Post by Banana Cat on Feb 22, 2011 18:38:10 GMT -5
www.oaoa.com/sports/football-60732-indoor-season.html
Roughnecks open season with victory
February 21, 2011
BY JOEL A. ERICKSON
Indoor football is not a sport known for brawling, bare-knuckle defense.
West Texas might try to change that stereotype this season.
Playing in the Indoor Football League’s Kickoff Classic, the Roughnecks bludgeoned Oklahoma City 39-22 with a defense that did most of the heavy lifting.
Hampered by an offense that struggled to find a rhythm until the second half, West Texas (1-0) loaded up on a series of big defensive plays to polish off the Bricktown Brawlers (0-1) in the second half.
Trailing 16-14 at the break, West Texas’ defense opened the second half with a fourth-down stop that led to a 12-yard touchdown pass from Arkelon Hall to Wilson Kimble, and on the ensuing series rover Eric Henri recovered an Oklahoma City fumble to set up a 2-yard Evin Jones’ touchdown run.
On the ensuing drive, a fourth-down stop at the 3 set up a DeWayne Hogan touchdown run that put the Roughnecks in control with a 32-16 lead to start the fourth quarter.
Finally, with Oklahoma City trying to get back into the game with 2:50 left, swarming defensive linemen Jeramie Richardson and Jermaine Blakely, who had three sacks apiece, chased down Bricktown Brawlers quarterback Reggie Ball for a final sack that sealed the deal when Hall hit Josh Floyd for a 37-yard touchdown pass 35 seconds later.
“We’ve got a couple of young guys on this defensive line that are really motivated,” Blakely said.
For most of the first half, the Roughnecks’ defense reigned.
Bludgeoned by the defensive line on every series in the first quarter, the Brawlers elected to attempt a fourth-and-14 from their own 1-yard line. Chased by Richardson, Ball’s throw fell incomplete.
Two plays later, Jones scored the season’s first touchdown.
Less than a minute later, Blakely, a veteran with plenty of service in Odessa, strip-sacked Ball to set up another 1-yard touchdown plunge by Hogan.
“Our coaches, they’ve put together a defensive line that’s emotional, that plays together, that plays for each other,” Richardson said. “We played with heart tonight.”
Before the Roughnecks had positive yardage —the Roughnecks lost eight yards on 17 first-half plays — West Texas had 14 points.
But then Jahmeel Hobson gave the Brawlers the spark they needed by returning the ensuing kickoff 27 yards to the West Texas 22, and Oklahoma City running back Ben Birmingham put the Brawlers on the board with a powerful 11-yard touchdown run.
Birmingham caught a 22-yard pass from Ball late in the second quarter to tie it, and then the Brawlers’ defense made a play.
Former Roughneck Nathaniel Dunn dropped Hall for a safety to give the Bricktown Brawlers a 16-14 halftime lead.
February 21, 2011
BY JOEL A. ERICKSON
Indoor football is not a sport known for brawling, bare-knuckle defense.
West Texas might try to change that stereotype this season.
Playing in the Indoor Football League’s Kickoff Classic, the Roughnecks bludgeoned Oklahoma City 39-22 with a defense that did most of the heavy lifting.
Hampered by an offense that struggled to find a rhythm until the second half, West Texas (1-0) loaded up on a series of big defensive plays to polish off the Bricktown Brawlers (0-1) in the second half.
Trailing 16-14 at the break, West Texas’ defense opened the second half with a fourth-down stop that led to a 12-yard touchdown pass from Arkelon Hall to Wilson Kimble, and on the ensuing series rover Eric Henri recovered an Oklahoma City fumble to set up a 2-yard Evin Jones’ touchdown run.
On the ensuing drive, a fourth-down stop at the 3 set up a DeWayne Hogan touchdown run that put the Roughnecks in control with a 32-16 lead to start the fourth quarter.
Finally, with Oklahoma City trying to get back into the game with 2:50 left, swarming defensive linemen Jeramie Richardson and Jermaine Blakely, who had three sacks apiece, chased down Bricktown Brawlers quarterback Reggie Ball for a final sack that sealed the deal when Hall hit Josh Floyd for a 37-yard touchdown pass 35 seconds later.
“We’ve got a couple of young guys on this defensive line that are really motivated,” Blakely said.
For most of the first half, the Roughnecks’ defense reigned.
Bludgeoned by the defensive line on every series in the first quarter, the Brawlers elected to attempt a fourth-and-14 from their own 1-yard line. Chased by Richardson, Ball’s throw fell incomplete.
Two plays later, Jones scored the season’s first touchdown.
Less than a minute later, Blakely, a veteran with plenty of service in Odessa, strip-sacked Ball to set up another 1-yard touchdown plunge by Hogan.
“Our coaches, they’ve put together a defensive line that’s emotional, that plays together, that plays for each other,” Richardson said. “We played with heart tonight.”
Before the Roughnecks had positive yardage —the Roughnecks lost eight yards on 17 first-half plays — West Texas had 14 points.
But then Jahmeel Hobson gave the Brawlers the spark they needed by returning the ensuing kickoff 27 yards to the West Texas 22, and Oklahoma City running back Ben Birmingham put the Brawlers on the board with a powerful 11-yard touchdown run.
Birmingham caught a 22-yard pass from Ball late in the second quarter to tie it, and then the Brawlers’ defense made a play.
Former Roughneck Nathaniel Dunn dropped Hall for a safety to give the Bricktown Brawlers a 16-14 halftime lead.