It was a day of firsts for the Firebirds on Friday in their 39-20 loss to the Buffalo Vets in the title game of the AYF Midget National Championships in Orlando.

(More photos, click here).

It was the first game this season when the other team scored first on Scottsdale. It was the first time trailing at halftime. And it was the only loss of the season.

Scottsdale won the toss and took the ball, ready to roll after an all-cylinders offensive performance in the semifinals. That first drive started with a holding penalty that negated a long run and ended with a fumble.

It was an omen.

Buffalo banged its way through and swept its way around the Firebirds' defense on its opening drive. The Vets went 49 yards in 10 plays to score. It came despite a holding penalty on a 15-yard pass that made it 6-0 at the 3:53 mark.

The Birds bounced right back. Cules Rose broke off a 37-yard run on the second play of the possession, and after two false-start penalties, Sean Roberton rolled right and hit Jack Haddon with a 25-yard touchdown, tying the game 6-6.

Scottsdale wouldn't score again until the fourth quarter, though. By then, the Vets had administered a thorough thrashing.

They took the ball 73 yards in 13 plays after the Scottsdale score, making it 14-6, where it stayed at halftime. They limited Scottsdale to eight plays in the third quarter and scored twice, once on a 40-yard run and the other on a 35-yard pass, for a 32-6 lead.

And they answered the Firebirds' fourth-quarter comeback attempts. A short run by Adarian Limbs at the 6:19 mark made it 32-12, and Robertson completed a 66-yard TD pass to Rose with 2:44 left to make it 32-20.

Buffalo punctuated the day at the :19 mark with a touchdown run.