Commandos Win Second Straight CIFL Championship

Published on June 12, 2011 under Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL)
Cincinnati Commandos News Release


Cincinnati, Ohio - The Cincinnati Commandos became the Continental Indoor Football league's first two-time champions, defeating the Marion Blue Racers, 44-29, for their second straight title Saturday night at the Cincinnati Gardens.

Tyler Sheehan was named the game's Most Valuable Player, throwing three touchdowns and rushing for another.

James Frazier provided the key play of the game after Cincinnati took a 14-0 lead on a 1-yard touchdown run by Sheehan and a juggling, 9-yard touchdown catch in the back of the end zone by Nez Mincy.

Marion drove 37 yards on seven plays to Cincinnati's 1-yard line, but on second and goal Josh Harris fumbled the ball on a quarterback sneak. Frazier fell on the loose ball, and, untouched, got up and returned the fumble 49 yards for a touchdown to give Cincinnati a 21-0 lead with 6:15 remaining in the quarter.

Marion answered with a 30-yard touchdown run by Christian Haywood and a 3-yard touchdown pass from Harris to Brandon Williams on the final play of the half to pull to within 21-13.

Sheehan hit George Murray for a 6-yard touchdown on a fourth-down play on the opening drive of the second half, and, after Tyler Lorenz's 43-yard field goal, Greg Moore scored from two yards out to push Cincinnati's lead to 18, 34-16.

Marion scored two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter, but Cincinnati answered with scores of their own each time as the Blue Racers never got closer than 11 points in the final quarter.

Haywood's 1-yard scoring run was followed by a 19-yard touchdown pass from Sheehan to Brandon Boehm, and a 3-yard touchdown pass to Williams was countered by Brandon Yingling's 33-yard field goal.

Sheehan completed eight of 19 passes for 93 yards and ran twice for a team-high 28 yards. Boehm and Moore each had two catches for the Commandos.

Marion's Christen Haywood set a CIFL Championship Game record with 107 rushing yards on 18 carries as the Blue Racers ran for a Championship Game record 157 yards. Marion had just 15 passing yards, however, with none of Harris' four completions going for more than eight yards.

Cincinnati also picked off a pair of passes, with Marcus Spencer setting up the first score of the game with his in the first quarter and Corry Stewart picking off a pass on the final play of the game. Pernell Phillips added a sack, with Frazier and Thomas Claggett sharing a sack.

Wendell Brown had a team-high eight tackles, followed by 6.5 each from Jeff Franklin and Spencer.

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Continental Indoor Football League Stories from June 12, 2011


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