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Daimond Dixon and
the Grand Rapids Thunder plow through the
Warriors for the second time this season.
Photo courtesy of Andris Visockis Photography.
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WARRIORS FALL AT
GRAND RAPIDS
Troubles in red zone doom Warriors in 30-15 loss
By
DEVON
JONES
Lima Warriors Staff Reporter
9/12/05 – COMSTOCK PARK,
MI -
Unfortunately the Lima Warriors are getting to
familiar with the long drive home after a loss,
because for the third straight season they came up
empty on the road in the playoffs.
The
Warriors started the game out well, forcing Grand
Rapids to throw three straight incomplete passes. The
Thunder punted, but the Warriors could only go three
and out as well. Lima forced Grand Rapids to punt on
their second drive and early on this was shaping up as
a defensive battle.
The
Warriors had leaned on the defense to make big plays
all season long, but the first score of the game was
delivered by the Thunder's defense. Grand Rapids'
defensive back Justin Sherrod took Lima's Justin
Henderson’s pass 50 yards to pay dirt to make the
score 6-0. Grand Rapids’ extra point attempt was
taken off the foot of the place kicker by Troy
Williamson and returned 99 yards for the score, but
was 2-points were rescinded because of a penalty on
the Warriors at mid field.
That
would be the only scoring of the first quarter, as the
Thunder attempted a field goal that was blocked by
defensive tackle Eric Harper.
In
the second quarter Thunder quarterback Dan Richards
finally got on track, hitting Derek Hawthorne with an
8 yard touchdown pass. But the Warriors refused to lie
down and put together an 8-play 76-yard drive of their
own that ended with Andrew Cleckley going in from 12
yards. The extra point was not attempted due to a bad
snap and the score was 12-6.
Grand
Rapids decided to go with the ground game and tailback
Daimond Dixon ran for two short scores in the period.
Dixon ended the game with 62-yards rushing on
19-carries.
The
end of the first half was made interesting when Lima
drove the ball the 79-yards down the field with less
than a minute remaining. Henderson connected with
receiver Joe Butcher at the Grand Rapids 15-yardline
and was pushed out of bounds by a Thunder defender
with 18 clicks left on the clock, but the only problem
was the clock did not stop. Lima’s coaching staff was
going ballistic on the sideline pleading their case,
but to no prevail. The officials spotted the ball and
with on 5 seconds remaining in the half, Lima only had
time to kick a field goal. Fred Hallett added a field
goal to make the score 24-9 at the half.
The
game had mirrored the first contest between these two
teams. The Warriors were having all kinds of trouble
in the red zone, while the Thunder were efficient on
their drives and spreading the ball around.
The
third quarter saw the ball trade hands several times,
with both teams missing field goals.
Lima’s Glenn White Jr. added an interception in the
quarter, but the Warriors could not get the ball in
the end zone. Meanwhile, the Thunder made a big strike
in the quarter. Dan Richard found a streaking Derek
Hawthorne behind the Warriors’ defense. The resulting
play went 89 yard, and going into the fourth quarter,
Lima was down 30-9.
Try
as they might, the Warriors got into the red zone four
other times, and could not score. Glenn White got his
second interception of the day and Dustin Hunt added a
95 yard interception return to the five yard line,
which Andrew Cleckley turned into 6-points with his
second score of the day.
Warriors’ wide receiver Johnny Aldridge chipped in
with a career day making 8 catches for 108 yards.
Aldridge made a variety of diving and sideline
hugging catches to keep Warrior drives alive.
“We
felt confident going into the game,” said Parkins.
“Grand Rapids is a great team with lots of talent and
speed. It’s hard to beat a team that is well coached
and has so much team speed; but we will reload and be
ready for next season when we meet again.”
In
the end, Grand Rapids made the plays that will advance
them to the Minor League Football Association
championship game against the defending league
champion, the Daly City (CA) Renegades.
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