Post by 50yardfan on Mar 21, 2011 13:13:22 GMT -5
HARRISBURG, PA (March 21, 2011) – All good things must come to an end. For the Harrisburg Stampede it was their five-game win streak against Erie. After nearly two years (the Stampede won the first of five on May 30, 2009) the streak came to a grinding halt with the Erie Explosion’s 46-25 win over Harrisburg at the Equine Arena in the season opener for both teams.
With the win Erie earned their first win against Harrisburg since May 23, 2009 and their second all-time. The Stampede now holds a 6-2 series edge.
For the first six minutes of the game it looked like Harrisburg fans would be treated to more winning ways from their Stampede. Harrisburg Kicker J.R. Cipra booted the opening kickoff through the uprights for a uno and an early 1-0 Stampede lead. A re-tooled Erie offense led by quarterback Adam DiMichele came out firing after taking possession at their own five. Erie promptly drove the length of the field before the Stampede came up with a key stop on a fourth and goal from the two.
Stampede Quarterback Andre Coles started the team’s first offensive drive backed up on the Harrisburg two. After a one-yard loss on a rush by Eugene Goodman, Coles was pressed against the back of the end zone by the Erie defensive line. Forced to throw or take the safety, he was intercepted by Erie’s Chris Johnson who promptly returned the ball 17 yards to the Harrisburg two. Erie took possession with 8:43 remaining in the first period of play and two plays later DiMichele found Trumaine Riley in the corner of the end zone for Erie’s first score of the day and first lead of the season at 7-1.
On the ensuing drive Coles connected with receiver Collis Martin on a 33-yard gain and Harrisburg moved quickly to the Erie seven yard line for a first and goal opportunity. The Explosion held three plays in a row and Cipra then kicked a 17-yard field goal to narrow the gap to 7-4; the tally at the end of the first quarter.
On Erie’s next drive, for the second time early in the game, the Stampede defense halted the Explosion in a first and goal situation and Harrisburg took over at their own four. The first part of the Stampede drive went well as Coles rushed for 12 yards and then connected with Abe Taylor on an eight-yard pass and Archie Smith for ten. After a holding penalty, an incomplete pass, and two straight sacks of Coles, Cipra was forced to go for a 46-yard attempt, which was blocked by the Explosion. Following a recovery by the Stampede in the end zone Erie recorded the safety and extended their lead to 9-4.
The Explosion moved quickly on their next drive primarily on a 34-yard pass from DiMichele to Riley, but the Stampede defense held once again and Erie’s Shon Rowser lifted a 24-yard field goal through the uprights for a 12-4 Erie edge.
Kelvin Robinson then briefly relieved Coles at QB and following a three-yard gain on a toss to Eugene Goodman, Robinson was intercepted by Erie’s Erick Wicks. Starting on their own six the Explosion again moved rapidly downfield and DiMichele threw his second scoring strike of the game, this time to Kevin Concepcion, and following the missed PAT Erie held an 18-4 halftime lead.
With Coles back under center to start the second half he led the Stampede on their first touchdown drive of the season. Starting at their own 20 Eugene Goodman bolted seven yards, Coles connected with John Sharbaugh for 11 yards, and then hit Martin for a 12-yard score and the Stampede’s first TD of the season. This narrowed the lead to 18-11.
In a pattern that would be repeated several times in the second half, Erie scored on a two-play 30-yard drive on another DiMichele to Concepcion pass and Erie extended their lead to 25-11.
The next drive of the game featured a unique play which started with Coles being sacked and fumbling the ball. The ball was then briefly recovered by Erie before Stampede Offensive Lineman Todd Mitchell stripped the Erie defender and rumbled 35 yards to the Erie three. Three plays later Coles pushed his way into the end zone from the one for the score and Harrisburg narrowed the lead again, this time to 25-17.
Erie continued to show their quick strike capability as DiMichele completed three straight passes; the last a 14-yard touchdown pass to Ernest Jackson which boosted the Erie lead to 32-17 with 5:13 left in the third quarter.
