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Raptors defeat Horsemen for second time this season

June 3, 2006 - United Indoor Football Association (UIF)
Rock River Raptors News Release


For the second time this season, the Rock River Raptors have defeated the Lexington Horsemen. On May 20th, the Horsemen brought a 7-0 record to the "Rock Pile" and left with their first loss of the season as the Raptors grabbed a 62-43 win. In the re-match at Rupp Arena in Lexington, the Raptors won over Lexington 55-46. The win makes the Raptors 7-3 on the season while the Horsemen are now 8-2. The Raptors have won four straight while Lexington has dropped two of their last three games. "We play pretty well on the road. I'm proud of these guys," said Raptors head coach Rik Richards during the post-games show on the Raptors Radio Network. "l can't say enough about this team." It was Rock River's defense that set up the team's first score against Lexington. On the first series of the game, it was second and goal for the Horsemen at the Raptors 10 yard line, new Rock River cornerback Brandon Johnson picked off an Eddie Eviston pass in the end zone to give the Raptors the ball at their own five yard line. Seven plays later, the Raptors found pay-dirt as Ben Sankey hit Luke McArdle with a one-yard touchdown pass and after Dillon Pieffer's extra-point kick, Rock River had a 7-0 lead. The Raptors got the ball back after Horsemen kicker Colin Barber missed a 41-yard field goal attempt. Rock River needed just three plays to take a 14-0 lead when Sankey found McArdle on a 35-yard touchdown strike. Lexington got on the scoreboard in the second quarter as they covered 30 yards on six plays and scored on a two-yard touchdown run by Derek Homer. Barber's extra point was no good. McArdle got the momentum right back for the Raptors as he took the ensuing kick-off and found a seam and 54 yards later the Raptors had a 20-6 lead. Lexington scored the final points of the half as Eviston hit Harry Lewis with a two-yard pass. "We had a heart-to-heart talk at half time," Richards said. "We have a true team. We don't have one guy on this team that says give me the ball. I'm proud of these guys and this is a team that the city of Rockford should be proud of." The two teams traded touchdowns to start the second half. Sankey threw touchdown passes on the Raptors first two series of the half. Sankey threw scoring passes to Jeremiah Thompson and Tyrece Butler while Eviston found Chad Spencer for touchdown passes of 10 and nine yards. The Horsemen defense did something that only one other team was able to do this season and that is intercept a Sankey pass as Dominique Sims hauled in just the second pick thrown by the Raptors signal caller. Just like in the first half, the Raptors were able to get the momentum back after a big play by the Horsemen. On the very next play, Rock River linebacker Mike Davis came on a blitz and was able to tip Eviston's pass in the air and it was intercepted by Fernandez Shaw, three Randy Bell runs later, the last from one-yard out gave the Raptors a 38-25 lead. Homer added a 26-yard touchdown run to close the Raptors lead to 38-32 heading into the final quarter of play. The Raptors out-scored the Horsemen 17-14 in the fourth quarter as Sankey again hooked up with Thompson and Butler for scoring passes. Dillon Pieffer also added a field goal. Sankey ended the night completing 24 of 38 passes for 231 yards and six touchdown passes. The six touchdown passes is a season high for Sankey Butler caught six passes for 74 yards, McArdle caught four passes for 71 yards and Thompson had eight catches for 47 yards. Butler, McArdle and Thompson accounted for all six of the Raptor touchdown catches.

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