Lead Slips Away, BlueCats Eliminated in Semi-Finals
July 25, 2006 - United Indoor Football Association (UIF)
Evansville BlueCats News Release
EVANSVILLE, IN: The Evansville BlueCats took the top seeded, UIF West Division Champions and defending UIF National Champions down to the wire in the semi-finals of the United Indoor Football playoffs. Evansville surged ahead in the third quarter before Sioux Falls took the lead in fourth quarter. Evansville came back again to set up an exciting finish but it wasn't enough as the Storm held on for the 32-26 victory. The game was a rematch of the regular season finale that was played on July 8th when Sioux Falls won by a nearly identical score, 33-26. #1 Sioux Falls advances to United Bowl II where they will host the #2 seed Lexington Horsemen for the National Championship in a rematch of the 2004 championship game, which was won by the Horsemen. The loss knocks Evansville out of the UIF playoffs and ends the 2006 season for the BlueCats.
For those who believe history repeats itself, the script seemed to be perfectly in place for Evansville. Last season, the eventual national champion Sioux Falls Storm entered the playoffs as a #5 seed and went on the road in the first round to claim a win over the Omaha Beef. In the semi-finals, they faced off against the defending champions from the previous season when they beat the 2004 champions, the Lexington Horsemen. Finally in the title game, Sioux Falls faced off against #2 seed and division rival Sioux City to win the United Bowl from the #5 seed with 3 road wins in the playoffs. Evansville's path in 2006 looked to be almost identical. The BlueCats earned the #5 seed and went on the road to defeat the Omaha Beef in the first round. Up next were the champions from the previous season, the Storm, and waiting in the finals was the Lexington Horsemen, Evansville's division rival who earned the #2 seed and a spot in the title game by defeating Rock River a day earlier. An Evansville win in Sioux Falls would've sent the BlueCats to Lexington for the title game but Sioux Falls defeated Evansville by 6 points, 32-26, and Lexington will travel to Sioux Falls for United Bowl II.
For the second week in a row Evansville found itself behind early in the game. Last week, the Omaha Beef jumped out to an early lead with a touchdown on their first possession and this Sioux Falls was able to score a touchdown on their first possession as well. The Storm added on a field goal following an interception to give them a 10-0 lead in the first quarter.
Evansville started to come back late in the first quarter when the BlueCats drove 45 yards on 8 plays following an AJ Bryant interception off UIF MVP Terrance Bryant. Later, the BlueCats added a field goal to tie it up 10-10. Sioux Falls missed their field goal attempt on the following possession and gave the BlueCats the football back on their own 5 inside the 90-second warning.
Last week Evansville found themselves in a similar position against Omaha. The BlueCats looked to be in good shape as they were going to receive the kickoff to start the second half and had a chance to score inside the 90-second warning before the halftime break. Against the Beef, that didn't go so well as Evansville gave up a field goal and a safety to Omaha in the final seconds before the half. This time against the Storm it didn't go much better as a controversial call gave the Storm a safety, which resulted in a field goal attempt on the following possession. The field goal attempt by the Storm was missed as time ran out in the first half and the teams went into the locker room with Sioux Falls up 12-10.
In the third quarter the BlueCats came out of the locker room and took control when they went down the field with a 5 play 30 yard drive that was capped off by a one-yard Dale Jennings touchdown run. The defense held off the Storm on their first second half possession and then kicker Ton-Ton Luzayadio added 3 more points in record setting fashion when he connected on a 52-yard field goal to help Evansville open the second half with 10 unanswered points to take the lead 20-12. The field goal distance of 52 yards is a new BlueCats team record.
The Storm scored on a long touchdown pass to close back within one. After the touchdown, Sioux Falls kicker Adam Hicks executed a perfect on-side sneak which he recovered himself to give the Storm another possession, which they turned into a successful field goal to take the lead 22-20. The Storm later added another field goal to go up 25-20.
The BlueCats found themselves attempting a long field goal late in the fourth quarter, which was blocked by UIF Defensive MVP Nate Fluit. The blocked kick was recovered and returned by Sioux Falls for a touchdown to put the Storm up 32-20. Down by 12 with time running out, the BlueCats needed a big play and they got one when Aaron Leak found Levander Segars down the left sideline for a 27-yard touchdown pass, with one of the most incredible touchdown grabs in team history. The extra point was blocked by Nate Fluit, his second blocked kick of the game.
The BlueCats trailed by only 6, 32-26. Sioux Falls had an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty called on them, which was to be enforced following the kickoff. Rather than try the on-side kick on the kickoff, Ton-Ton Luzayadio hit a perfect squib kick that bounced past the Storm hands team and over the Storm kick returnee and bounced out of bounds at the one-yard line. After the penalty, the Storm took over inside their own one with less than two minutes to play. The BlueCats needed a stop or a turnover to get the ball back and have a chance to win. After two runs for minimal gains against the BlueCats defense, Sioux Falls made the call to throw it deep on third down and long from their own end zone. The play went for a big gain and a first down, which allowed the Storm to run out the clock and take the spot in the championship game with a 32-26 win.
BlueCats quarterback Aaron Leak threw for 128 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception, and also rushed for 45 yards and another touchdown in the game. Leak finishes the season with 1,566 yards passing, 25 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He completed 154 of his 313 passing attempts in 12 games as the BlueCats signal caller. He also rushed for 370 yards and 9 touchdowns this season.
Wide receiver Tommy Manus was the leading receiver in the game catching 6 passes for 40 yards. Levander Segars had 3 catches for 45 yards and a touchdown. Tyrone Walker had 3 receptions for 35 yards. Segars finishes the season as the BlueCats leading receiver with 48 catches for 490 yards and 13 touchdowns. Walker finishes the year as the team's third leading receiver with 35 catches for 434 yards and 6 touchdowns in 10 games with the team.
