Saturday, April 1, 2017

CIFL: Gitchy Gitchy BOOM! Tims, Bombers Rout Splash, 42-19

CHARLESTOWN, MI-Gitch Tims accounted for all six touchdowns as the Michigan Bombers destroyed the Anaheim Splash 42-19 in a Week 9 CIFL game.

Anaheim punted to start the game, then Tims was stripped of the ball by Virgil Hawthorne. Rudolfo Voorhees recovered for the Splash at the Michigan 46-yard line. Anaheim tried to drive into scoring position, but Butler Elliott missed a 48-yard field goal. The Bombers then drove 62 yards on 5 plays, and Tims would throw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Bernest Noon to take a 7-0 lead with 7:59 left in the first quarter. The Splash then went on a 9-play, 80-yard drive, and Harlan Finnegan threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Benny Gee to tie the game at 7 with 3:19 to go in the first.

After a Michigan punt, Anaheim tried another drive into scoring position, but Elliott missed a 55-yard field goal attempt. On the next play, Tims fired a 55-yard touchdown pass to Dalls Kilburn to give the Bombers a 14-7 lead with 12:48 to go in the second quarter. On Anaheim's next possession, Eduardo Patrick successfully completed an 18-yard pass on a fake punt to Reginald Park to the Bombers 40-yard line. But on the next play, Brett Fusco fumbled and Bruno Ireland recovered for Michigan. The teams would trade punts, then late in the half, the Bombers would drive 80 yards on 10 plays. Tims ran in on a scramble from 12 yards out with 7 seconds left in the half to give Michigan a 21-7 lead going into the locker room.

The Bombers would open the second half with a 10-play, 57-yard drive. Tims fired an 8-yard touchdown pass to Kirk Norman to take a 28-7 lead with 9:33 to go in the third quarter. Mark Bellinger fielded the ensuing kickoff and returned it for an 80-yard touchdown. The extra point was no good, and the score was 28-13 with 9:19 left in the third. Michigan would answer with a 10-play, 75-yard drive, and Tims would throw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Kilburn to make it 35-13 with 3:57 remaining in the third quarter.

After trading punts, the Splash faced a fourth-and-goal from the 10 early in the fourth quarter. Finnegan completed a pass to Ham Lassiter, but he was stuffed short at the 3-yard line. The Bombers would punt, but Denny Garland would fumble on the return, and T Romine recovered for Michigan at their own 34-yard line. Tims would then finish off an 8-play, 66-yard drive with a 35-yard touchdown pass to Norman to make it 42-13 with 7:33 remaining in the fourth quarter. Anaheim would drive 66 yards themselves, taking four plays and ending with Finnegan tossing a 2-yard touchdown pass to Kaleo Hendricks. The Splash would miss the two-point conversion and were down 42-19 with 5:34 remaining in the game. The onside kick failed, and the Bombers ran out the clock.

Michigan (6-2) gained 434 yards of total offense. The Bombers ran for 155 yards on 35 carries. Whitey Barnwell led the team with 86 yards on 18 carries. Tims was 21-of-26 passing for 290 yards and 5 TD. He was sacked once for an 11-yard loss. Kilburn led the receivers with 7 catches for 145 yards and 2 TD. The Bombers begin a three-game West Coast swing next week against the Seattle Seadogs.

Anaheim (1-7) gained 391 yards of total offense. The Splash ran for 34 yards on 15 carries. Webb Cooper led the team with 14 yards on 2 carries. Finnegan was 27-of-50 passing for 356 yards, 2 TD and 1 INT. He was sacked twice, losing 17 yards. Gee (118 yards, TD) and Brett Fusco (85 yards) each caught 7 passes in the game. The Splash host the Sacramento Knights next week.

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