Post by 50yardfan on Jun 19, 2011 19:19:27 GMT -5
SIFL playoffs: Columbus Lions advance to semifinals with clutch defensive plays in 62-60 victory over Trenton Steel
www.ledger-enquirer.com/2011/06/19/1624753/sifl-playoffs-columbus-lions-advance.html
Columbus Lions linebacker Ramone Nickerson put a stop to a back-and-forth scoring flurry with a fourth-quarter interception and the Lions blocked a two-point conversion pass in the final minute of the game to defeat the Trenton Steel 62-60 on Saturday in a first-round playoff game at the Civic Center.
The Lions (12-1) advance to host the Southern Indoor Football League Eastern Conference final Saturday against the Albany Panthers, which defeated the Erie Explosion 68-43 on Saturday in Albany, Ga. Trenton finished the season 8-5.
“I’m just glad we won this game, and it was all I was thinking about all week,” Lions coach Jason Gibson said. “I wasn’t thinking about who we might play next week. I was just thinking about winning this football game, and we passed the test.”
The Lions were among the SIFL’s best in scoring defense and pass defense heading into Saturday’s game, but the Steel showed Columbus what the league’s second-highest-scoring offense could do. Trenton quarterback E.J. Nemeth passed for 406 yards and five touchdowns and rushed for two more as the Steel never led but trailed by 10 or fewer points much of the game.
When Nickerson intercepted Nemeth in the fourth quarter, the teams had combined to score touchdowns on each of the eight possessions since halftime. Lions defensive back Damian Daniels tipped the Nemeth pass in the end zone, and Nickerson hauled it in. The Lions went ahead 62-46 on the next drive on a touchdown, marking the first time either team scored consecutive touchdowns.
“Before that play, me and Damian said we were going out there, we were the veterans, and we were going to make a play,” Nickerson said. “That right there turned out to be the key to the game.”
Columbus quarterback Chris McCoy passed for 241 yards and six touchdowns, including two apiece to Gerald Gales and Anthony Merritt. Linebacker Ryan Babb scored the Lions’ only defensive touchdown of the game on a first-quarter, 42-yard interception return.
Columbus led 14-7 at the end of the first quarter and 28-18 at halftime after Trenton kicker Craig Camay hit a 26-yard field goal as time expired.
Columbus led 40-39 at the end of the third quarter, and after a blocked Columbus field goal attempt with less than a minute left, the Panthers were able to score on the next play, but Nemeth’s pass on the two-point conversion play was batted away.
Columbus kicker Trey Crum hit two field goals for Columbus and added five unos.
Chris White, 706-571-8571; follow Chris online at twitter.com/le_chriswhite and at facebook.com/lechriswhite.
@z-BR Agate Bold Centered: Saturday at the Civic Center
@z-BR TabQuarters 1col:Trenton 7 11 21 21 -- 60
Columbus 14 14 12 22 -- 62
@z-BR Agate Bold Centered:First Quarter
C -- Gerald Gales 34 pass from Chris McCoy (Trey Crum kick), 11:54
T -- Oderrick Turner 9 pass from E.J. Nemeth (Craig Camay kick), 10:25
C -- Josh Smith 6 pass from McCoy (Crum kick), 7:27
@z-BR Agate Bold Centered:Second Quarter
C -- Ryan Babb 42 interception return (kick failed, returned for safety) 10:10
T -- Safety, 10:10
T -- Turner 13 pass from Nemeth (kick failed), 4:29
C -- Anthony Merritt 8 pass from McCoy (Crum kick), :44
C -- Crum uno, :44
T -- Camay 26 field goal, :00
@z-BR Agate Bold Centered:Third Quarter
C -- Crum uno, 15:00
T -- Turner 19 pass from Nemeth (Camay kick), 11:54
C -- Crum 35 field goal, 6:56
C -- Crum uno, 6:56
T -- Turner 32 pass from Nemeth (Camay kick), 5:01
C -- Brandon Horace 18 pass from McCoy (Crum kick), 3:09
T -- Nemeth 2 run (Camay kick), 1:09
@z-BR Agate Bold Centered:Fourth Quarter
C -- Merritt 18 pass from McCoy (Crum kick), 14:13
T -- Turner 30 pass from Nemeth (Camay kick), 13:49
C -- McCoy 3 pass from Merritt (kick faile), 9:49
C -- Crum uno, 9:49
C -- Gerald Gales 30 pass from McCoy (Crum kick), 5:45
C -- Crum uno, 5:45
T -- Nemeth 1 run (Nemeth run), :58
T -- Turner 35 pass from Nemeth (pass failed), :36
Team records: Trenton 8-5; Columbus 12-1. Next: Trenton eliminated; Columbus vs. Albany, 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Civic Center.
www.ledger-enquirer.com/2011/06/19/1624753/sifl-playoffs-columbus-lions-advance.html
Columbus Lions linebacker Ramone Nickerson put a stop to a back-and-forth scoring flurry with a fourth-quarter interception and the Lions blocked a two-point conversion pass in the final minute of the game to defeat the Trenton Steel 62-60 on Saturday in a first-round playoff game at the Civic Center.
