Post by 50 Yard Fan on Mar 9, 2013 9:33:07 GMT -5
www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2013/03/alabama_hammers_beat_lehigh_va.html
Alabama Hammers beat Lehigh Valley on game's final play
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama - The Alabama Hammers scored on the game's final play for a thrilling 29-28 win over the Lehigh Valley Steelhawks, from Pennsylvania, in tonight's season opener in the Professional Indoor Football League.
With four seconds left and the ball at midfield on the 25, quarterback Kevin Eakin passed to Jeremy Grier at the 15. Grier pitched it Charles McClain who sprinted the final 10 yards for the touchdown.
"We call it 'X N flip to Z,'" Hammers coach Dean Cokinos said. "We practice it almost every practice, at the end of practice.
"We got the victory. That's all that matters and we've got to clean up a lot of mistakes."
The spectacular finish sent the nearly 2,500 fans home happy from the Von Braun Center.
"Our defense played well enough to get us the victory," Cokinos said. But asked about the offense, he said there were "a lot of dropped balls, missed opportunities."
"The main thing about opening games: You got to find a way to win," he said. "And we found a way to win it."
Eakin completed 13-of-30 passes for 184 yards and three touchdowns but had two interceptions.
"It's an amazing start to a season," Eakin said. "We played like the worst offensive game I've ever played in and we came out with a win."
Grier caught five passes for 66 yards and a touchdown. Of the dramatic finish, he said, "It's a play we've worked on. You catch the ball in the middle of the field right in front of the DBs (defensive backs) and toss it right back to Charlie.
"First thing was just catch the ball," Grier said. "And then I looked for Charlie. And make sure I get a clean pitch to him so he can catch it and get up the field."
McClain, who can run a 4.4 or 4.5 40, credited his teammates. "Grier made a great flip around the 15. And C.J. Johnson made a block downfield. The O-line blocked. I just felt like I had to do my part and get to the end zone," McClain said.
Mico McSwain had five catches for 72 yards and two touchdowns. But McSwain said, "I know I dropped some passes I shouldn't have dropped."
Lehigh Valley took a 6-0 lead at 8:34 in the first quarter on Torieal Gibson's catch and run that covered 46 yards. The Steelhawks went up 13-0 on Brandon Roundtree's interception return from the Hammers 13, followed by George Pierson's extra point kick.
But the Hammers answered at 3:14 on Grier's 19-yard pass reception from Eakin and Brian Jackson's extra point. Alabama went up 14-13 at 12:49 in the second quarter on McSwain's 25-yard catch and run.
The Steelhawks answered at 3:15 with Jeff Willis' 9-yard catch from quarterback Adam Bednarik. Lehigh Valley led 19-14 at halftime.
Eakin's 26-yard pass to McSwain put the Hammers ahead 20-19 with five minutes left in the third quarter.
Lehigh Valley went up 22-20 on Pierson's 38-yard field goal at 12:20 in the fourth quarter. The Hammers answered at 7:08 with Jackson's 25-yard field goal for a 23-22 edge.
Darian Payne made a key interception to give the Hammers the ball in the final five minutes. But Lehigh Valley got the ball back with 56 seconds left and drove 33 yards in three plays, capped by Bednarik's 23-yard pass to Willis.
With 25 seconds left, the Hammers drove 30 yards in five plays for the victory.
"We just need to start faster," Grier said, "and (be) more consistent."
The Hammers will visit Richmond on March 16 and Albany on March 23. Their next home game is April 6 at 7 p.m. against Columbus.
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama - The Alabama Hammers scored on the game's final play for a thrilling 29-28 win over the Lehigh Valley Steelhawks, from Pennsylvania, in tonight's season opener in the Professional Indoor Football League.
With four seconds left and the ball at midfield on the 25, quarterback Kevin Eakin passed to Jeremy Grier at the 15. Grier pitched it Charles McClain who sprinted the final 10 yards for the touchdown.
"We call it 'X N flip to Z,'" Hammers coach Dean Cokinos said. "We practice it almost every practice, at the end of practice.
"We got the victory. That's all that matters and we've got to clean up a lot of mistakes."
The spectacular finish sent the nearly 2,500 fans home happy from the Von Braun Center.
"Our defense played well enough to get us the victory," Cokinos said. But asked about the offense, he said there were "a lot of dropped balls, missed opportunities."
"The main thing about opening games: You got to find a way to win," he said. "And we found a way to win it."
Eakin completed 13-of-30 passes for 184 yards and three touchdowns but had two interceptions.
"It's an amazing start to a season," Eakin said. "We played like the worst offensive game I've ever played in and we came out with a win."
Grier caught five passes for 66 yards and a touchdown. Of the dramatic finish, he said, "It's a play we've worked on. You catch the ball in the middle of the field right in front of the DBs (defensive backs) and toss it right back to Charlie.
"First thing was just catch the ball," Grier said. "And then I looked for Charlie. And make sure I get a clean pitch to him so he can catch it and get up the field."
McClain, who can run a 4.4 or 4.5 40, credited his teammates. "Grier made a great flip around the 15. And C.J. Johnson made a block downfield. The O-line blocked. I just felt like I had to do my part and get to the end zone," McClain said.
Mico McSwain had five catches for 72 yards and two touchdowns. But McSwain said, "I know I dropped some passes I shouldn't have dropped."
Lehigh Valley took a 6-0 lead at 8:34 in the first quarter on Torieal Gibson's catch and run that covered 46 yards. The Steelhawks went up 13-0 on Brandon Roundtree's interception return from the Hammers 13, followed by George Pierson's extra point kick.
But the Hammers answered at 3:14 on Grier's 19-yard pass reception from Eakin and Brian Jackson's extra point. Alabama went up 14-13 at 12:49 in the second quarter on McSwain's 25-yard catch and run.
The Steelhawks answered at 3:15 with Jeff Willis' 9-yard catch from quarterback Adam Bednarik. Lehigh Valley led 19-14 at halftime.
Eakin's 26-yard pass to McSwain put the Hammers ahead 20-19 with five minutes left in the third quarter.
Lehigh Valley went up 22-20 on Pierson's 38-yard field goal at 12:20 in the fourth quarter. The Hammers answered at 7:08 with Jackson's 25-yard field goal for a 23-22 edge.
Darian Payne made a key interception to give the Hammers the ball in the final five minutes. But Lehigh Valley got the ball back with 56 seconds left and drove 33 yards in three plays, capped by Bednarik's 23-yard pass to Willis.
With 25 seconds left, the Hammers drove 30 yards in five plays for the victory.
"We just need to start faster," Grier said, "and (be) more consistent."
The Hammers will visit Richmond on March 16 and Albany on March 23. Their next home game is April 6 at 7 p.m. against Columbus.