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San Angelo stop Thunderbolts, 56-42, in Sunday matinee

May 15, 2005 - National Indoor Football League (NIFL) - San Angelo Stampede Express News Release

LAKELAND, Fla. – San Angelo had not scored more than 34 points in a game this season. Even in their only win in seven outings, the Stampede had 24 points.

Sunday was different for a beaming Chris Simpson, the head coach of the Stampede who had just defeated the Lakeland ThunderBolts, 56-42, in a National Indoor Football League game.

“I would say our offense broke out in this one,” said Simpson, in his first indoor season after heading up a semi-pro team in Tucson, Arizona, for the past two years. “ I said before the offense has got to break out.”

Break out it did. The Stampede jumped in front of the ThunderBolts, 21-14 in the first quarter.

It didn’t take long as defensive back Jeff Smith stripped Nunnie Booker on a running play, took the ball away and returned it 32 yards for a touchdown a little more than a minute into the game.

At 9:52 of the first, Lakeland (3-6) came back to take it’s only lead of the game, 7-6, when quarterback Jeremy Martin connected with Raymond Hardy for 3 yards. Steve Kratz added the extra point.

San Angelo went ahead after a 14-14 tie as Demont Burdine scored on 4 and a 1-yard run, the second coming with 3:42 left in the second period, which gave the Stampede a 27-14 lead.

Quarterback Brian Villanueva a pair of touchdown passes, but in the fourth quarter, San Angelo scored 23 points thanks to possibly the biggest wide receiver in the NIFL.

Travon Magee, a rookie out of Kansas State played in his first NIFL game Sunday, and did not disappoint coach Simpson. His two catches only five minutes apart from 3 and 6 yards boosted the Stampede’s margin to 49-34 with 4:30 remaining.

The Stampede play five of their last six games at home, including Saturday against the tough Everett Hawks (8-0). San Angelo’s last four games are at home against Billings, Wyoming, Corpus Christi and Southwest Louisiana.

“If we win out, we can make the playoffs,” said a confident Simpson. “We just need to have these kind of efforts.

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