Haymakers Gear Up For Road Game Against Bloomington Edge
April 3, 2013 - Champions Professional Indoor Football League (CPIFL)
Lincoln Haymakers News Release
Lincoln, NE - The Lincoln Haymakers will look to continue their success on the road as they visit the Bloomington Edge this Friday, April 5. The Haymakers come into the game with a 1-1 record after falling to the Sioux City Bandits in the first home game this past week. The Haymakers will look to get better production from their offense, as they struggled to produce against the Bandits.
The Edge are located in Bloomington, Illinois and come into the game with a record of 1-2. The Edge lost 52 to 22 in their last game on March, 30 against the Wichita Wild. The Edge have the league's fourth ranked scoring offense and fifth ranked scoring defense. In games against common opponents the Edge have lost 62 to 56 against the Sioux City Bandits and beat Mid-Missouri Outlaws 54 to 3.
The Haymakers were plagued by turnovers in their last outing against the Sioux City Bandits with three interceptions in the game. The Bandits capitalized on two of those interceptions by scoring touchdowns in the following possessions, which played a role in the Haymakers' defeat.
Limiting the turnovers will be a key for the Haymakers when they play the Edge. The Haymakers had good offensive production against the Bandits, but failed to convert possessions into points. The Haymakers missed two field goals and were 66% in the red zone. The team was only outgained by 50 yards against the Bandits and moved the ball through the air with some success. The Haymakers, however, struggled in the ground game only gaining 77 yards and no rushers recording touchdowns.
Cortney Grixby will look to continue his success on the field. Grixby is a leader on the league's second ranked pass defense. In the game against the Bandits, Grixby recorded a kick return for a touchdown to tie the game early in the first quarter. The previous week against the Mid-Missouri Outlaws, Grixby was named the CPIFL's Defensive Player of the Week and after the Bandits game earned CPIFL's Special Teams Player of the Week honors. The Haymakers will look to Grixby and the defense to limit the Edge's scoring opportunities.
Success has come through the air for the Haymakers and they will look to continue their passing attack against the Edge. The Haymakers sputtering offense could get a jumpstart this weekend against the Edge, who have the CPIFL's seventh ranked pass defense.
The keys to the game for the Haymakers will be to limit the team's turnovers, get the ball moving in the running game, and stop the Edge on the ground as they look to the ground game often. A win against the Edge would bring the Haymakers back above five hundred. It could also possibly place them into the top four of the league early in the season, which is needed to keep them in the playoff hunt.
Kickoff of the Haymakers vs. the Edge will be at 7:05 in the U.S. Cellular Coliseum. The game will be broadcast online via Capitol Sports Live on the Haymaker's website for fans who do not travel to the game.
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Champions Professional Indoor Football League Stories from April 3, 2013
- Wild to Seek Fifth Win in Kansas City - Wichita Wild
- Solomon, Moss, and Grixby Named CPIFL Players of the Week - CPIFL
- Haymakers Gear Up For Road Game Against Bloomington Edge - Lincoln Haymakers
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