Raiders Fall to Columbus, 48-42
April 20, 2013 - Professional Indoor Football League (PIFL)
Richmond Raiders News Release
Turnovers and negative plays plagued both the Raiders and the Columbus Lions Saturday night, but it was the Raiders' miscues down the stretch that helped the Lions complete a 21-0 run to end the game and get a 48-42 home win.
The Raiders still had a chance to escape with victory, taking over at their own 20 with 19 seconds left. Thanks to a couple swing passes to Herb Jones and a Columbus penalty, they moved the ball to the 8 yard line with five seconds left. But Warren Smith's pass to the end zone went off Herb Jones' hands as time expired.
The teams traded touchdowns through the first quarter, but once the defenses got their footing the game's flow sputtered. Smith threw interceptions on two straight possessions, both to Anthony Shutt, but Columbus couldn't capitalize as they turned the ball over on downs and missed a field goal. Each team got another touchdown late in the first half, and when T.C. Stevens' 40 yard field goal attempt hit a speaker array hanging from the rafters, the Lions went in to the locker room with a 21-20 lead.
More miscues plagued the beginning of the second half, to the benefit of the Raiders. Davon Morgan forced a fumble on the opening kickoff return, and Calvin Brown recovered. Mike Jones eventually scored on a two yard run to give the Raiders the lead. A penalty negated a Morgan interception on the next Columbus drive, but on the next play RoShawn Marshall picked off Marcus Jones at the Raiders' two yard line. The Raiders moved the ball efficiently and Smith ran it in to put Richmond up 33-21.
The interception would be Jones' last play of the game. Backup quarterback Brian Harris came on in relief and engineered a touchdown drive to close the gap to six. Bad fortune would find the Raiders again, when tight end Nick Royal had a short pass bounce off his hands and into the arms of Lawon Scott for the third interception by the Lions' defense. But the Raiders' defense quickly re-seized momentum as Raibonne Charles pressured Harris in the back of the end zone, forcing a throwaway. When the pass failed to reach the line of scrimmage, the resulting safety from an intentional grounding penalty put the Raiders up 35-27. They would extend their lead early in the fourth quarter when Smith ran for his second touchdown, giving the Raiders a 15 point lead.
The final nine and a half minutes would belong to Harris and the Lions. A 23 yard touchdown to Gerald Gales, who finished with four scores, gave the Lions some life, and their defense stepped up by forcing a three and out. Stevens missed a long field goal, and Harris brought the Lions to within two on a six yard dart to Daniel Lee.
Trailing by just two with 2:06 remaining, the Raiders had an opportunity to bleed the clock. But once again, they couldn't muster a first down, gaining only five yards in four plays. Harris hooked up with Gales to give the Lions their first lead since halftime, setting up the final frantic sequence.
Smith completed 22 of 35 passes for 245 yards, but just one touchdown against three interceptions. Herb Jones caught 14 balls for 150 yards, and Mike Jones ran for 65 yards and three scores.
The Raiders now find themselves in a logjam in the PIFL standings, tied with Columbus and Albany for second place at 3-2. They will take on the SteelHawks in Lehigh Valley next week.
Professional Indoor Football League Stories from April 20, 2013
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