After exchanging touchdowns on four straight drives the Stampede missed a 51-yard field goal attempt and on the very next play DiMichele found Riley deep for a 25-yard TD pass and a 39-17 Erie margin at the end of the third quarter.
The Stampede offense continued to show life early in the fourth quarter as Coles hit Smith on a 16-yard strike and then rambled nine yards for a score to again decrease the Erie lead to 15 at 39-24. Cipra then connected on his second uno of the day and the Stampede trailed by 39-25 with 8:57 remaining in the game.
DiMichele capped off another scoring drive with his fifth touchdown pass of the game, a 26-yard toss to Riley and Erie maintained the final margin of victory through the end of the game at 46-25.
On the day Coles completed 12 of 27 passes for 141 yards with one touchdown pass against two interceptions. He also scored twice on the ground, but was sacked five times. Coles also was the Stampede’s leading rusher with 20 yards, while Goodman added 13. Robinson was two for six for nine yards with one interception and one sack in relief duty at QB in the second quarter.
Coles spread his receptions around as Sharbaugh had four receptions for 34 yards, Taylor four for 31 yards, Smith three for 27, Goodman one for three yards, and Martin had two receptions for 45 yards including the lone receiving score.
DiMichele was 18 of 34 for 239 yards with five touchdown passes and one interception. Riley led all receivers with nine receptions for 143 yards and three scores.
Defensively linebacker Will Hines led the Stampede with 4.5 tackles, one tackle for a loss, and one sack. Fellow linebacker Jermaine Thaxton had four tackles, defensive backs Darrell Wolford and Cedeno Patrick added three and two tackles respectively. Seven other Stampede defenders recorded at least one tackle. Defensive back Richard Johnson recorded the lone interception of the day for the Stampede and returned it 22 yards.
Erick Wicks led the Explosion with six tackles and Brenton Brady recorded 3.5 sacks.
The Stampede now travel to North Carolina for their first road game of the season where they will take on the Fayetteville Force Sunday, March 27th at 4:00 PM. The Stampede return to the Equine Arena to face the Richmond Raiders on Saturday, April 2nd at 7:30 PM.
With the win Erie earned their first win against Harrisburg since May 23, 2009 and their second all-time. The Stampede now holds a 6-2 series edge.
For the first six minutes of the game it looked like Harrisburg fans would be treated to more winning ways from their Stampede. Harrisburg Kicker J.R. Cipra booted the opening kickoff through the uprights for a uno and an early 1-0 Stampede lead. A re-tooled Erie offense led by quarterback Adam DiMichele came out firing after taking possession at their own five. Erie promptly drove the length of the field before the Stampede came up with a key stop on a fourth and goal from the two.
Stampede Quarterback Andre Coles started the team’s first offensive drive backed up on the Harrisburg two. After a one-yard loss on a rush by Eugene Goodman, Coles was pressed against the back of the end zone by the Erie defensive line. Forced to throw or take the safety, he was intercepted by Erie’s Chris Johnson who promptly returned the ball 17 yards to the Harrisburg two. Erie took possession with 8:43 remaining in the first period of play and two plays later DiMichele found Trumaine Riley in the corner of the end zone for Erie’s first score of the day and first lead of the season at 7-1.
On the ensuing drive Coles connected with receiver Collis Martin on a 33-yard gain and Harrisburg moved quickly to the Erie seven yard line for a first and goal opportunity. The Explosion held three plays in a row and Cipra then kicked a 17-yard field goal to narrow the gap to 7-4; the tally at the end of the first quarter.
On Erie’s next drive, for the second time early in the game, the Stampede defense halted the Explosion in a first and goal situation and Harrisburg took over at their own four. The first part of the Stampede drive went well as Coles rushed for 12 yards and then connected with Abe Taylor on an eight-yard pass and Archie Smith for ten. After a holding penalty, an incomplete pass, and two straight sacks of Coles, Cipra was forced to go for a 46-yard attempt, which was blocked by the Explosion. Following a recovery by the Stampede in the end zone Erie recorded the safety and extended their lead to 9-4.
