Monday, April 3, 2017

CIFL: Neon Hold Off Warthogs, 27-20

AUBURN HILLS, MI-The Detroit Neon held on to defeat the Washington Warthogs 27-20 in a Week 10 CIFL contest.

The game began with Sylvester Ledd fielding a short kickoff and returning it to Washington territory at the 41-yard line. Four plays later, Denver Smits ran for a 15-yard touchdown to give the Neon a 7-0 lead with 12:44 left in the first quarter. Ledd would then pick off Corliss Wardell at the Warthogs 17-yard line, and Detroit would later face a fourth-and-goal from the 1. Cooney Lehigh would complete a 1-yard touchdown pass to Leonard Echols to extend the lead to 14-0 with 10:17 left in the first. The Warthogs would punt, but Echols fumbled on the return and Marshall Garver recovered for Washington at the Detroit 24-yard line. After a 4-play, 14-yard drive, Stephan Hooper kicked a 27-yard field goal to make it 14-3 with 6:31 left in the first quarter.

The game would settle down a bit as DJ Pilgrim missed a 35-yard field goal attempt late in the first. Then the teams would trade punts into the second quarter, but Echols would fumble again after a 42-yard return and Tito Dobbins recovered for the Warthogs at their own 35-yard line. Washington couldn't take advantage and had to punt, and the Neon drove into scoring position, but Pilgrim's 34-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Bud Tyles who took it 26 yards to the Detroit 46-yard line. Once again, the Warthogs couldn't take advantage and had to punt, downing it on the Neon 7-yard line. But Detroit moved the ball 93 yards on 16 plays. Enrique Covey put the finishing touches on the drive with a 2-yard touchdown run with 1 minute remaining in the half. Pilgrim missed the extra point, and the Neon led 20-3 at the half.

Washington opened the second half with an 8-play, 48-yard drive. Hooper ended it with a 39-yard field goal to make it 20-6 with 10:44 remaining in the third quarter. Detroit would punt, and it went out of bounds at the Warthogs 4-yard line. Now it was Washington's turn to march the length of the field as they went 96 yards on 8 plays. Wardell scored on a 6-yard quarterback keeper to make it 20-13 with 5:37 remaining in the third.

On the ensuing drive, the Neon went on a 10-play, 80-yard drive. Ralston Eason, filling in for an injured Lehigh, threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Lewis Belle to make it 27-13 with 14:53 left in the fourth quarter. The Warthogs moved downfield, but Wardell was intercepted by Milt Argulles at the Neon 27-yard line. After the Neon went three-and-out, Washington would go 57 yards on 9 plays. Wardell threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Archie Colvin to get within a touchdown at 27-20 with 7:54 remaining in the fourth. After trading punts, Washington had a chance to tie the game but were turned away on fourth down at the Detroit 21-yard line. The Neon would punt, and Washington had one more shot with a minute to go, but Hubert Despain was tackled at the 8-yard line on the final play of the game.

Detroit (5-4) gained 345 yards of total offense. The Neon ran for 151 yards on 31 carries. Covey led the team with 58 yards on 8 carries and a TD. Lehigh went 9-of-15 passing for 133 yards and a TD> He was sacked twice, losing 2 yards. Eason went 7-of-11 for 75 yards and a TD. He was sacked once for a 12-yard loss. Belle (68 yards, TD) and Smits (49 yards) each caught 4 passes in the game. The Neon host the Anaheim Splash next week.

Washington (5-5) gained 373 yards of total offense. The Warthogs ran for 69 yards on 17 carries. Lane Drope led the team with 27 yards on 4 carries. Wardell went 26-of-54 passing for 320 yards, 1 TD and 2 INT. He was sacked twice, losing 16 yards. Colvin was the leading receiver with 7 catches for 94 yards and a TD. The Warthogs have a bye next week before hosting the Anaheim Splash in Week 12.

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