Renegades prove black hats can be good guys

Published on July 25, 2005 under National Indoor Football League (NIFL)
Rome Renegades News Release


CINCINNATI, Ohio - In a statistical report that was deemed too late, at least the Rome Renegades knew the final score.

Just three Cincinnati Marshals' turnovers in the fourth quarter cost what you could call "the good guys in the white hats" a trip to Indoor Bowl V. ‘Gunsmokes' Marshal Matt Dillon wouldn't have approved of such mistakes against a band of Renegades who seemingly were wearing ‘black hats.'

Forget the ‘hats' and remember James Arness as he was from 1955 to 1975. The Renegades will head West anyway.

Don't forget the final score either for Rome: 51-41. The Renegades (10-7) overcame a 31-16 first-half lead last Saturday to earn the right to play at Kennewick, Washington, against the first-year Tri-Cities Fever for the NIFL championship.

BARTIK LEADS RENEGADES' GUNNERS

If you missed how the game unfolded. It's easy, because there was no radio coverage and one had to wait almost until the midnight hour to find out any result.

Cincinnati (10-7) maintained a 12-point margin by the end of the third quarter (34-23) on a Jesse Obert 26-yard field goal with 1:23 left. But it was Obert's ensuing misguided 36-yard kickoff to Rome where the ‘Gades took over at their own 14 yards.

That drive ended 59 seconds into the 4th quarter with quarterback Bo Bartik connecting with Clenton Rafe for 20 yards. Perry Tisdale's running two-point conversion for the extra points closed the Cincy margin to 34-31.

Cincinnati took the following kickoff and quarterback Brett Dietz hit Johnell Wyatte for 20 yards ending a 3 play, 37-yard drive. With an Obert extra point kick, the Marshals shot their score to 41-38 with 12:35 left in the game.

It would be the last score from the Queen City ‘Good Guys' as Bartik took only one play, after an unsportsmanlike call on the then ‘Not So Good Guys.' Bartik found Gerald Gales on a 37-yard pass-run and Brian Tracy added the kicked extra point at 11:59 of the 4th.

MARSHALS' JAIL CAN'T HOLD ROME

The bars came off the jail in the next four plays for as Dietz could not complete one pass from his own 23 yard line and after a frustrating death of 2:31 off the clock, the Renegades took over on the Cincy 23.

Bartik took only four plays a handoff to running back Tisdale for the final four yards and a Tracy extra point was like ordering a casket from Doc Adams which would be delivered by the incomparable, hobbling Festus Haggen.

That sequence of scoring gave Rome a 45-41 lead it would not relinquish at the 7-minute mark of the fourth.

The Marshals ran out of ammunition. What happens to ‘white hats' after the shells are gone? Another four shots and out for Cincinnati before a season-high crowd of 5,114. Dietz was just unable to get it done in the consumed 2:26 which moved the clock to 4:33 left.

Bartik again, riding high in the saddle, drove just 18 yards in six plays with a 21-yard toss to Gales. Tracy didn't have to make the extra point, and he didn't, but it did not matter as the Renegade lead went to 51-41.

Lew Thomas' interception of Dietz in the end zone ended all hope for the Marshals 1:26 remaining, giving Rome its second consecutive road, playoff win after a first-round shellacking of Lakeland at home, 53-7. ROME DOES IT ALL, RUN & PASS

The final stats reflected an edge to Cincinnati, but who was looking at the scoreboard in the end. Not the Marshals, who put away their revolvers for the last time this season.

Bartik led rushers with five carries and 27 yards, but Travis Booker's seven totes and 19 yards included a 4-yard romp in the first quarter that tied the game at 7-all. Tisdale had two carries and six yards and the one TD. Backup quarterback JR Revere's one rush for a 3-yard touchdown gave Rome 22 points for the only score in the 3rd quarter for the Renegades.

On the passing side, Bartik was 14 of 24, 178 yards and the four end zones. His main target was Gales who had 7 grabs for 104 yards and two TDs and Rafe made good on two of three catches for scores.

CINCY NUMBERS NOT GOOD ENOUGH

For Cincinnati, the league's leading rusher during the regular season, Askew Rayshawn carried the ball 15 times for 57 yards and no TDs.

Quarterback Dietz was 21 of 43 for 236 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception. His main receivers were Askew (6-40-0), Wyatte (5-52-2) and Tobias Deans (5-45-2). Jeff Jourdan had a team-high 81 yards on four receptions.

Defense, where linemen Joe Killins, Prentice Purnell and Eugene Phillips had 10 total tackles with Phillips getting two sacks on Dietz for 17 yards in losses.

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National Indoor Football League Stories from July 25, 2005


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