Titans Fall to Reigning IFL Champion Storm in Close Matchup
February 26, 2016 - Indoor Football League (IFL)
Cedar Rapids River Kings News Release
Sioux Falls, SD - Even in a loss, Mark Stoute's young Cedar Rapids Titans (1-1) team showed they can play with the big boys in the Indoor Football League. The Titans and Sioux Falls Storm (2-0) exchanged touchdowns for the majority of the game with the lead never getting past ten points. The Storm, however, bumped their home win streak to 53 straight games as they finished victorious 54-45.
Rookie Dylan Favre completed 18 of 25 passes for two touchdowns and three interceptions for Cedar Rapids. Favre added seventeen rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns on the ground. Favre's Sioux Falls counterpart, IFL veteran Lorenzo Brown, completed nine of 17 passes for 87 yards and pair of touchdowns through the air. Brown through one interception, a deflected pass that Titans defensive lineman Xzavie Jackson caught in the SF end zone for a touchdown.
Other than Favre, wide receiver Ryan Balentine was the next leading rusher for the Titans, recording 17 yards on three rushes. Running back Waymon James notched nine rushes for 16 yards while wide receiver Tank Thomas recorded a pair of rushed for eight yards and one touchdown.
Sioux Falls had four different players record rushing touchdowns: Brown, running back Angelo Pease, and wide receivers Brandon Johnson-Farrell and Korey Williams. Brown rushed for 43 yards while Pease, Johnson- Farrell, and Williams rushed for 17, 18, and 13 yards respectively.
Wide receiver Jared Elmore led the Cedar Rapids receiving corps with six catches for 41 and one touchdown while Thomas caught two passes for 23 yards and another touchdown. James notched five catches for 31 yards while Balentine caught four passes for 23 yards.
Storm wide out Mike Tatum caught four passes for 53 yards for one touchdown while Johnson-Farrell was caught another touchdown pass, finishing the game with 15 receiving yards.
The Titans showed some brilliance on special teams, recording 158 kick return yards. James led the way on special teams, running for 58 return yards, including a 48 touchdown return.
Defensively, defensive back Arius Wright led the team with nine sacks. Reigning IFL Defensive Player of the Week Jermiah Price recorded seven tackles and two and a half tackles-for-loss. Jackson made three tackles, two and a half tackles for loss, and recorded the team's lone interception.
Storm defensive back Matt Hermanson led the Storm with 12 tackles and one pass breakup while defensive lineman Brett Shannon added four tckles, three tackles for loss, and on sack. Defensive back Jon Setzer was the lone player to pick of Favre's passes, recording three interceptions in the first half.
The Titans return home next Friday, March 4 to take on the Nebraska Danger (0-0). Nebraska opens their season tomorrow night as they take on the Tri-Cities Fever at the Heartland Events Center in Grand Island Nebraska. The next game on Friday kicks off at 7:05 p.m. Doors open at 5:00 p.m. for the Titans Ultimate Tailgate party on the concourse of the U.S. Cellular Center. As always, $2 hot dogs, $2 soda, and $2 draft beer will be served from 5:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m.
Indoor Football League Stories from February 26, 2016
- Iowa Barnstormers Dominate in Home Opener - Iowa Barnstormers
- Titans Fall to Reigning IFL Champion Storm in Close Matchup - Cedar Rapids River Kings
- Fever vs Danger in Early Season Matchup - Tri-Cities Fever
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