Post by 50yardfan on Jun 11, 2011 15:56:37 GMT -5
Only Blue Racers stand in way of second straight CIFL title
news.cincinnati.com/article/20110610/SPT/106110347/Commandos-ready-repeat?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Ohio high school|s
CINCINNATI -- Billy Back and a few of his Cincinnati Commandos players showed off the spoils of winning the Continental Indoor Football League championship last year to other team members this week. The message was clear when those rings were displayed: No matter what level you're playing at, you're playing for one reason above all others.
The Commandos will go for their second straight CIFL title at 7:30 p.m. Saturday when they host the Marion Blue Racers at Cincinnati Gardens.
"They're all motivated to play because they all want the hardware," Back said.
The Commandos have dominated the CIFL in their two seasons, winning 22 of 23 games. This season they won by fewer than 10 points only twice as they averaged 50 points per game and rolled to an 11-0 record. That includes handing Marion its only two losses of the season. The Commandos have failed to score fewer than 40 points only once, and they won their opening playoff game against Chicago 71-13.
Quarterback Tyler Sheehan led the league in passing efficiency and yardage in the regular season. He had four touchdowns in each game against Marion, a 50-44 win on the road on March 12 and a 50-20 win at the Gardens May 28.
"I've had to learn a different (indoor) game, but winning always helps that and the coaches and other players have been great," said Sheehan, who played high school football at La Salle and college ball at Bowling Green. "At the beginning of the season, we said this was our goal and now we get to play for a championship."
Eight players return from last year's championship team, including defensive linemen James Frazier, a Middletown graduate, and Terrill Byrd, a Colerain grad. The defensive line and special teams will be keys to the Commandos getting their third win against Marion this season and earning a second straight championship.
It will be their jobs to slow down Marion quarterback Josh Harris and receiver/returner Mike Tatum. They accomplished both strategies much better the second time this year against the Blue Racers.
"Harris is big (6 feet 2 and 255 pounds) and brings a running aspect to the game, while Tatum is explosive," Back said. "Our special teams held him inside the 10-yard line on every kickoff last game and our defensive line (Frazier, Byrd, Pernell Phillip and Thomas Claggett) dictated the game.
"We have to do that again."
Saturday's game
Who: Cincinnati Commandos (11-0) vs. Marion Blue Racers (9-2)
What: CIFL championship game
When: 7:30 p.m.
Where: Cincinnati Gardens
Tickets: VIP (first two rows), $15; adult (non-VIP), $10; children (non-VIP), $5.
What to watch: The Commandos have handed Marion its only two losses of the season, including a 50-20 decision May 28 at the Gardens. Both teams are led by former Bowling Green quarterbacks - La Salle grad Tyler Sheehan for the Commandos and Josh Harris, who preceded Sheehan, for the Blue Racers. The Commandos have scored an average of 50 points per game while allowing an average of 15. Cincinnati won last season¡¦s CIFL title in its first year of operation with a 54-40 win against Wisconsin.
news.cincinnati.com/article/20110610/SPT/106110347/Commandos-ready-repeat?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Ohio high school|s
CINCINNATI -- Billy Back and a few of his Cincinnati Commandos players showed off the spoils of winning the Continental Indoor Football League championship last year to other team members this week. The message was clear when those rings were displayed: No matter what level you're playing at, you're playing for one reason above all others.
The Commandos will go for their second straight CIFL title at 7:30 p.m. Saturday when they host the Marion Blue Racers at Cincinnati Gardens.
"They're all motivated to play because they all want the hardware," Back said.
The Commandos have dominated the CIFL in their two seasons, winning 22 of 23 games. This season they won by fewer than 10 points only twice as they averaged 50 points per game and rolled to an 11-0 record. That includes handing Marion its only two losses of the season. The Commandos have failed to score fewer than 40 points only once, and they won their opening playoff game against Chicago 71-13.
Quarterback Tyler Sheehan led the league in passing efficiency and yardage in the regular season. He had four touchdowns in each game against Marion, a 50-44 win on the road on March 12 and a 50-20 win at the Gardens May 28.
"I've had to learn a different (indoor) game, but winning always helps that and the coaches and other players have been great," said Sheehan, who played high school football at La Salle and college ball at Bowling Green. "At the beginning of the season, we said this was our goal and now we get to play for a championship."
Eight players return from last year's championship team, including defensive linemen James Frazier, a Middletown graduate, and Terrill Byrd, a Colerain grad. The defensive line and special teams will be keys to the Commandos getting their third win against Marion this season and earning a second straight championship.
It will be their jobs to slow down Marion quarterback Josh Harris and receiver/returner Mike Tatum. They accomplished both strategies much better the second time this year against the Blue Racers.
"Harris is big (6 feet 2 and 255 pounds) and brings a running aspect to the game, while Tatum is explosive," Back said. "Our special teams held him inside the 10-yard line on every kickoff last game and our defensive line (Frazier, Byrd, Pernell Phillip and Thomas Claggett) dictated the game.
"We have to do that again."
Saturday's game
Who: Cincinnati Commandos (11-0) vs. Marion Blue Racers (9-2)
What: CIFL championship game
When: 7:30 p.m.
Where: Cincinnati Gardens
Tickets: VIP (first two rows), $15; adult (non-VIP), $10; children (non-VIP), $5.
What to watch: The Commandos have handed Marion its only two losses of the season, including a 50-20 decision May 28 at the Gardens. Both teams are led by former Bowling Green quarterbacks - La Salle grad Tyler Sheehan for the Commandos and Josh Harris, who preceded Sheehan, for the Blue Racers. The Commandos have scored an average of 50 points per game while allowing an average of 15. Cincinnati won last season¡¦s CIFL title in its first year of operation with a 54-40 win against Wisconsin.