Rage shoot past Marshals
April 24, 2006 - National Indoor Football League (NIFL)
RiverCity Rage News Release
For the second time this season, the RiverCity Rage of the National Indoor Football League used a second half scoring blitz and a shut-down defense to win a football game against the Cincinnati Marshals. Rage Head Football Coach Mike Wyatt's squad, trailing 29- 28 at the half, outscored Cincinnati 34-14 in the second half and came home from the U.S. Bank Arena on Saturday night still on top in the Atlantic North division of the NIFL. The final score was 62-43.
Credit conditioning, chalk it up to better preparation, credit anything, but according to Wyatt, don't credit the NIFL with allowing an even playing field to prevail. "They (the Marshals) had good game film on us, while we had nothing," fumed Wyatt in his office on Monday morning, "this is something the league needs to address, because our opponents week after week have quality film on us, and again this week, no film, of Cincinnati, this time from Bozeman, Cincinnati's previous opponent. It's aggravating, because it allows your adversary to be better prepared while you don't know what to expect. Granted, we had the advantage of watching film from the first game with them here at home, but that's not enough. They had played three games since then and we deserved better."
Trailing by one at the half, the Rage scored on the opening possession of the third quarter when quarterback Clay Groefsema capped a 5 play, 28 yard drive by tossing a 6 yard touchdown pass to running back Sha-Ron Edwards, and the Rage never looked back. Edwards, who scored on a 16 yard run and a 1 yard scoot in the second quarter, was a driving force in the Rage fourth victory of 2006. Rushing for 91 yards on 19 carries, Edwards according to Wyatt, "kept the chains moving on our drives and set up our passing game well. I think their defense was so intent on shutting him down, it even allowed us to use Joe Bevis in the next series near the goal line, and Joe was able to punch it in." That one yard TD run by the Rage linebacker late in the third quarter was followed by a Clay Groesfsema one yard quarterback sneak for a third Rage unanswered touchdown, giving the Rage a 48-29 lead. Cincinnati later found the end zone on a two yard Larry Byndon rushing touchdown, but the Rage countered with a Groefsema to Moses Regular 3 yard TD strike, and later rounded out the game with another Edwards one yard rush for the final points of the game.
Wyatt was again impressed with his second half defense. "We missed Clarence Jones (out with a hand injury) but Todd Tolliver and Rob Findley stepped in a did a good job in coverage." Rage assistant coach Marc Wilson agreed, saying "it was great to see both Jabari Smith and Roderick Jefferson get timely interceptions, and our backs handled the coverage well."
Line Coach Sven Hack was impressed with newcomer Mike Matranga, who "helped us out on the defensive line a lot. He's a speed rusher and put a lot of pressure on their quarterback, and that allowed our defensive backs to pull up with better one on one coverage."
The Rage thwarted the Marshals in their attempt to tie for the division lead. The Rage lead the Atlantic North with a record of 4-1 on the season, Cincinnati fell to 2-3 on the year. Up next, the Arkansas Stars at Savvis Center on Friday night.
QUOTES FROM RAGE HEAD FOOTBALL COACH MIKE WYATT
On Hurtis Chinn's injury late in the fourth quarter
"He went down hard after catching a pass near the sidelines, and it was frightening to see him having to be carried off the field. But, what was assessed as a high ankle sprain has yet to be determined by our team doctor, and we should know more later in the week. Hopefully, it's nothing serious, but injuries happen."
On leading the Atlantic North division
"We have a two game lead in the division and it's good, but not comfortable enough to rest on. It does give us some playoff inspiration. The other side of that, of course, is that we are only 5 games into a 14 game season, so there's a ways to go. But we have only one loss while everybody else has three."
The RiverCity Rage is part of the 24 team National Indoor Football League, now in the seventh season of play. Tickets for all Rage home games in 2006 at Savvis Center can be purchased on-line at www.ticketmaster.com or at Savvis Center box office. For information on the RiverCity Rage in 2006, visit the team website at www.ragefootball.com
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National Indoor Football League Stories from April 24, 2006
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- Rage shoot past Marshals - RiverCity Rage
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