Post by 50yardfan on Jul 13, 2010 9:05:42 GMT -5
Cavs fire on all cylinders at right time
trib.com/sports/pro/article_2289e393-b503-5227-8513-46029404a57d.html
The Wyoming Cavalry defense bent, but it never broke.
The offense, meanwhile, got back some of its midseason swagger.
The end result was a 57-37 victory over the San Jose Wolves on Sunday at the Casper Events Center.
With the win, Wyoming (15-1) won its third consecutive American Indoor Football Association Western Division championship and advanced to AIFA Bowl IV, where it will take on Baltimore (16-0) on July 25.
"I think we're clicking on all cylinders right now," Cavs defensive back Antar Brame said. "The offense is putting up the points and we're stopping them on defense."
The Cavs' defense set the tone on the first drive when DB Rodell Razor's big hit on San Jose quarterback Omar Jacobs forced a fumble at the goal line and defensive lineman Rhett Abernathy recovered the loose ball and brought it out to the 2-yard line.
The Cavs then put together a nine-play, 48-yard drive, capped by an eight-yard touchdown pass from Matt Strand to Dante Dudley.
Razor came up with his second big play on the Wolves' next drive, stepping in front of a San Jose receiver in the end zone and coming up with the interception.
"We did give up some big plays," Cavs linebacker Charles Hunt said, "but we got fortunate every time they got around the goal line.
"We either knocked the ball loose or came up with a deflection for an interception. It was more a case of them making a few mistakes and us capitalizing on them."
The Cavs wasted little time in capitalizing on the Wolves' second miscue as Strand connected with Jasonus Tillery for a 43-yard scoring strike and a 14-0 lead with just 26.1 seconds remaining in the first quarter.
Strand and Tillery teamed up for three TDs on the night -- including a 45-yarder on the opening drive of the second half -- to give Tillery an AIFA-best 26 touchdowns on the season.
"Jasonus is a playmaker," Cavs coach Dan Maciejczak said. "He's probably one of the most gifted players I've ever seen in this league."
San Jose (10-6) cut the lead to 14-13 midway through the second quarter, but the Cavs responded with touchdowns from Dudley and Josh Schleusner to reestablish control. For Schleusner, who hadn't played since April 16 after he suffered a broken clavicle, just getting back on the field was a victory.
"You don't even know how great that first touchdown felt," Schleusner said. "It was like 10 weeks of frustration was just gone."
The frustration continued for the Wolves, however, as their final two drives before the half ended in turnovers.
Cavs LB Martini Hilliard intercepted a pass to halt one drive and, on the final play of the half, defensive back Emery Beckles knocked the ball loose as a Wolves receiver was getting ready to score to keep the Wyoming lead at 29-13.
"[The receiver] came on a slant and I just did what I like to do … hit," Beckles said. "I'm a little man, but I like to hit. If you come in my territory I'm going to try to smash you. It felt great to stop 'em right before halftime.
"It's just about getting to the ball and never giving up. The two plays that we made, they thought they were going in, and we just smashed 'em."
The second half was more of the same as Tillery grabbed two more touchdown passes and Schleusner plowed his way into the end zone for another score. Strand put the final touches on the Cavs' fourth win over San Jose this season with a one-yard TD run.
"We knew we were going to get their best shot," Strand said. "But I think we're getting back to where we were before the break.
"We're not there yet, but we're getting crisper and making fewer mistakes. And we're still throwing in a lot of wrinkles to try and improve ourselves."
Sunday, those improvements came on both sides of the ball
"The biggest thing that we preach is our effort level and we really brought it [Sunday]," Maciejczak said. "I've never seen a group of guys prepare the way that these guys did this week."
Wyoming now have two weeks to prepare before traveling to Baltimore to take on the undefeated Mariners as the Cavs seek their first championship.
Contact sports reporter Jack Nowlin at (307) 266-0528 or jack.nowlin@trib.com.
Wyoming 57, San Jose 37
SJ 0 13 9 15 – 37
Wyo 14 15 14 14 – 57
Individual Statistics
Rushing – SJ, Omar Jacobs 4-26, Fitu Tuaa 5-9. Wyo, Josh Schleusner 9-21, Matt Strand 1-1.
Passing – SJ, Jacobs 15-27-2 – 278. Wyo, Strand 13-25-1 – 216.
Receiving – SJ, Jerome McGee Jr. 7-115, A.J. Bennett 6-109, Jayson Boyd 1-37, Deral Miller 1-17. Wyo, Jasonus Tillery 6-147, Dante Dudley 6-65, Josh Schleusner 1-4.
Cavalry Tracker
SUNDAY: Wyoming 57, San Jose 37.
RECORDS: Cavalry (15-1); Wolves (10-6).
THEY ARE THE CHAMPIONS: The win gave the Cavs the Western Division championship of the American Indoor Football Association.
FOUR IN A ROW: The Cavs beat the Wolves for the fourth time this season.
HE SAID IT: "We knew we were going to get their best shot. But I think we're getting back to where we were before the break." Cavs quarterback Matt Strand.
