ThunderHawks Win Home Opener 52-36 Over Maniacs
by Randy Snow
February 27, 2010 - Indoor Football League (IFL)
West Michigan Thunderhawks
In the opening night of action for the 2010 Indoor Football League season last night (February 26), the first year West Michigan ThunderHawks cruised to a 52-36 win over the visiting Maryland Maniacs. A crowd of 1,850 fans attended at the game.
From 2007-2009, the ThunderHawks were known as the Muskegon Thunder and played their home games 30 miles to the west at Muskegon's LC Walker Arena. But a change in name and venue this season has brought the team to the DeltaPlex Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
ThunderHawks head coach Terry Foster, who was an assistant coach with the Grand Rapids Rampage of the Arena Football league a few years ago, took over the team after head coach Rod Miller left to become an assistant coach with the AFL Cleveland Gladiators last month. The move reunites Miller with head coach Steve Thonn, who was the head coach of the Rampage in 2008 and is now the head coach in Cleveland. Miller was also an assistant with the Rampage in 2008.
In last night's game, the ThunderHawks made an impressive showing to begin the season. They held a 7-6 lead at the end of the first quarter and maintained a 21-18 lead at halftime. Early in the third quarter, the Maniacs tied the score at 21-21, but the ThunderHawks scored two unanswered touchdowns in the third quarter and never looked back on their way to the 52-36 win. They never trailed in the game.
On the field after the game, team owner Don Pringle was pleased with the number of fans who came out to see the game in spite of the snowstorm that was taking place at the time. "Phenomenal," Pringle said, referring to the size of the crowd. "It was a great turnout, even with the bad weather."
DID YOU KNOW?
While ThunderHawks players had their names on the backs of their uniforms, Maryland players all had the team name, Maniacs, on the backs of their uniforms.
DID YOU ALSO KNOW?
The Muskegon Thunder was a member of the Continental Indoor Football League from 2007-2008. They joined the IFL in 2009 and participated in the league's very first game, losing to the Saginaw Sting by the score of 16-9.
NEXT GAME
The ThunderHawks will host another former CIFL team, the Rochester Raiders, on Friday night, March 19 in Grand Rapids at the DeltaPlex. The Raiders will also be in Grand Rapids on Friday, March 28 for a second straight game.
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Randy Snow is a freelance football writer from Kalamazoo, Michigan. Since 2003, he has covered the Arena Football League, arenafootball2, United Indoor Football, the Continental Indoor Football League, the Indoor Football League, the All American Football League and the Canadian Football League. He also runs the web sites www.theworldoffootball.com and www.OperationGridironAirlift.com, which collects footballs and sends them to U.S. troops serving overseas. He can be reached at randysnow22@yahoo.com.
Indoor Football League Stories from February 27, 2010
- ThunderHawks Win Home Opener 52-36 Over Maniacs - OSC Original by Randy Snow
- Hooters to Broadcast Live Extreme Road Games - Bloomington Extreme
- Spartans Fall In Season Debut - La Crosse Spartans
- ThunderHawks Defeat Maniacs in Opener - West Michigan Thunderhawks
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