The Explosion moved quickly on their next drive primarily on a 34-yard pass from DiMichele to Riley, but the Stampede defense held once again and Erie’s Shon Rowser lifted a 24-yard field goal through the uprights for a 12-4 Erie edge.
Kelvin Robinson then briefly relieved Coles at QB and following a three-yard gain on a toss to Eugene Goodman, Robinson was intercepted by Erie’s Erick Wicks. Starting on their own six the Explosion again moved rapidly downfield and DiMichele threw his second scoring strike of the game, this time to Kevin Concepcion, and following the missed PAT Erie held an 18-4 halftime lead.
With Coles back under center to start the second half he led the Stampede on their first touchdown drive of the season. Starting at their own 20 Eugene Goodman bolted seven yards, Coles connected with John Sharbaugh for 11 yards, and then hit Martin for a 12-yard score and the Stampede’s first TD of the season. This narrowed the lead to 18-11.
In a pattern that would be repeated several times in the second half, Erie scored on a two-play 30-yard drive on another DiMichele to Concepcion pass and Erie extended their lead to 25-11.
The next drive of the game featured a unique play which started with Coles being sacked and fumbling the ball. The ball was then briefly recovered by Erie before Stampede Offensive Lineman Todd Mitchell stripped the Erie defender and rumbled 35 yards to the Erie three. Three plays later Coles pushed his way into the end zone from the one for the score and Harrisburg narrowed the lead again, this time to 25-17.
Erie continued to show their quick strike capability as DiMichele completed three straight passes; the last a 14-yard touchdown pass to Ernest Jackson which boosted the Erie lead to 32-17 with 5:13 left in the third quarter.
After exchanging touchdowns on four straight drives the Stampede missed a 51-yard field goal attempt and on the very next play DiMichele found Riley deep for a 25-yard TD pass and a 39-17 Erie margin at the end of the third quarter.
The Stampede offense continued to show life early in the fourth quarter as Coles hit Smith on a 16-yard strike and then rambled nine yards for a score to again decrease the Erie lead to 15 at 39-24. Cipra then connected on his second uno of the day and the Stampede trailed by 39-25 with 8:57 remaining in the game.
DiMichele capped off another scoring drive with his fifth touchdown pass of the game, a 26-yard toss to Riley and Erie maintained the final margin of victory through the end of the game at 46-25.
On the day Coles completed 12 of 27 passes for 141 yards with one touchdown pass against two interceptions. He also scored twice on the ground, but was sacked five times. Coles also was the Stampede’s leading rusher with 20 yards, while Goodman added 13. Robinson was two for six for nine yards with one interception and one sack in relief duty at QB in the second quarter.
Coles spread his receptions around as Sharbaugh had four receptions for 34 yards, Taylor four for 31 yards, Smith three for 27, Goodman one for three yards, and Martin had two receptions for 45 yards including the lone receiving score.
DiMichele was 18 of 34 for 239 yards with five touchdown passes and one interception. Riley led all receivers with nine receptions for 143 yards and three scores.
Defensively linebacker Will Hines led the Stampede with 4.5 tackles, one tackle for a loss, and one sack. Fellow linebacker Jermaine Thaxton had four tackles, defensive backs Darrell Wolford and Cedeno Patrick added three and two tackles respectively. Seven other Stampede defenders recorded at least one tackle. Defensive back Richard Johnson recorded the lone interception of the day for the Stampede and returned it 22 yards.
Erick Wicks led the Explosion with six tackles and Brenton Brady recorded 3.5 sacks.
The Stampede now travel to North Carolina for their first road game of the season where they will take on the Fayetteville Force Sunday, March 27th at 4:00 PM. The Stampede return to the Equine Arena to face the Richmond Raiders on Saturday, April 2nd at 7:30 PM.