Bonecrushers Earn First Victory Of Season
Published on May 18, 2008 under Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL)
Muskegon Thunder News Release
MUSKEGON - The Muskegon Thunder were looking for a celebratory sendoff in their final home game before taking to the road for the last three weeks of the regular season. The winless Milwaukee Bonecrushers looked to be a perfect parting gift. Instead, the undermanned visitors spoiled the party with a 51-46 upset in Continental Indoor Football League action Saturday night.
Bonecrushers quarterback Brian Ryczkowski powered into the end zone from a yard out on the final play of the game to end eight weeks of frustration for the first-year franchise. Muskegon (5-4) had just taken its fifth lead of the night at 46-45 on a Derrick Phillips 3 yard run with 55 seconds remaining, but Ryczkowski's 23 yard scramble with 1.4 seconds left set up the winning score.
The offenses were in high gear from the outset as the game's first five drives resulted in touchdowns with Milwaukee (1-8) holding a 19-13 edge midway through the second quarter. Thunder place kicker Mike Brennan nearly kept the scoring streak alive but his 46-yard field goal attempt hit the crossbar and fell just short.
Thunder linebacker Tim Gough briefly halted Milwaukee's momentum when he sacked Ryczkowski for a safety and two plays later Muskegon quarterback Dan Richard hooked up with Richard Gills on a 12 yard scoring strike to put the hosts in front 22-19 just before halftime.
Ryczkowski then previewed his last play of the game heroics with a 24 yard scoring toss to James Leszczynski as time expired in the first half. The Bonecrushers, who dressed only 17 players - four below the 21-man limit - headed to the locker room with a 25-22 lead. The guests held a 97-76 advantage in total offense and more importantly gained confidence that would carry them through the final 30 minutes.
After stopping Muskegon's initial drive of the second half, it took Milwaukee just one play to up their lead as Ryczkowski hit Dorian Palmer on a 24 yard corner route at the 10:18 mark. Leszczynski's point after kick was blocked, as both teams lost precious points on conversion failures, but the 31-22 lead silenced the crowd of 2,408 and served further warning that the Bonecrushers would not be content with another moral victory.
Five minutes later the hosts responded as Richard and Gills combined for a 10 yard touchdown pass to narrow the deficit to 31-28 as Brennan's kick failed. Richard, who earned Offensive Player of the Week honors in Week 5, had perhaps his most efficient passing night thus far, hitting 16-of-22 attempts for 131 yards without an interception. He scored the team's first touchdown on a one yard run and also added a 12 yard toss to Nathan Wruble in the second quarter.
It was Ryczkowski, however, who always seemed to make a big play when his team needed it most. As the final seconds ticked off the third quarter clock, he lobbed the ball to a wide open Matt Rahn, who had released undetected from his guard position, to give the Bonecrushers their biggest lead of the night at 39-28 after the gutsy signal caller added the two point run.
Phillips then single-handedly brought the Thunder team from its collective knees and the crowd to its feet with a pair of scores. First, he returned the ensuing kickoff 47 yards to paydirt on the opening play of the fourth quarter. Richard's two point pass sailed incomplete, leaving Muskegon down 39-34.
After a Gough interception, the Thunder offense drove 33 yards in five plays, reaching the end zone on a Phillips 14 yard sweep around left end. Muskegon went to the well once too often as Phillips was stopped short on the two point try, but the hosts had regained the lead at 40-39 with 7:19 remaining.
Ryczkowski bounced back after the only turnover of the game with a one yard touchdown dive that capped a methodical six-play, 27-yard march that chewed 4:16 off the clock. Palmer was stuffed on a reverse on the two point try, leaving Milwaukee clinging to a 45-40 lead with just under three minutes left.
Ryczkowski, making his second start and third appearance for Milwaukee this season, threw a pair of 7 yard touchdown passes in the first half to Leszczynski and Calvin Thomas, and also added a four yard scramble for a score. On the night, the former University of Wisconsin-Whitewater product connected on 15-of-28 passes for 162 yards and five scores while rushing for 60 yards and three TD's.
Palmer paced a balanced receiving corps with 4 catches for 43 yards while Leszczynski added three grabs for 44 yards. Rahn, Thomas, Sam D'Alie and Marques Johnson each had two receptions.
Defensively, Milwaukee took away the big play all night as Muskegon's longest play from scrimmage was Phillips' 14 yard run. The Bonecrushers got 8 stops from James Cichon, who also forced a fumble, recorded a pass break up and handled kickoff duties. Matt Helgemo notched six tackles and Ahmed Braimah and Joe Schutz chipped in four stops each.
Gills led the Thunder with 5 catches totaling 39 yards. Phillips added 94 all-purpose yards including 78 via returns and also added 4 tackles. Preston Garris made 4 catches while Wruble and Sean Stevens had three catches apiece.
Gough led Muskegon's defensive effort with 10 tackles including a pair of sacks. Alonzo Williams and Maurice Simpson chipped in with 7 and 6 stops, respectively. Corey Sullivan recorded 5 tackles as Stevens and Eric Malloy each notched a sack.
Milwaukee finished with 210 yards of offense and added 107 return yards while Muskegon managed 159 yards plus 114 more in the return game. Penalties were not a huge factor in the contest, although three of Milwaukee's six infractions led to Thunder first downs. Milwaukee was assessed 34 penalty yards. Muskegon was whistled five times for 32 yards.
The Bonecrushers made sweeping organizational changes to the front office, coaching staff and playing personnel after starting the season 0-3. Among those losses was a 60-35 setback at the hands of the Thunder. Michael Tumbleson replaced Gilbert Brown as coach and only a handful of players made the transition. The immediate impact wasn't obvious in the standings as the team continued to endure defeats, but the attitude and competitiveness has steadily improved under the new regime.
Milwaukee will look for its second straight win on Friday, May 23rd when they host the Rock River Raptors (4-5) at U.S. Cellular Arena. The two teams will meet again on June 7th at Rockford, Illinois. Muskegon begins their three-game trek with a game Saturday, May 24th at Fort Wayne's Allen County War Memorial Coliseum against the Freedom (3-6). The Thunder won the first matchup on April 12th, 39-33.
GAME NOTES
Red Hot Red Zone
The Bonecrushers and Thunder combined to go a perfect 10-for-10 on red zone possessions. Milwaukee scored touchdowns on all six trips into the danger zone and Muskegon was perfect in four tries.
If at first you don't succeed
Without the services of regular place kicker Jake Provan, Milwaukee converted only 1-of-3 PAT kicks and also had a field goal blocked. Kicking may still have been the best option as they converted only 1-of-4 two point tries. Meanwhile, Muskegon didn't fare much better, missing 2-of-4 PAT's and going 0-for-3 on two-pointers.
Continental Indoor Football League Stories from May 18, 2008
- Bonecrushers Earn First Victory Of Season - Muskegon Thunder
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