The Lions (12-1) advance to host the Southern Indoor Football League Eastern Conference final Saturday against the Albany Panthers, which defeated the Erie Explosion 68-43 on Saturday in Albany, Ga. Trenton finished the season 8-5.
“I’m just glad we won this game, and it was all I was thinking about all week,” Lions coach Jason Gibson said. “I wasn’t thinking about who we might play next week. I was just thinking about winning this football game, and we passed the test.”
The Lions were among the SIFL’s best in scoring defense and pass defense heading into Saturday’s game, but the Steel showed Columbus what the league’s second-highest-scoring offense could do. Trenton quarterback E.J. Nemeth passed for 406 yards and five touchdowns and rushed for two more as the Steel never led but trailed by 10 or fewer points much of the game.
When Nickerson intercepted Nemeth in the fourth quarter, the teams had combined to score touchdowns on each of the eight possessions since halftime. Lions defensive back Damian Daniels tipped the Nemeth pass in the end zone, and Nickerson hauled it in. The Lions went ahead 62-46 on the next drive on a touchdown, marking the first time either team scored consecutive touchdowns.
“Before that play, me and Damian said we were going out there, we were the veterans, and we were going to make a play,” Nickerson said. “That right there turned out to be the key to the game.”
Columbus quarterback Chris McCoy passed for 241 yards and six touchdowns, including two apiece to Gerald Gales and Anthony Merritt. Linebacker Ryan Babb scored the Lions’ only defensive touchdown of the game on a first-quarter, 42-yard interception return.
Columbus led 14-7 at the end of the first quarter and 28-18 at halftime after Trenton kicker Craig Camay hit a 26-yard field goal as time expired.
Columbus led 40-39 at the end of the third quarter, and after a blocked Columbus field goal attempt with less than a minute left, the Panthers were able to score on the next play, but Nemeth’s pass on the two-point conversion play was batted away.
Columbus kicker Trey Crum hit two field goals for Columbus and added five unos.
Chris White, 706-571-8571; follow Chris online at twitter.com/le_chriswhite and at facebook.com/lechriswhite.
@z-BR Agate Bold Centered: Saturday at the Civic Center
@z-BR TabQuarters 1col:Trenton 7 11 21 21 -- 60
Columbus 14 14 12 22 -- 62
@z-BR Agate Bold Centered:First Quarter
C -- Gerald Gales 34 pass from Chris McCoy (Trey Crum kick), 11:54
T -- Oderrick Turner 9 pass from E.J. Nemeth (Craig Camay kick), 10:25
C -- Josh Smith 6 pass from McCoy (Crum kick), 7:27
@z-BR Agate Bold Centered:Second Quarter
C -- Ryan Babb 42 interception return (kick failed, returned for safety) 10:10
T -- Safety, 10:10
T -- Turner 13 pass from Nemeth (kick failed), 4:29
C -- Anthony Merritt 8 pass from McCoy (Crum kick), :44
C -- Crum uno, :44
T -- Camay 26 field goal, :00
@z-BR Agate Bold Centered:Third Quarter
C -- Crum uno, 15:00
T -- Turner 19 pass from Nemeth (Camay kick), 11:54
C -- Crum 35 field goal, 6:56
C -- Crum uno, 6:56
T -- Turner 32 pass from Nemeth (Camay kick), 5:01
C -- Brandon Horace 18 pass from McCoy (Crum kick), 3:09
T -- Nemeth 2 run (Camay kick), 1:09
@z-BR Agate Bold Centered:Fourth Quarter
C -- Merritt 18 pass from McCoy (Crum kick), 14:13
T -- Turner 30 pass from Nemeth (Camay kick), 13:49
C -- McCoy 3 pass from Merritt (kick faile), 9:49
C -- Crum uno, 9:49
C -- Gerald Gales 30 pass from McCoy (Crum kick), 5:45
C -- Crum uno, 5:45
T -- Nemeth 1 run (Nemeth run), :58
T -- Turner 35 pass from Nemeth (pass failed), :36
Team records: Trenton 8-5; Columbus 12-1. Next: Trenton eliminated; Columbus vs. Albany, 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Civic Center.