Friday, March 3, 2017

CIFL: Portland Beats Anaheim, 27-11

PORTLAND, OR-Reuben Findley threw three touchdown passes in the second half to lift the Portland Pride to a 27-11 victory over the Anaheim Splash in a Week 3 CIFL game.

The first half was not much to write home about. The Splash would punt to start the game, and Portland would drive into scoring position only for Theodis Durkin to miss a 52-yard field goal. After that it was punt after punt after punt until early in the second quarter, when Saul Symons intercepted a Harlan Finnegan pass for Portland at the Pride 20-yard line. The Pride would punt again, and then Anaheim would drive 62 yards on 11 plays. Butler Elliott finished the drive with a 27-yard field goal to take a 3-0 lead with 3:42 left in the second quarter.

At the start of the second half, Damon Paul took the short kickoff for the Pride and returned it 40 yards to the Anaheim 44-yard line, but fumbled and Irv Guziewicz managed to fall on it for Portland. Five plays later, Findley fired a 6-yard touchdown pass to Rex Doran to take a 7-3 lead with 12:03 to go in the third quarter. After an Anaheim three-and-out, the Pride went on the march again going 83 yards on 14 plays. Findley completed a 9-yard touchdown pass to Shelton Pick to make it 14-3 with 5:14 left in the third.

The Splash attempted a fake punt, but Eduardo Patrick's pass to Rube Barber fell incomplete, and Portland took over at the Anaheim 40-yard line. Seven plays later, Findley hit Isao Parish for a 6-yard touchdown pass to go up 21-3 with 14:49 to go in the fourth quarter. Anaheim would get turned away on fourth down. After a Portland punt, Finnegan would get picked off again, this time by Josey McClain at the Pride 5-yard line. the Pride went three-and-out and punted to midfield. Following a 5-play, 50-yard drive, Finnegan threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Brett Fusco. The 2-point conversion was good to make it 21-11 with 2:36 left in the fourth. An onside kick failed, and Portland would drive 48 yards on 8 plays. Kendall Van Horne scored on a 2-yard touchdown run with 9 seconds remaining. The extra point was no good, and Portland was up 27-11 at the gun.

Portland (2-1) gained 299 yards of total offense. The Pride ran for 111 yards on 30 carries. Kenny Boren led the team with 81 yards on 19 carries. Findley went 16-of-24 passing for 192 yards and 3 TD. He was sacked once for a 4-yard loss. Doran led the receivers with 8 catches for 116 yards and a TD. The Pride visit the Michigan Bombers next week.

Anaheim (1-2) gained 309 yards of total offense. The Splash gained 50 yards rushing on 17 carries. Fusco led the team with 16 yards on 10 carries. He also caught 8 passes for 52 yards and a TD. Finnegan went 27-of-46 passing for 269 yards, 1 TD and 2 INT. He was sacked twice, losing 10 yards. Anaheim will host the Washington Warthogs next week.

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