HOUSTON-The Detroit Neon came into the CIFL season expecting to contend for the championship. It didn't quite work out that way, but they did end the season on a high note defeating the Houston Hotshots 37-23 wrapping up both teams' respective seasons.
It did not start out well for the Neon, as Cooney Lehigh would fumble a snap early and Norris Kettler recovered for the Hotshots at the Detroit 23-yard line. Three plays later, Barney Brant connected with Wallace Hinshaw for a 12-yard touchdown pass to take a 7-0 lead with 12:15 left in the first quarter. Following a Detroit punt. Houston would march 57 yards on 9 plays, and Martin Seal kicked a 25-yard field goal to make it 10-0 with 8:22 remaining in the first. After Lynn Lard fielded a short kickoff and returned it 37 yards to the Hotshots' 37-yard line, the Neon went on a four-play, 10-yard drive. DJ Pilgrim would kick a 44-yard field goal to make it 10-3 with 5:42 to go in the first quarter.
The Hotshots would punt, then Lehigh would be picked off by Stewart Lavue at the Houston 28-yard line. However, Brant would get picked off in turn by Milt Arguelles at the Hotshots 41-yard line. After three plays netted five yards, Pilgrim would kick a 53-yard field goal to make it 10-6 with 13:21 left in the half. Houston responded with a 10-play, 57-yard drive. Brant tossed a 6-yard touchdown pass to Jeff Epps extending the Hotshots' lead to 17-6 with 9:12 remaining in the second quarter. A long Neon drive was short-circuited by a Kettler pick in the end zone, who returned it to his own 9-yard line. But Brant would get picked off by Cobey Rail at Houston's 40-yard line. Five plays later, Lehigh hit Leonard Echols for a 7-yard touchdown pass to make it 17-13 with 1:02 to go in the half. Houston answered quickly with a 6-play, 58-yard drive, and Seal finished it off with a 23-yard field goal with 6 seconds to go to give the Hotshots a 20-13 lead.
After a Houston punt opened the second half, Detroit would move the ball 80 yards on 7 plays. Lehigh hit Echols for a 12-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 20 with 8:39 left in the third quarter. The Hotshots punted, then Lehigh was picked off again, this time Esteban Reed returned it 21 yards to the Neon 43-yard line. After four plays got six yards, Seal kicked a 54-yard field goal to retake the lead, 23-20 with 3:13 remaining in the third. Denver Smits then took the ensuing kickoff and returned it 96 yards for a touchdown to give the Neon a 27-23 lead with 2:56 remaining in the third quarter.
The teams would trade punts into the fourth quarter, then Arguelles would pick off Brant and reutrn it 58 yards to the Houston 40-yard line. Three plays and seven yards later, Pilgrim kicked a 50-yard field goal to make it 30-23 with 5:56 to go in the fourth quarter. On Houston's ensuing possession, Brant was picked off by Eugene Strand who returned it 13 yards to the Hotshots' 46-yard line. Nine plays later, Lehigh salted the game away with an 8-yard touchdown run to make it 37-23 with 1:10 to go.
Detroit (9-5) gained 323 yards of total offense. The Neon ran for 105 yards on 33 carries. Smits led the team with 68 yards on 13 carries. Lehigh was 19-of-32 passing for 235 yards, 2 TD and 3 INT. He was sacked four times, losing 17 yards. Echols led the receivers with 6 catches for 85 yards and 2 TD.
Houston (7-7) gained 330 yards of total offense. The Hotshots ran for 68 yards on 22 carries. Hank Olive led the team with 32 yards on 6 carries. Brant was 19-of-42 passing for 270 yards, 2 TD and 4 INT. He was sacked once for an 8-yard loss. Epps caught 6 passes for 94 yards and a TD. Lovell Pyle caught 6 passes for 66 yards.
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