Slow Second Half Stalls Titans
April 9, 2016 - Indoor Football League (IFL)
Cedar Rapids River Kings News Release
Sioux Falls, SD - The Cedar Rapids Titans (4-3) fell to the reigning IFL champion Sioux Falls Storm (5-1) for the second time this season, losing 62-49 in Sioux Falls tonight.
The Titans fired out of the gates, scoring on the first play from scrimmage, a 46-yard pass from Cedar Rapids quarterback Dylan Favre to wide receiver Jared Elmore. Sioux Falls, led by quarterback Lorenzo Brown, scored the next two touchdowns (10-yard pass to Korey Williams, 14-yard pass to Caleb Holley) and never trailed the rest of the game.
Favre and Brown exchanged rushing touchdowns to open up the second quarter before Titans running back Waymon James found the end zone on a four-yard scamper, his first touchdown in two games. Brown and Holley answered with a 16-yard touchdown while Williams returned a missed field goal for a 50-yard touchdown. Titans receiver Ryan Balentine caught a 5-yard reception from Favre at the 1:30 mark of the second half. The final points of the first half came in the form of a 38yard field goal off of the foot of Cedar Rapids kicker Nick Belcher.
The Storm scored the first points of the third quarter on an Angelo Pease 17-yard run, capping off an eight-minute drive to open the third quarter. James was tackled in the end zone on the ensuing kickoff by Sioux Falls defensive back, and former Titan, Elijah Fields, awarding Sioux Falls the one-point rouge.
Favre and Elmore connected for the second time of the night at the half-way point in the third quarter on a 45-yard pass. Favre then threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to Balentine, their second connection of the night, with just under three minutes left in the third quarter.
Each team scored just once in the fourth quarter, Holley bringing in his third touchdown in his Indoor Football League debut on a 23-yard pass from Brown and James scoring a second rushing touchdown on a one-yard run.
Favre paced the Titans offense, completing 10 of 19 passes for 179 and four touchdowns while adding fourteen yards and one touchdown on the ground. James scored two rushing touchdowns, bringing his season total up to ten touchdowns on the ground. James added 100 kick return yards, taking his All-Purpose Yardage total for the season to 793 yards through seven games.
Elmore hauled in 117 receiving yards and two touchdowns on four receptions. Balentine also caught four passes, notching 54 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Linebacker Niko Sierra led the Titans on defense, making eight tackles, one sack, and one tackle for loss. Defensive lineman Jermiah Price add five tackles, three tackles for loss, and a sack while defensive back Tim Bennett continued making his presence known in the defensive back field by recording six tackles and one pass breakup.
The Titans return home next Saturday, April 16 to take on the Nebraska Danger (5-2) at the US Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids. Kickoff is slated for 7:05 p.m. with doors opening at 5:00 p.m. for the Titans' Ultimate Tailgate Party. Draft beer, soda, and hot dogs will all be available for $2 between 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
Indoor Football League Stories from April 9, 2016
- Storm Get Redemption Against Titans - Sioux Falls Storm
- Slow Second Half Stalls Titans - Cedar Rapids River Kings
- Barnstormers Drop Close Game against Danger - Iowa Barnstormers
- Empire Shuffles Roster Prior to Week 8 Matchup - Spokane Empire
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