Horsemen win thrilling opener over Show Me, face red-hot Fort Wayne
March 24, 2004 - National Indoor Football League (NIFL)
Kentucky Horsemen News Release
The Lexington Horsemen got their 2004 season off to a great start on Sunday, with a nail-biting 38-37 double-overtime victory over the Show Me Believers. The Horsemen appeared to have things wrapped up when QB Dusty Bonner hit WR Champ Kelly on a 12-yard touchdown pass with 11 seconds to go in the game, putting Lexington on top 24-17. However, Show Me tied the game with a 22-yard scoring pass from Justin Peery to Ricky Brown with only six seconds on the clock. After trading touchdowns and extra points in the first overtime period, Lexington and Show Me entered the second overtime knotted at 31. Show Me scored on their second OT possession on a 6-yard run by Peery, but Horsemen DL Sylvester Peoples gave Lexington the advantage it needed by blocking the extra point attempt. On the ensuing drive, Bonner found WR Eddie Eviston in the end zone for a 3-yard touchdown, and K Justin Hutton knocked the extra point home to give Lexington a 38-37 win.
Bonner finished the day 31 of 46 for 215 yards passing and five touchdowns. He was picked off twice. RB Martez Johnson led the way on the ground with 40 yards rushing on 17 carries, and also caught a 3-yard scoring pass from Bonner in the fourth quarter. Chad Spencer caught a Horsemen record 13 passes for 86 yards and a touchdown to lead all receivers in the game.
Defensively, LB Chris Gayton led the Horsemen with 6.5 tackles, including 5 solo hits. DL Sylvester Peoples, in addition to blocking the crucial overtime PAT attempt and forcing a fumble, made an impressive Horsemen debut with 2.0 sacks (for 9 yards) and 3.0 tackles for loss, both tops on the team. DBs Nate Green and Tayo Agboke each picked off a pass for Lexington.
LEXINGTON-SHOW ME NOTES
Hutton named Player of the Week; Spencer sets Horsemen receiving record
Lexington K Justin Hutton was named Atlantic Conference Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance against Show Me. Hutton was a perfect 5 for 5 on PAT attempts, including the game-winner in the second overtime, and also added a 12-yard field goal late in the first half for the Horsemen. Show Me QB Justin Peery was named Atlantic Conference Offensive Player of the Week after accounting for four touchdowns (two rushing, two passing) for the Believers.
Horsemen WR Chad Spencer picked up where he left off in 2003 with a 13-catch, 86-yard performance. Spencer's 13 receptions sets a new single-game receiving record for the Horsemen, breaking his own record of 12 catches set against Fort Wayne on July 5, 2003. Spencer also caught a touchdown pass in the first overtime against Show Me to keep the Horsemen in the game. Spencer's 13 receptions are the most that any player has caught in an NIFL game in 2004.
THIS WEEK'S OPPONENT: FORT WAYNE FREEDOM
The Fort Wayne Freedom (2-0 overall, 2-0 division) come to Rupp Arena as arguably the hottest team in the NIFL, averaging 73 points per game (1st in the league) and beating their opponents by an average of 34 points per contest. The Freedom have been led by RB Rocky Harvey, who currently leads the league in scoring with 12 touchdowns, and QB Antoine Taylor, who leads the league in pass rating at 152.7. In the Freedom's 80-41 romp over Evansville last week, Harvey scored 7 TDs (6 rushing, 1 receiving) to set a team record. The Horsemen will also need to pay attention to Freedom WR (and Union College product) Dayna Overton, who is currently fourth in the NIFL in receiving yards, with 135, and KR Adrian Reese, who is leading the NIFL in all-purpose yards, with 231.0 per game. Defensively, the Freedom are led by LB Adam Wheatley, who is currently second in the NIFL in tackles, with 16.5 on the year.
OTHER NEWS
Individual and group tickets are available for Saturday's game, and can be purchased by calling the Rupp Arena box office at 859-233-3535 or visiting www.lexingtonhorsemen.com
National Indoor Football League Stories from March 24, 2004
- Player Spotlight â James Jones - Black Hills Red Dogs
- Prather Named NIFL Atlantic Conference POW - Tupelo FireAnts
- Horsemen win thrilling opener over Show Me, face red-hot Fort Wayne - Kentucky Horsemen
- Believers hope win is in the Cards - RiverCity Rage
- Greyhounds have Big Mac Attack - Ohio Valley Greyhounds
- Hounds Bring Back Flora - Ohio Valley Greyhounds
- NIFL Announces Players of the Week - NIFL
- Diesel Excited About Home Opener - Tri-City Diesel
- Cavalry ready for first game - Wyoming Cavalry
- Another Mountaineer joins Greyhounds - Ohio Valley Greyhounds
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