LAST 5 minutes of 4th quarter
when the clock starts on snap<br />
f. Incomplete pass – clock starts on snap<br />
g. 25 second play clock<br />
6. Length of half-time: 15 minutes with mandatory 3 minute warm-up period.<br />
7. Kick-off/punt may be advanced out of end zone.<br />
8. Kick-off 30 yard line<br />
9. HS hash marks acceptable as most field are already marked. You may use NFL
hashes.<br />
10. Missed PAT is dead.<br />
11. Extra point attempt from the 3 yard line.<br />
12. Kicking block 1" or less may be used.<br />
13. Missed field goal take over on the 20 yard line or the line of scrimmage. If ball
is inside the 20 (such as the 15), take over at the 20; if attempt from the 35, take
over at the 35.<br />
14. Player is down by contact.<br />
15. Pass completion must have both feet in bounds<br />
16. Ball carrier (receiver/runner) – helmet comes off, play is dead<br />
17. Defensive off-sides – player enters neutral zone, play is dead<br />
18. Blocking below the waist – tackle to tackle and 5 yards each side of line
(approximate 10x8 yard box)<br />
19. Pass interference<br />
a. Defensive pass interference - 15 yard from the line of scrimmage and
automatic 1st down<br />
b. Offensive pass interference - 15 yard and loss of down from line of
scrimmage<br />
20. Unsportsmanlike like conduct – referees judgment: warning, flag, then
ejection<br />
a. Taunting (acts or words that incite the other team, profanity, insulting
language or gestures) 15 yards<br />
b. Helmet off in taunting manner, ejection- must leave the field and
stadium (go to locker room), miss the next game, is reviewable by the
commissioner<br />
21. PROTECTING DEEP SNAPPER: cannot hit the deep snapper until he is in an
upright position<br />
22. GUNNERS AND CENTER FREE TO GO AFTER SNAP<br />
23. 2 yard halo violation to protect the receiver, MUST GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY
TO CATCH THE BALL<br />
a. Running into – 5 yard<br />
b. Roughing – 15 yard<br />
24. Overtime – NCAA rules<br />
a. Coin toss – Winning team may choose to kick, receive, defer.<br />
b. Each team will be given an opportunity to score from the 25 yard line.<br />
c. After the third overtime, teams must go for 2 points''.<br />
25. Waive the consciousness rule, players may wear colored face visors, team and
player will make own decision of returning to game.<br />
26. Mercy rule – 35 point difference at any time in game, clock will run
continuously. If 35 point margin is reduced, the clock will return to normal
operation.<br />
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[http://www.cfleague.com Central Football League Official Website]<br />
[http://cfleague.21.forumer.com/ Official League Forum]<br />
[http://www.semiprofootball.org/ Semi-pro Football Headquarters]
[[Category:American football leagues]]