Running back Dale Jennings rushed for 15 yards on 6 carries and scored a touchdown in the game and caught 2 passes for 8 yards. He finished the season 410 yards rushing and 19 rushing touchdowns. He had also made 42 pass receptions for 302 yards and 3 touchdowns on the year and had 552 kick return yards and the teams only kick return touchdown of the season. For the season, Jennings ended up with 1,298 all-purpose yards and 23 touchdowns, both totals rank as 5th best in the league as well as new career highs for the four year veteran.
Kicker Ton-Ton Luzayadio was 2-4 on field goal attempts against the Storm and 2-3 on extra points. Two of his three misses were blocked and the other attempt was from 50 yards. Luzayadio finished the season as the leagues leading scorer with 189 points scored, the best season ever by a kicker and the second best total in league history behind only last seasons UIF MVP, Sioux City running back Fred Jackson, who is currently with the Buffalo Bills.
The BlueCats defense played well against Sioux Falls and was excellent in the redzone, stopping the Storm every time by forcing field goal attempts, one turnover, and not allowing touchdowns. AJ Bryant led the way for Evansville with 8 tackles, one tackle for loss, and an interception in the game. Deion Holts added 5 tackles and 2 tackles for loss. Demoine Adams made 3.5 tackles including a sack, and Johnny Brown added 3.5 tackles with 2.5 tackles for loss.
On the year, the BlueCats defense was led by linebacker John Winchester who finished second in the league with 112 tackles this season on his way to being named UIF Defensive Rookie of the Year. Winchester also made 19 tackles for loss this season, a new team record. Vernon Turner was right behind finishing 8th overall in the league with 81 tackles in 13 games. Turner also tied the team record with 6 interceptions this season. AJ Bryant was right behind with 5 interceptions in only 6 games with the BlueCats. Demoine Adams had 8 sacks and had 16.5 tackles for loss despite being limited to only 12 games due to injury. Veteran defensive back Tarron Acuff had the best season of his career, finishing third on the team with 57 tackles and 4 interceptions. Acuff led the team in pass break ups. Joel Stubblefield finished 5th on the team with 44 tackles, including 13.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks on his way to being named the runner-up for UIF Most Improved Player honors. Jerrell Hardy had 53.5 tackles and Johnny Brown had 29.5 tackles, including 8 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. Deion Holts made 22 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks in only 6 games with Evansville. Brad Kunz broke the team record with 5 blocked kicks this season.
The BlueCats defense was one of the strongest in the league over the final weeks of the season, giving up an average of 20.3 points per game. An opponent hasn't scored more than 30 points on the BlueCats defensive unit since June 10th against the Fort Wayne Freedom. Of those opponents, Sioux Falls did the best on July 8th, scoring 33 points as a team and scoring 26 points against the BlueCats defense. The BlueCats defense has allowed a league best average of 20.3 points per game since June 17th.
Since June 10th against Fort Wayne: 6/17 vs. Peoria: Final Score - W 70-31: Defense allowed 24 (7 points on fumble return for TD) 6/24 vs. Omaha: Final Score - W 28-17: Defense allowed 17 7/1 at Ohio Valley: Final Score - W 28-26: Defense allowed 19 (7 points on interception return for TD) 7/8 at Sioux Falls: Final Score - L 33-26: Defense allowed 26 (7 points on interception return for TD) 7/15 at Ohio: Final Score - W 37-15: Defense allowed 13 (2 points on a safety) 7/23 at Sioux Falls: Final Score - L 32-26: Defense allowed 23 (2 points safety, 7 on blocked FG for TD)
Overall, the BlueCats enjoyed their best season ever, setting franchise records in over 20 categories, including wins and road wins. The team also won the first playoff game in team history and came up just short of reaching the championship game.
Evansville BlueCats players also earned recognition from the league in their weekly awards 11 times, including Player of the Week and honorable mention honors. Since the inception of the UIF, only Sioux Falls and Lexington, the two teams playing in this weekend's championship game, have had more players recognized for their on the field performance in the UIF Player of the Week awards more than Evansville.
BlueCats recognized by the UIF in their Weekly Awards:
Week 2: Ton-Ton Luzayadio - Special Teams Player of the Week
Week 2: John Winchester - Defensive Player of the Week Honorable Mention
Week 4: Ton-Ton Luzayadio - Special Teams Player of the Week
Week 5: John Winchester - Defensive Player of the Week Honorable Mention
Week 7: John Winchester - Defensive Player of the Week Honorable Mention
Week 7: Levander Segars - Special Teams Player of the Week Honorable Mention
Week 10: Ton-Ton Luzayadio - Special Teams Player of the Week
Week 10: Demoine Adams - Defensive Player of the Week Honorable Mention
Week 12: Vernon Turner - Defensive Player of the Week Honorable Mention
Week 14: Ton-Ton Luzayadio - Special Teams Player of the Week Honorable Mention
Week 15: AJ Bryant - Defensive Player of the Week
The Evansville BlueCats 2006 season is over. The UIF League Championship game will be on Saturday, July 29th. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:05pm in Sioux Falls. For more information on the Evansville BlueCats players and the 2006 season, please visit the website at www.evansvillebluecats.com.
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United Indoor Football Association Stories from July 25, 2006
- Raptors Announce Year End Press Conference - Rock River Raptors
- Lead Slips Away, BlueCats Eliminated in Semi-Finals - Evansville BlueCats
- UBII Offensive Backfield Match-up - UIF
- Semchenko and Kelly Named UIF Men of the Year - UIF
- Kurtiss Riggs Show Live at Nutty's North Wednesday - Sioux Falls Storm
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