Muskegon Thunder Escapes With Win Over Freedom
Published on April 14, 2008 under Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL)
Muskegon Thunder News Release
MUSKEGON - It wasn't pretty, but the Muskegon Thunder of the Continental Indoor Football League willed their way to a 39-33 victory over the visiting Fort Wayne Freedom on Saturday night at the L.C. Walker Arena. The win was the fourth straight for Muskegon while Fort Wayne suffered their third consecutive setback.
After their initial offensive drive resulted in a turnover on downs, the Thunder (4-1) scored on their next two possessions to gain a 13-0 advantage early in the second quarter. Quarterback Dan Richard tossed a four-yard score to receiver Tremaine Rembert followed by running back Mike Nichols' 2-yard touchdown blast as kicker Mike Brennan made one of two point after tries.
After Muskegon botched a snap on a long field goal try giving the guests the ball at the Thunder 8, the Freedom (1-3) offense finally showed some life as quarterback Eric Hooks found running back Rockey Harvey all alone in the left corner of the end zone on a fourth-and-goal play from the 4. Hooks' two-point conversion toss was incomplete leaving the score at 13-6.
The Fort Wayne defense then made a play as Craig Plaster stripped the ball from Muskegon's Preston Garris and the Freedom's Maurice Terrell recovered it at his own 12. Receiver Luther Stroder then rambled 26 yards on a motion hand off and two plays later hauled in a 17-yard scoring strike from Hooks. Hooks then connected with Glenn Johnson on the two point try and Fort Wayne had their first lead of the game at 14-13 with 19 seconds remaining in the first half.
The lead wouldn't last long, however, as Johnson's ensuing kickoff sailed out of bounds giving Muskegon the ball at midfield. On the final play of the half, Richard hit Garris for a 20-yard touchdown pass that gave the hosts a 20-14 lead at the break.
In the third quarter, the Freedom rallied behind head coach and offensive coordinator Willie Davis, Jr. as Fort Wayne took the opening possession of the third quarter and drove all the way to Muskegon's 1 before a false start on fourth-and-goal forced a field goal try which Justin Hoover converted from 21 yards out to pull within 20-17.
On the next series, Richard threw into the left flat where Freedom defensive back Marcus Roebuck picked it off and returned it to the Muskegon 5. Fort Wayne couldn't turn the miscue into points as two consecutive false starts pushed them back and Hoover eventually missed a 30-yard field goal attempt.
Unforced errors, like those penalties, hurt the Freedom all night as they committed eleven infractions totaling 56 yards compared to Muskegon's 54 yards on six flags.
The Freedom then got a key special teams play from Johnson as he blocked a long field goal try that bounced back into the Muskegon end zone where teammate Jamarkus Walters recovered it for a touchdown and a 25-20 lead after 45 minutes.
The sluggish third quarter by the Thunder continued a season-long trend as they watched their small lead disappear. They have now been outscored in the third session by a combined 53-21 this season.
But just as bad as Muskegon has been in the third, they have been equally good in the final 15 minutes and Saturday was no exception as the hosts roared back for the win.
Thunder defensive lineman Alonzo Williams, who hadn't played since the opening game of the season, helped get the offense jump-started as we was brought in to run the ball near the goal line.
Williams' spinning, driving three-yard scoring run revitalized the team and its crowd as Muskegon regained the lead. A two-point conversion pass from Richard to Rembert left the score at 28-25 with just under 13 minutes remaining in the game.
The momentum swelled further in the hosts' direction when Thunder defensive back Jon Horn made his third interception in as many games in the back of Muskegon's end zone. It took Fort Wayne only one play to shift momentum back to the Freedom as Randall Guzman, just signed this week, sacked Richard for a safety to narrow the deficit to 28-27.
The Freedom's Adrian Reese then took more air out of the Thunders' sails with a coast-to-coast kickoff return covering 50 yards. It was the first kick returned for a touchdown against Muskegon this year, and it gave the visitors a 33-28 lead with 9 minutes left after a two-point conversion run failed.
