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GAME OF THE YEAR
The Warriors travel to Grand Rapids for what will be
another slugfest
By
JOEL RENNER, University Independent
Lima Warriors Staff Reporter
7/13/06
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LIMA
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Playoff seeding, an undefeated record, pride and
revenge are on the line for the Lima Warriors when
they travel to Grand Rapids this Saturday.
The
(4-1) Grand Rapids Thunder will host the (5-0) Lima
Warriors at Comstock Park on Saturday, July 15 at 7
p.m. in an Eastern Conference showdown between two of
the leagues best teams.
Grand
Rapids has had a lot of success in its third year as
an organization and was the only team to hand losses
to the Warriors last season.
Grand
Rapids finished the 2005 season with a 12-1 record and
lost 44-3 in the Minor League Bowl against the Daly
City Renegades.
“The
Thunder is our rival and we’re going to go in there
and give it our all,” said Coach John Parkins.
The
Warriors defense added to their legacy last Saturday,
allowing only six points with 42 seconds left in
Lima’s 41-6 victory over the Macomb County Strength.
The
Warriors have allowed only 18 total points in five
games and will need another big effort on Saturday.
“We
need to play at our best because it seems that the
Thunder is always playing at theirs,” said Fred
Hallett.
Grand Rapids is led by quarterback Chris Kuipers who
has thrown for 1,136 yards and 11 touchdowns in five
games. The top receivers for the Thunder are Derek
Hawthorne and B.J. Haney. Hawthorne has caught seven
touchdowns for 503 yards and Haney has pulled in two
touchdown receptions for 283 yards.
Linebacker Kyle Smith and defensive lineman Doug Emery
are two of the top defensive players for the Thunder.
Smith has 11 tackles and Emery has nine tackles, two
sacks and three interceptions.
The
two teams have played similar opponents in the Macomb
County Strength, Southwest Michigan Punishers and Fort
Wayne Flyers thus far this season. Victories were the
results for both teams but the Thunder gave up 57
points in those games compared to the Warriors 12.
Despite this, the Warriors are thought as the underdog
throughout the league and they feel that they have
something to prove.
“The
key to the game is going to be ball control for us,”
said Parkins.
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