CIFL Week Three in Review

Published on April 4, 2007 under Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL) News Release

Port Huron 60, Rochester 13

PORT HURON, Mich.-Port Huron continued its undefeated ways at home, converting Rochester mistakes and great play by quarterback Shane Franzer into a 60-13 drubbing of the Raiders.

The win was the fifth straight by the Pirates over the Raiders, making them the first team in league history to own five victories over one opponent.

The game looked like it would be another instant classic through the opening stages. Port Huron scored on its opening possession on a 22-yard hookup between Franzer and Darryl Frager.

On the ensuing kickoff, the ever-dangerous Darius Smith picked up the Anthony Gallagher kick and raced 52 yards for touchdown. After the Adam Lanctot PAT, the game was knotted up at 7-7.

The return tied for the third longest in league history with teammate Germaine Goode last year against Marion. Smith also tied the record for the longest kick return (54 yards) in the league's history in the week one loss to the Pirates on March 17.

Port Huron answered the bell on the next play from scrimmage. After a Frager kick return, Robert Height raced 34 yards for a score to make it a 14-7 game.

Rochester gave it back to the Pirates on the next possession after Lanctot missed a 43-yard field goal attempt. Port Huron capitalized as Franzer ran three straight times for 45 yards, the last attempt a nine-yard scoring jaunt.

Rochester came out firing on the next drive, piecing together a six-play, 35-yard drive that ended with a Maurice Jackson two-yard touchdown run.

After a missed 41-yard field goal attempt by Gallagher, Rochester got it back on its own six. They again pieced together a drive deep into Pirate territory, only to see it end in disaster.

On a first-and-ten from the Pirate 12, Jamil Porter took off around right end and was met by Shawn Hackett. Porter appeared to be down by contact before Hackett stripped the ball loose, but it was ruled a fumble and was recovered by Port Huron's Robert Boyer.

The play, which was met with heavy criticism by the Rochester fans in attendance, effectively deflated Rochester's sails. They would never seriously threaten again and watched their chances of upending the defending league champion slip away.

Port Huron would proceed to score 40 unanswered points, with Franzer leading the way on every Pirate possession. The all-star quarterback accounted for five of Port Huron's next six scores, throwing for two and running for three.

Franzer finished the game with 96 yards and four scores on nine rushing attempts and 154 yards and three scores on 13-of-19 passing.

Steve Fleming, who defected from Rochester to Port Huron in the offseason, got the other score after recovering a Mike Mikolaichik fumble in the endzone. He and Eddie Bynes had to be separated by the officials after the play as they fought for the ball and the credit for the score.

That was just one of three fumbles lost by the Raiders on the night, who finished the game with five turnovers. Mikolaichik also threw two interceptions, one to Hackett and one to Ernie Smith.

Port Huron totaled 289 total yards on the night, while Rochester amassed just 99 (69 passing and 30 rushing). It was just the fourth time in team history the Raiders have been held to less than 100 yards passing, including the second straight and third time in the last four against the Pirates.

Rochester is next on the road to Lehigh Valley on April 14, while Port Huron plays the same day against Springfield at the Prairie Capital Convention Center.

Chicago 66, Miami Valley 44

TROY, Ohio-The Chicago Slaughter entered Friday night's game with Miami Valley with the hopes of getting victory number one. Consider the mission accomplished.

The Slaughter pulled away from the Silverbacks in the second half, picking up a 66-44 victory in Miami Valley's home opener at Hobart Arena.

Chicago's first possession in franchise history went about as well as you could hope. The drive started with a false start penalty, but ended with Matt Schabert hooking up with Keith Herron for a 29-yard score.

Miami Valley came right back though, answering the score just 14 seconds later when George Murray hauled in a Jim Oliver pass for a 26-yard score with 13:55 left.

On the ensuing possession, the Slaughter dinked and dunked their way down the field before seeing J.R. Taylor cap the drive with a one-yard touchdown run.

The Silverbacks again answered in a hurry, seeing Murray haul in a 25-yard pass from Oliver for a score. The drive took just 1:01 and made it a 14-12 game.

Chicago came back with an 18-yard scoring scamper by Taylor with 3:20 to go in the first quarter. They would get it back after blocking a field goal, tacking on another score for a 28-12 lead on a Schabert seven-yard run.

Miami Valley answered 12 seconds later. After a short kick was returned to the Chicago 12, Eddie Davis jaunted 12 yards for a score and made it 28-19.

The Silverbacks then forced a four-and-out by the Slaughter and took advantage of the break. Oliver hooked up with Murray for the third time for a six-yard score that made it 28-25.

On the next Chicago possession, Taylor dove in from two yards out to make it a 35-25 game with 3:38 left. The Slaughter then forced a four-and-out of their own, getting it back at the Silverback 18.

With 45 seconds left in the half, Schabert connected with Dennis Dibiase for a six-yard score to make it 42-25.

Miami Valley wouldn't go away quietly as the half ended though, tacking on yet another score. Oliver hit Murray for the fourth time, this time it was a 38-yarder as time expired. That made it 42-31.

