RiverCity Improves to 3-0 with 59-20 Win Over Saginaw
April 5, 2009 - Indoor Football League (IFL)
RiverCity Rage News Release
ST. CHARLES, MO - Ten possessions. Ten scores. It was seemingly that easy as the RiverCity Rage blitzed the Saginaw Sting Saturday, 59-20, at the Family Arena. It was the home opener for the Rage, who opened the season with two straight road games. The Rage will be back on the road next week when they travel to Wichita, KS. Following the road contest against the Wild, RiverCity returns to the Family Arena for four straight games.
"We are excited where we hoped we would be after three games," said RiverCity head coach Rik Richards. "Championships are built over time. I am really proud we played four strong quarters of football."
The opening drive saw the Rage put their new offensive weapons on display. New members - running back Randy Bell and quarterback Ben Sankey - combined to put their fingerprints on the drive. Sankey was 5-of-6 for 36 yards and Bell capped the drive with a two-yard plunge.
Following the game's opening drive, the Rage turned to their quick strike attack, scoring on back-to-back one-play drives. Both drives were Sankey to Luke McArdle touchdown passes. The first was for 17 yards and the latter a little bit longer for 45 yards.
After Randy Bell scored for the second time with 5:36 left in the second half, receiver Maurice Avery decided to take over. He capped the next four RiverCity possessions with scoring receptions. The first of the quartet came from Sankey with 54 seconds left in the opening half.
Then, Dixie Wooten took over for Sankey and connected with Avery from 11, 20 and 25 yards. The final two scores were via the football of kicker Will Rodriguez, who hit field goals from 24 and 27 yards.
RiverCity's quarterback tandem of Sankey and Wooten combined for 22-of-29 for 226 yards, seven touchdowns and no interceptions. Three games into the season, the Rage have 18 touchdowns passes and just one interception.
Avery led the receiving corps with 111 yards and four touchdowns, while Hurtis Chinn hauled in a team-high nine passes for 66 yards. Additionally, McArdle added 87 yards and two touchdowns.
In his Rage debut, Bell rushed for 36 yards on nine carries and one score. He added a receiving touchdown as well.
Linebacker Joe Bevis was the leading tackler with seven takedowns, while Darnell Terrell, Patrick Jackson and Byron Jones all had six tackles.
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Indoor Football League Stories from April 5, 2009
- ICE Fall to San Angelo 48-47 - Colorado Crush
- RiverCity Improves to 3-0 with 59-20 Win Over Saginaw - RiverCity Rage
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