Lubbock Renegades Weekly Notes
May 9, 2007 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Lubbock Renegades News Release
GAME #6
WHEN: 7:00 PM (CST), SATURDAY, 5/12/07
WHERE: TULSA CONVENTION CENTER, TULSA, OK
VS: TULSA TALONS (5-0)
BROADCASTS: RADIO: KKAM 1340 AM WEBCAST VIDEO: NONE
The Lubbock Renegades, thriving on Chris Balseiro's game-winning 46-yard field goal to overcome a 21-0 deficit to defeat Amarillo 55-52, have won consecutive games and have moved into a third place tie in the Northern Conference's Central Division with Oklahoma City, as they each have 2-3 records. The Renegades will have their hands full this week, as they not only seek to garner their first road win, but to also hand Central Division leading Tulsa their first loss of the season. The Talons have an undefeated 5-0 record and are 3-0 at home.
RENEGADES RECAP
Lubbock, TX - Chris Balseiro's 46-yard field goal, as time expired, lifted the Lubbock Renegades to a 55-52 win in front of a crowd of 2,937 Saturday night at City Bank Coliseum. The Hub City team is has won two consecutive games and is now 2-3 on the season.
Amarillo earned the first three scores of the game with an Aaron Williams 49-yard interception return for a touchdown, a touchdown reception from Steve Bergeski, and a Steve Panella one-yard touchdown run. Bergeski finished the game with 150 receiving yards and a trio of touchdowns in the losing cause. Lubbock, trailing 21-0, was finally able to get on the board with 11:11 left in the second quarter, as Chris Highshaw caught a 10-yard touchdown pass from Robert Kent. Amarillo and Lubbock each scored three more times before the end of the half giving the Dusters the 35-28 lead. The Renegades had the momentum, despite trailing at the half, as Victor Mann caught an eight-yard touchdown pass as time expired in the half. Lubbock had only 19 points in their last four combined games during the second quarter coming into the game.
In the second half, Amarillo's Jacob Felton recorded a 19-yard field goal to increase the lead to 38-28. The Renegades stormed back with three scores of their own including a 30-yard Balseiro field goal marking the first field goal in franchise history. The two squads would go on to score two touchdown passes each before Balseiro kicked the game-winner at the clock ticked down to zero. Kicking was a factor in the game. Both kickers went 7-for-7 on PATs and each hit at least one field goal. Balseiro was just assigned to the club as an emergency kicker just 24 hours prior to game time to replace the departing Keith Toogood.
Scoring 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final Amarillo 14 21 3 14 52 Lubbock 0 28 7 20 55
PASSING: Kent, Robert (LUB) 15-35-213-5; Panella, Steve (AMA) 15-31-237-4
RECEIVING: Highshaw, Chris (LUB) 7-90-2; Bergeski, Steve (AMA) 8-150-3
Cutters Catch of the Game: Jason Tezeno (LUB)
ADT Defensive Player of the Game: Marcus Walker (LUB)
Schutt Offensive Player of the Game: Chris Balseiro (LUB)
US Army Ironman of the Game: Craig Fulton, Jr. (AMA)
RENEGADES RIVAL RUNDOWN
The Tulsa Talons lead the Central Division with a 5-0 record. They join WB/Scranton and Bossier-Shreveport as the only undefeated teams remaining in the af2. The Talons have averaged nearly 25-point victories in their five previous wins. Their offense averages a league-best 65.4 points per game. Tulsa has a thriving roster, which includes receiver Donovan Morgan. The Louisiana-Lafayette product set the af2 single-season record for touchdown receptions (54), touchdowns (57) and points (346) with the Talons in 2005. He went on to have four receptions after the af2 season with the Houston Texans. Houston released him last summer and he was signed to the practice squad of the Kansas City Chiefs. This season, Morgan ranks fifth in the af2 averaging 8.75 receptions per game. They also rely on Andre Forde, who ranks tied for fourth in the af2 with 13 touchdowns this season.
TULSA'S LAST GAME RECAP
Tulsa 64, Oklahoma City 54
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - As 7,528 fans discovered, penalties would plague the night for the home team. The Yard Dawgz hosted their division rival, the Tulsa Talons (5-0), and kept fans on their feet for the entire game. In the end, the Talons prevailed by 10, 64-54.
The Dawgz came out strong when U.S. Iron Man of the Game, Al Hunt, connected with QB Stan Hill on a 19 yd touchdown pass. The Talons wouldn't take long to answer back when the Schutt Offensive Player of the Game, QB Josh Blankenship, completed a 6 yd pass to Jeff Hughley.
The first half continued to be a back and forth battle as the teams exchanged scores throughout the second quarter, leaving the score tied at the half, 27-27.
In the third, the Yard Dawgz defense was tested when the Talons recovered an onside kick. The defense stepped up to the challenge when the Talons failed to convert on fourth down, due to a pass breakup by Oklahoma City's Jon Holland.
The Dawgz didn't stop there as Al Hunt scored another touchdown inching him closer to scoring 700 career points, the 7th player to reach this mark in af2 history.
Blankenship was 19 of 35 with 1 interception and had 5 passing and 2 rushing touchdowns for the Talons. The Yard Dawgz Stan Hill went 17 of 36 with 2 interceptions.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
2 - Field Goals - Lubbock kicker Chris Balseiro was successful from 30 and 46 yards Saturday to mark the first field goals made in franchise history. Balseiro was 2 for 3 on the night kicking field goals and 7 for 7 on PAT attempts.
28 - Points - The Renegades had only combined for 19 points in their first four games during the second quarter, but Saturday they posted 28 points in the quarter.
208.4 - Yards Allowed per Game - Lubbock's defense ranks second in the af2 with an average allowance of just 208.4 yards per game.
RENEGADES PRACTICE TIMES
All practices this week are at Jones Stadium and are weather permitting
Wed: 10-11:30 a.m.
Thur: 10-11:30 a.m.
NEXT HOME GAME
The Renegades next home game is 7 p.m. Saturday, May 19th, as the Renegades host the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz at City Bank Coliseum. Individual tickets for the game and all other home games are already on sale. Season ticket packages and advertising opportunities are still available by contacting the Renegades offices at 806-744-5858. Additional info can also be found by visiting the Renegades online at www.lubbockrenegades.com.
• Discuss this story on the arenafootball2 message board...
arenafootball2 Stories from May 9, 2007
- Thunder Add Three - Mahoning Valley Thunder
- arenafootball2 President Jerry Kurz to attend Saturday's Game - Mahoning Valley Thunder
- Blizzard Trades for Gerald Harris - Green Bay Blizzard
- Blitz Collect More Than 150 Pieces of Athletic Equipment for Project Playground Initiative - Bakersfield Blitz
- Blitz Ranked Ninth in Week Seven Coaches Poll - Bakersfield Blitz
- Rudi Johnson Foundation, Jungle Kats host free Football Clinic This Saturday - Cincinnati Jungle Kats
- Saturday Night, May 12 Is Albany Herald Night At Cooper Tire Field - South Georgia Wildcats
- Pioneers Top Coaches Poll For Third Straight Week - af2
- Pair of Renegades attending Buffalo minicamp - Lubbock Renegades
- Lubbock Renegades Weekly Notes - Lubbock Renegades
- Steeldogs Prepare for Quad City - Alabama Steeldogs
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