A 19-yard kickoff return by Horn set the offense up at Fort Wayne's 15. Four plays later, Richard threw up a jump ball from the four-yard line to 6-foot-7 receiver Tony Terrell who out leaped the Freedom's 5-foot-10 Ronnie McCrae for the score. Richard found Garris for a two-point toss and Muskegon forged its way back in front, 36-33 at the 5:44 mark.
Thunder linebacker Mitch Cumings then decided to take matters into his own hands. First he made the tackle on the dangerous Reese's kickoff return. On first down Hooks scrambled up the middle only to find Cumings there to chop him down after a 7-yard gain. On the next play, Cumings shot the gap, as Harvey bobbled the handoff from Hooks, and recovered the fumble giving Muskegon the ball at their own 24 with just 3:33 left on the clock.
The Thunder took advantage of the mistake, as Brennan booted a 38-yard field goal at the 1:16 mark to cap the game's scoring. Brennan, who came to Muskegon after two seasons with the Kansas Koyotes of the indoor American Professional Football League, has now kicked three field goals, all over 34 yards, after the Thunder failed to convert a single made field goal in 2007.
Fort Wayne's last gasp effort to pull off the upset came up empty-handed as Stroder failed to reel in a Hooks fourth down pass near Muskegon's 10-yard line with 27 seconds remaining.
Neither team could generate much offense in the contest as the Freedom out gained Muskegon, 125-104 in total offense. Surprisingly, the Freedom, under defensive coordinator Lamar Martin, were particularly tough to move the ball against after coming in allowing 54 points per game and an average of 243 yards of offense to opponents.
Walters led the Freedom with 5.5 tackles including one for loss while Terrell and Roebuck chipped in with 3.5 stops each. Shonn Bell and Guzman each recorded a sack.
Offensively, Hooks completed only 6-of-16 passes for 49 yards and two scores and added 29 yards rushing on six carries. Stroder had 4 catches for 34 yards. Reese accounted for 67 yards on three kickoff returns.
Muskegon's stingy defense performed as advertised. They came in allowing 38 points per game (5th best in the 15-team CIFL) and had given up an average of only 184 yards of offense. The always-active Cumings had 10 total involvements including 1.5 for loss. Horn added 6.5 stops and a fumble recovery while defensive linemen Eric Malloy (2 sacks) and Ernest Bentz (1.5 TFL) dominated the line of scrimmage.
Richard hit 14-of-27 passes for 96 yards and three touchdowns and also led the team in rushing with 22 yards on five hauls. Garris led all pass catchers with 7 grabs for 53 yards as Terrell and Rembert each made 3 catches for 22 and 14 yards, respectively. Ryan Moore continued to give the Thunder great field position with 62 return yards on 3 runbacks.
Muskegon now has a bye week before hosting the Chicago Slaughter on Friday, April 25th. Fort Wayne will host the Rock River (IL) Raptors at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum on Saturday, April 19th. Both kickoffs are scheduled for 7:30 E.S.T.
GAME NOTES
SHUT âEM DOWN
The Thunder defense, under the direction of defensive coordinator Ryan Hodges and head coach Shane Fairfield, recorded seven stops against the Freedom giving them 35 in five games so far this season. The three takeaways gives the unit 16 on the year (8 fumbles, 8 interceptions).
GALLOPING GARRIS
Thunder running back and slot receiver Preston Garris' touchdown reception gives him 11 total scores on the season (9 receiving, 2 rushing). The Muskegon native and former Grand Valley State standout has scored at least one touchdown in all five games of his rookie campaign.
IT'S A BIRD...IT'S A PLANE...IT'S A TOUCHDOWN
Muskegon Thunder quarterbacks have combined to throw 20 touchdowns passes in the first five games to six different receivers. With returning starters Nathan Wruble and Richard Gills on the injured list since early in the season, the depth and quality of the receiving corps makes it one of the best in the CIFL.
âNIC, KNACK, OPPONENT WHACK
Thunder defensive back Dominic "Nic" Thocher had 4 total more tackles on Saturday giving him 33.5 on the season, by far leading the team. The Grand Rapids native who prepped at Ottawa Hills before attending Ferris State, also has two interceptions and a touchdown on special teams.
Continental Indoor Football League Stories from April 14, 2008
- Muskegon Thunder Escapes With Win Over Freedom - Muskegon Thunder
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