NEXT: AIFA Bowl IV, Wyoming at Baltimore, July 25.
trib.com/sports/pro/article_2289e393-b503-5227-8513-46029404a57d.html
The Wyoming Cavalry defense bent, but it never broke.
The offense, meanwhile, got back some of its midseason swagger.
The end result was a 57-37 victory over the San Jose Wolves on Sunday at the Casper Events Center.
With the win, Wyoming (15-1) won its third consecutive American Indoor Football Association Western Division championship and advanced to AIFA Bowl IV, where it will take on Baltimore (16-0) on July 25.
"I think we're clicking on all cylinders right now," Cavs defensive back Antar Brame said. "The offense is putting up the points and we're stopping them on defense."
The Cavs' defense set the tone on the first drive when DB Rodell Razor's big hit on San Jose quarterback Omar Jacobs forced a fumble at the goal line and defensive lineman Rhett Abernathy recovered the loose ball and brought it out to the 2-yard line.
The Cavs then put together a nine-play, 48-yard drive, capped by an eight-yard touchdown pass from Matt Strand to Dante Dudley.
Razor came up with his second big play on the Wolves' next drive, stepping in front of a San Jose receiver in the end zone and coming up with the interception.
"We did give up some big plays," Cavs linebacker Charles Hunt said, "but we got fortunate every time they got around the goal line.
"We either knocked the ball loose or came up with a deflection for an interception. It was more a case of them making a few mistakes and us capitalizing on them."
The Cavs wasted little time in capitalizing on the Wolves' second miscue as Strand connected with Jasonus Tillery for a 43-yard scoring strike and a 14-0 lead with just 26.1 seconds remaining in the first quarter.
Strand and Tillery teamed up for three TDs on the night -- including a 45-yarder on the opening drive of the second half -- to give Tillery an AIFA-best 26 touchdowns on the season.
"Jasonus is a playmaker," Cavs coach Dan Maciejczak said. "He's probably one of the most gifted players I've ever seen in this league."
San Jose (10-6) cut the lead to 14-13 midway through the second quarter, but the Cavs responded with touchdowns from Dudley and Josh Schleusner to reestablish control. For Schleusner, who hadn't played since April 16 after he suffered a broken clavicle, just getting back on the field was a victory.
"You don't even know how great that first touchdown felt," Schleusner said. "It was like 10 weeks of frustration was just gone."
The frustration continued for the Wolves, however, as their final two drives before the half ended in turnovers.
Cavs LB Martini Hilliard intercepted a pass to halt one drive and, on the final play of the half, defensive back Emery Beckles knocked the ball loose as a Wolves receiver was getting ready to score to keep the Wyoming lead at 29-13.
"[The receiver] came on a slant and I just did what I like to do … hit," Beckles said. "I'm a little man, but I like to hit. If you come in my territory I'm going to try to smash you. It felt great to stop 'em right before halftime.
"It's just about getting to the ball and never giving up. The two plays that we made, they thought they were going in, and we just smashed 'em."
The second half was more of the same as Tillery grabbed two more touchdown passes and Schleusner plowed his way into the end zone for another score. Strand put the final touches on the Cavs' fourth win over San Jose this season with a one-yard TD run.
"We knew we were going to get their best shot," Strand said. "But I think we're getting back to where we were before the break.
"We're not there yet, but we're getting crisper and making fewer mistakes. And we're still throwing in a lot of wrinkles to try and improve ourselves."
Sunday, those improvements came on both sides of the ball
"The biggest thing that we preach is our effort level and we really brought it [Sunday]," Maciejczak said. "I've never seen a group of guys prepare the way that these guys did this week."
Wyoming now have two weeks to prepare before traveling to Baltimore to take on the undefeated Mariners as the Cavs seek their first championship.
Contact sports reporter Jack Nowlin at (307) 266-0528 or jack.nowlin@trib.com.
Wyoming 57, San Jose 37
SJ 0 13 9 15 – 37
Wyo 14 15 14 14 – 57
Individual Statistics
Rushing – SJ, Omar Jacobs 4-26, Fitu Tuaa 5-9. Wyo, Josh Schleusner 9-21, Matt Strand 1-1.
Passing – SJ, Jacobs 15-27-2 – 278. Wyo, Strand 13-25-1 – 216.
Receiving – SJ, Jerome McGee Jr. 7-115, A.J. Bennett 6-109, Jayson Boyd 1-37, Deral Miller 1-17. Wyo, Jasonus Tillery 6-147, Dante Dudley 6-65, Josh Schleusner 1-4.
Cavalry Tracker
SUNDAY: Wyoming 57, San Jose 37.
RECORDS: Cavalry (15-1); Wolves (10-6).
THEY ARE THE CHAMPIONS: The win gave the Cavs the Western Division championship of the American Indoor Football Association.
FOUR IN A ROW: The Cavs beat the Wolves for the fourth time this season.
HE SAID IT: "We knew we were going to get their best shot. But I think we're getting back to where we were before the break." Cavs quarterback Matt Strand.
NEXT: AIFA Bowl IV, Wyoming at Baltimore, July 25.