Horsemen Cruise Past Tupelo, Continue Playoff Drive at Evansville
June 4, 2003 - Arena Football League (AFL)
Kentucky Horsemen News Release
The Lexington Horsemen capitalized on five Dusty Bonner touchdown passes to defeat the Tupelo FireAnts 43-22 on Saturday in Tupelo, Mississippi. After a sluggish first half that featured four Horsemen turnovers, Lexington put the game away in the third quarter after Neal Brown forced a fumble that was recovered by Chad Spencer on the Horsemen 5 yard line during a Tupelo kick return. On the next possession, Bonner hit Martez Johnson for a 40-yard touchdown to put Lexington up 35-14, and put the game out of reach for the FireAnts. Johnson finished with 120 yards of total offense and three touchdowns for the Horsemen, who were also aided by Spencer's best receiving game of the year â eight catches for 70 yards and a touchdown.
With the win, Lexington (7-2, 4-1) remains in solid position to qualify for the NIFL postseason. Each division champion (East and South) and two wild-card teams will qualify for the 2003 playoffs.. The current contenders for the postseason:
Ohio Valley 9-0 (East division leader)
Lake Charles 8-2 (South division leader)
Lexington 7-2
Houma 8-3
Fort Wayne 6-3
Austin 6-4
Beaumont 5-5
THIS WEEK'S OPPONENT â EVANSVILLE BLUE CATS
The Horsemen pay a visit to winless Evansville this week, but don't let the Blue Cats' 0-10 record fool you. This is a team who has lost six of its ten games by ten points or less, and is coming off of a narrow 55-49 road loss to the 4-5 Tennessee RiverHawks.
Lexington defeated Evansville 61-26 on May 10 in Rupp Arena, but the Blue Cats were without starting quarterback Akili Roberson for that game. Roberson, a product of the University of Kansas, currently ranks fourth in the NIFL in total offense â one slot behind Dusty Bonner â with an average of 196.2 yards per game. Roberson can hurt opponents on the ground or through the air, as evidenced by his last game against Tennessee, in which he threw for 234 yards and four touchdowns, and ran for 90 yards and two more scores.
Roberson is not the only weapon in the Evansville offense. WR Deon Jordan currently ranks second in the league in all-purpose yards, averaging 144.5 yards per game as a receiver and kick returner, and RB Levron Williams is leading the team in scoring with 18 touchdowns on the year.
BLUE CATS SEASON TO DATE
3/22 at Fort Wayne L 40-41
3/29 vs. Beaumont L 39-49
4/5 at Ohio Valley L 19-55
4/12 vs. Tennessee L 23-32
4/26 vs. Myrtle Beach L 39-47
5/4 vs. Ohio Valley L 22-39
5/10 at LEXINGTON L 26-61
5/17 at Austin L 74-81
5/24 vs. Fort Wayne L 33-62
5/31 at Tennessee L 49-55
HORSEMEN STATISTICAL LEADERS
The Horsemen continue to put up impressive numbers in the NIFL, with a number of players among the league's statistical leaders. QB Dusty Bonner remains among the top quarterbacks in the league, and ranks third overall in total offense (205.9 YPG) and passing yards (202.6 YPG), fourth in quarterback rating (107.4), and third in passing touchdowns (41).
RB Martez Johnson continues his strong all-around season as well, as he currently ranks third in the league in scoring (16.0 PPG), fifth in receptions (5.67 RPG), and sixth in all-purpose yards (91.2 YPG).
Defensively, Lexington's defensive backs are putting together top numbers as well. DB Ray McLaurin is still second in the NIFL in passes defensed, with 17, leading teammate Nate Green, who is eighth with 13 passes defensed on the year. Green is also sixth in the league in interceptions, with five on the season.
K Brian Sivinski has been climbing up the PAT charts, and currently ranks fourth in the league in PATs made, with 46 on the season.
A listing of statistical leaders featuring Horsemen is attached.
OTHER NEWS The Horsemen-Blue Cats game will be broadcast live at 7:30 PM EST on WLAP 630-AM. The Horsemen's next home game will be Saturday, June 14 against the Tennessee RiverHawks in Rupp Arena. The June 14 game will be Freedom Night at Rupp -- all military personnel and their families who present a military ID will be able to purchase an upper arena seat at the discounted price of $5.00. The Kentucky National Guard will be on hand to present arms, and students from Veterans' Park Elementary will sing the national anthem. The Horsemen and the U.S. Army will be giving away free water bottles at the U.S. Army booth in the Rupp Arena concourse, and a giant U.S. flag will be unfurled in honor of Flag Day. Aditionally, the first 2,000 fans to arrive at the game will receive "spirit cards" with the flag printed on them in honor of all of those who serve and have served in our country's military. For tickets to Freedom Night, please call 859-233-3535.
Arena Football League Stories from June 4, 2003
- AFL Lineman Joins Talons - Tulsa Talons
- Horsemen Cruise Past Tupelo, Continue Playoff Drive at Evansville - Kentucky Horsemen
- Randy Gatewood Named AFL Ironman of the Year - Arizona Rattlers
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