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Sting Fall To Rage In Home Opener 03.21.09 - story by Ben Murphy The Saginaw Sting never quite got things going in their home opener against the River City Rage on Friday, March 20. After the 55-41 loss, the Sting are 1-1 after their first two games in the Indoor Football League (IFL.)
After a pre-game ceremony that featured players and coaches from last year's Continental Football League (CIFL) championship team, and was highlighted by the unveiling if their championship banner, the Sting fell behind quickly once the game started. Things appeared to be headed in the right direction, when the Sting defense forced a safety after blocking a Rage field goal to take an early 2-0 lead. However, River City capitalized on Saginaw's mistakes on both sides of the ball, as they jumped out to a 27-2 lead midway through the second quarter. “I have no idea why (we got off to a slow start,)” Sting Head Coach Karl Featherstone said. “We had really good practices and I have no clue as to why we got off to a slow start, just like we did last week.” “We killed ourselves,” Featherstone said about the first half. “Offensively we weren't meeting our objective. If the defense is on the field too much it is inevitable that they're going to score.”
Saginaw struck first in the second half on a short Dowdell strike to Body to bring the Sting within 27-16. However, the Rage regained control of the game after scoring two touchdowns in less than two minutes. The first on a Maurive Avery touchdown from quarterback Dixie Wooten, and the second, on a 14 yard interception return for a touchdown by Daryon Brutley, giving River City a 41-16 lead after the The teams alternated three scores apiece early in the fourth quarter, which included touchdowns by Robert Height, Justin McHugh, and by Nate Collins. Saginaw also scored the last touchdown of the game, on a 30 yard pass from Dowdell to Darryl Frager, to give the final of 55-41.
Dowdell completed 15 of 28 passes for 148 yards and four touchdowns, while also throwing two interceptions. “They started to find themselves a little bit,” Featherstone said. “We were in a hole, we started to come out of that hole but we made some mistakes that kept us in that hole. The worst thing you can do is to play a game one sided and that's what we have been doing the past two games.” Looming on the schedule for the Sting, are the 2007 CIFL champion Rochester Raiders. The Raiders gave Saginaw one of their two losses in 2008, and are coming off a loss of their own to the Sioux Falls Storm last week. Featherstone hopes to see his team get back on track against their old CIFL rival. “We're going to put this thing behind us and prepare to play Rochester,” he said. “IF we play like we know how to play we'll be winners all the way until the end.” Though getting there, may be a lot of work for the players “We will have some hard and long practices this week,” Featherstone said. “I can guarantee it.” Rochester comes to Saginaw on Sunday, March 29. Kickoff is scheduled at 4 p.m.
To view more game-day pictures please click here
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