The Silverbacks got it back to start the second half and posted another score to pull within five. Murray hauled in touchdown number five from 11 yards away with 12:27 left.

Chicago made it 50-37 on a Schabert run on the next possession, only to see Miami Valley answer with an Oliver to James Frazier 24-yard score. Chicago led 50-44 at that point.

The Slaughter then pulled away, tacking on a safety and two more Taylor scoring runs for a 22-point victory. Taylor finished with 91 yards and five scores on 19 carries.

Chicago next goes on the road to Kalamazoo on April 14, while Miami Valley will host Marion on the same night.

Marion 48, Muskegon 20

MARION, Ohio-Muskegon jumped ahead early, but Marion came charging back to capture the team's first victory of the 2007 season 48-20.

It was the first coaching victory in the career of Mayhem head coach Nathan DeGasperis, who was presented with the game ball after the game.

Muskegon's offense was rolling in the first quarter, led by quarterback Stephan Wasil. Wasil threw for three scores in the first, including a 17-yarder to Richard Gills, a six-yard strike to Brent Lesniak and a 25-yarder Derek Hawthorne.

Marion split the Lesniak and Hawthorne scores with an 18-yard field goal by Cam Smith, making it a 20-3 game at the end of one.

On the ensuing possession after the Hawthorne score, Jeremy Werner was knocked out of bounds at the Thunder one after hauling in a Stanley Jackson pass. The play was originally ruled a touchdown, but was then marked at the one. Jackson followed with a one-yard dive to cut the lead to 20-10.

Werner got the score his missed out on the last catch on the next Mayhem possession, scampering in from six yards out after hauling in a Jackson pass.

After another defensive stand by the Mayhem, they took their first lead of the game. Werner hauled in a Jackson pass and raced 40 yards up the sideline for a score. That made it 25-20.

Muskegon took a chance deep on its next possession, only to see Kodi Lindsay come up with an interception and give the Mayhem another shot at it.

Marion took full advantage of the chance. Jackson fired a hail mary into the endzone and Nate Collins made a spectacular play to haul it in for a 35-yard score. Marion led 32-20 at the break with the score.

Marion continued rolling in the fourth quarter after a scoreless third between the teams. Werner caught his third touchdown of the game and Antonio Williams returned an interception 43 yards to cap the scoring.

Werner finished the game with six grabs for 107 yards and Jackson was 10-of-23 for 183 yards and four touchdowns through the air. The former Ohio State quarterback also added a rushing score.

Defensively for Marion, Thomas McKenzie had three sacks and a pair of fumble recoveries. The former AFL standout also, along with Terrell Thomas, forced Wasil to step out of the back of the endzone for a safety.

The Mayhem defense allowed Muskegon 125 offensive yards, 89 of it in the first quarter.

In the fourth quarter, Wasil sustained a neck injury after being tackled head first into the wall on the sideline. He was carted off the field and was treated and released from Marion General Hospital later that night.

Marion next goes on the road to Miami Valley on April 14, while Muskegon will host Summit County on April 13.

Chesapeake 37, New England 30

UPPER MARLBORO, Md.-Chesapeake staged a comeback for the ages in the franchise's debut game. The Tide overcame a 15-point deficit in the second half to claim a 37-30 victory.

New England fell to 0-2 with the loss, while Chesapeake claimed the inaugural victory in the franchise's short history.

New England jumped ahead 13-6 early in the game and seemed to have everything going their way. The Surge had the ball at the Tide nine, facing what appeared to be a fourth-and-two.

But the officials placed the ball down after the third down run and ruled it Chesapeake ball. After a nearly five-minute conference, the officials stood by their ruling and gave the ball to the Tide.

Chesapeake posted a score nine plays later to narrow the score to 13-12.

Near the end of the first half, Surge quarterback Marc Eddy hooked up with Tyler Grogan for a 15-yard score. That made it 20-12 in favor of the Surge going to the intermission.

On the first possession of the second half, Aaron Hairston extended that lead. He dove over for a score, making it 27-12.

Chesapeake's answer came in a hurry on the ensuing possession. In three plays, the Tide went down the field and capped the drive with a Chris Thompson to Michael Kelley 12-yard aerial score.

The Tide then added a field goal by Cap Poklemba to make it 27-22.

After a fumble recovery by Jesse Hudson, the Tide took their first lead of the game. Thompson hooked up with Kelley again, this time from four yards away for a 29-27 Tide advantage.

New England's answer to the 17-point run was a 15-yard field goal by Eric Calderwood. That reclaimed the advantage for New England 30-29.

Chesapeake would finish the scoring on the ensuing drive. Thompson led the team down the field on a six-play drive, which ended with Kelley diving over from one yard out. They added the two-point conversion for a 37-30 lead.

Eddy rallied the Surge troops to the Tide 14, but failed to convert on three-straight tries into the endzone as time expired.

Chesapeake will next visit Steubenville on April 13, while New England will host New York/New Jersey on April 14.

Continental Indoor Football League Stories from April 4, 2007

• CIFL Week Three in Review - CIFL
• Outlawz to battle Revolution - Lehigh Valley Outlawz

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