Post by Gene on Jun 12, 2007 7:09:42 GMT -5
ThunderBolts Land Late KO Punch
Published Tuesday, June 12, 2007
By Tom Zebold
The Ledger
LAKELAND
Football fans looking for a close playoff slugfest got just what they wanted Monday night at The Lakeland Center - for about three quarters. About 1,500 fans saw five lead changes, the Lakeland ThunderBolts delivered a late knockout against the Carolina Speed that resulted in a 54-32 victory in the first round of the American Indoor Football Association playoffs. "They had two weeks to prepare for us and when you have that long to prepare for anybody you will be able to run with them for a little while," ThunderBolts head coach Teddy Keaton said of the Speed. "We just had to make those adjustments at halftime."
The win advanced the top-seeded ThunderBolts to the divisional championship game against the Mississippi Mudcats next Monday night at the Lakeland Center. If the ThunderBolts win that game they will play for the league championship on June 23 in Forence, S.C.
Carolina (8-8) came into Monday's as a lower seed and had lost two games against Lakeland this season. The Speed led, 32-29, until nearly five minutes were left in the third quarter.
That's when Lakeland's 6-foot-4, 325-pound Jermaine Blakely barrelled into the end zone for a 1-yard touchdown to give the ThunderBolts (12-2) a lead they would not give up.
"Blakely is a beast, he's a manchild," Keaton said. "I'm glad to have him on my team, I wouldn't want to have to stop him."
Blakely frustrated the Carolina defense for most of the game and scored four rushing touchdowns.
"We just pounded the ball, pounded the ball and wore them down," Blakely said. "Eventually the touchdowns started coming."
He later added a 31-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Aso Pogi late in the fourth.
"It was surprising to me. I thought we were going to run the ball again," the Tampa native said. "But he called a screen, so when I got the ball in my hands I just do what I do and score touchdowns."
Throughout the game Blakely lined up behind Pogi as a rushing threat. He also played on the line or wherever he was needed.
"He's our versatile player he can play offensive line, defensive line, fullback, linebacker. He can play anywhere he wants to. He's that athletic," Keaton said of his scoring machine.
Aside from Blakely's offensive contribution, the ThunderBolts' defense stepped up, especially after Lakeland earned its final lead.
With the T'Bolts leading by 8 early in the fourth quarter, defensive back Larry Thompson intercepted his second pass of the game and returned it for a 36-yard score.
Pogi tossed two touchdowns and amassed 203 yards through the air, but also threw two interceptions with both resulting in Speed touchdowns.
The entire defense held Carolina to 102 yards of offense. Speed quarterback Mario Fernandez threw for two touchdowns, but completed just 7 of 20 passes for 64 yards.
"You want your defense to come out and finish the ball game," Keaton said. "We found a way to win. That was our motto coming into this game. We found a way to win."
Offensively, Lakeland also got a strong contribution from Octavius Day, who caught five passes for 91 yards and scored a touchdown.
Next week, the ThunderBolts will have the task of going up against their former offensive coordinator, Brian Brents, who is now Mississippi's head coach.
"We've got to come out and we've got to play and we have to not be outcoached," Keaton said. "He (Brents) knows everything about me, I know pretty much everything about him."
Carolina 10 9 13 0 - 32
Lakeland 6 16 7 25 - 54
NEXT FOR T'BOLTS
Opponent: Mississippi Mudcats
What: AIFA playoffs
When: 7:15 Monday, June 18
Where: The Lakeland Center
Tickets: $7 to $25
Radio: WLKF 1430-AM
Published Tuesday, June 12, 2007
By Tom Zebold
The Ledger
LAKELAND
Football fans looking for a close playoff slugfest got just what they wanted Monday night at The Lakeland Center - for about three quarters. About 1,500 fans saw five lead changes, the Lakeland ThunderBolts delivered a late knockout against the Carolina Speed that resulted in a 54-32 victory in the first round of the American Indoor Football Association playoffs. "They had two weeks to prepare for us and when you have that long to prepare for anybody you will be able to run with them for a little while," ThunderBolts head coach Teddy Keaton said of the Speed. "We just had to make those adjustments at halftime."
The win advanced the top-seeded ThunderBolts to the divisional championship game against the Mississippi Mudcats next Monday night at the Lakeland Center. If the ThunderBolts win that game they will play for the league championship on June 23 in Forence, S.C.
Carolina (8-8) came into Monday's as a lower seed and had lost two games against Lakeland this season. The Speed led, 32-29, until nearly five minutes were left in the third quarter.
That's when Lakeland's 6-foot-4, 325-pound Jermaine Blakely barrelled into the end zone for a 1-yard touchdown to give the ThunderBolts (12-2) a lead they would not give up.
"Blakely is a beast, he's a manchild," Keaton said. "I'm glad to have him on my team, I wouldn't want to have to stop him."
Blakely frustrated the Carolina defense for most of the game and scored four rushing touchdowns.
"We just pounded the ball, pounded the ball and wore them down," Blakely said. "Eventually the touchdowns started coming."
He later added a 31-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Aso Pogi late in the fourth.
"It was surprising to me. I thought we were going to run the ball again," the Tampa native said. "But he called a screen, so when I got the ball in my hands I just do what I do and score touchdowns."
Throughout the game Blakely lined up behind Pogi as a rushing threat. He also played on the line or wherever he was needed.
"He's our versatile player he can play offensive line, defensive line, fullback, linebacker. He can play anywhere he wants to. He's that athletic," Keaton said of his scoring machine.
Aside from Blakely's offensive contribution, the ThunderBolts' defense stepped up, especially after Lakeland earned its final lead.
With the T'Bolts leading by 8 early in the fourth quarter, defensive back Larry Thompson intercepted his second pass of the game and returned it for a 36-yard score.
Pogi tossed two touchdowns and amassed 203 yards through the air, but also threw two interceptions with both resulting in Speed touchdowns.
The entire defense held Carolina to 102 yards of offense. Speed quarterback Mario Fernandez threw for two touchdowns, but completed just 7 of 20 passes for 64 yards.
"You want your defense to come out and finish the ball game," Keaton said. "We found a way to win. That was our motto coming into this game. We found a way to win."
Offensively, Lakeland also got a strong contribution from Octavius Day, who caught five passes for 91 yards and scored a touchdown.
Next week, the ThunderBolts will have the task of going up against their former offensive coordinator, Brian Brents, who is now Mississippi's head coach.
"We've got to come out and we've got to play and we have to not be outcoached," Keaton said. "He (Brents) knows everything about me, I know pretty much everything about him."
Carolina 10 9 13 0 - 32
Lakeland 6 16 7 25 - 54
NEXT FOR T'BOLTS
Opponent: Mississippi Mudcats
What: AIFA playoffs
When: 7:15 Monday, June 18
Where: The Lakeland Center
Tickets: $7 to $25
Radio: WLKF 1430-AM
