Post by gocavs1 on May 11, 2008 20:29:11 GMT -5
Wildcats Get 1st Home Win
By James Yodice
Journal Staff Writer
RIO RANCHO— The Utah Saints were late to the party, and then the New Mexico Wildcats made sure they wouldn't wreck it.
Offense, defense and special teams all contributed to the cause Saturday night, as the Wildcats beat hapless— and exhausted— Utah 32-9 in a mostly uneventful American Indoor Football Association game at the Santa Ana Star Center.
Kickoff was delayed 55 minutes, until 8 p.m., to accommodate Utah which plays in Kearns, just south of Salt Lake City. The Saints' bus broke down at the Utah/New Mexico border at about 3 a.m. Saturday, and the team spent the night in the bus. It didn't arrive at the arena until just after 7 p.m. The scheduled start time was 7:05.
That didn't deter another solid crowd, this one estimated at about 3,200, from watching the Wildcats win the first home game in franchise history.
"We came up with a win, and hopefully it'll boost our confidence for the next game," said receiver Anthony Montgomery, who caught three passes for 58 yards, including a 26-yarder for a touchdown. "We had a few mistakes, but we'll come out and fix it this week."
New Mexico improved to 2-5 midway through the 14-game AIFA schedule. Both victories are against the Saints (0-7), who have scored only 74 points in their past five games.
It was a different-looking New Mexico team than the last time it appeared in Rio Rancho on April 26. More than half the players in uniform were not on the field for the Wildcats two weeks earlier.
Example A: Former University of New Mexico defensive back Tyson Ditmore of Las Cruces played linebacker and sparked the best defensive effort of the season.
"I love Tyson," Wildcats coach Floyd Johnson said. "I don't know how I found him, but I'm glad we got him."
Ditmore had an interception and broke up three passes in the first period, and added a second interception in the fourth quarter.
"I'm glad these guys gave me the opportunity to come out here and help them out," Ditmore said. "I have a feeling that this whole summer is gonna be nothing but fun."
Johnson for weeks has been trying to repair a porous defense.
"I brought in eight new guys on defense (this week), a lot of D-1 guys who didn't get picked up in the (NFL) draft," said Johnson. "Makes a big difference."
The New Mexico offense was efficient.
Quarterback Ronnie Simpson threw for two scores and ran for another. Lawrence Pullen caught a 36-yard TD pass late in the first half, and also returned a missed field goal attempt 57 yards for a TD on the last play of the first half.
Another former Lobo, running back Dwayne Davis, scored on a 1-yard run in the fourth quarter.
NOTES: Wildcats receiver Darren Haliburton has received an invitation to attend the Minnesota Vikings' training camp later this year, Johnson said.
... The Saints had four ex-Lobos on their roster. One, Mark Mohoric, was wearing a UNM silver helmet. The other former Lobos were Cedric Patterson, Derrick Allen and Pat Dyer.
... The AIFA's co-owner, Mike Mink, was on the field helping the Utah coaching staff on Saturday night
By James Yodice
Journal Staff Writer
RIO RANCHO— The Utah Saints were late to the party, and then the New Mexico Wildcats made sure they wouldn't wreck it.
Offense, defense and special teams all contributed to the cause Saturday night, as the Wildcats beat hapless— and exhausted— Utah 32-9 in a mostly uneventful American Indoor Football Association game at the Santa Ana Star Center.
Kickoff was delayed 55 minutes, until 8 p.m., to accommodate Utah which plays in Kearns, just south of Salt Lake City. The Saints' bus broke down at the Utah/New Mexico border at about 3 a.m. Saturday, and the team spent the night in the bus. It didn't arrive at the arena until just after 7 p.m. The scheduled start time was 7:05.
That didn't deter another solid crowd, this one estimated at about 3,200, from watching the Wildcats win the first home game in franchise history.
"We came up with a win, and hopefully it'll boost our confidence for the next game," said receiver Anthony Montgomery, who caught three passes for 58 yards, including a 26-yarder for a touchdown. "We had a few mistakes, but we'll come out and fix it this week."
New Mexico improved to 2-5 midway through the 14-game AIFA schedule. Both victories are against the Saints (0-7), who have scored only 74 points in their past five games.
It was a different-looking New Mexico team than the last time it appeared in Rio Rancho on April 26. More than half the players in uniform were not on the field for the Wildcats two weeks earlier.
Example A: Former University of New Mexico defensive back Tyson Ditmore of Las Cruces played linebacker and sparked the best defensive effort of the season.
"I love Tyson," Wildcats coach Floyd Johnson said. "I don't know how I found him, but I'm glad we got him."
Ditmore had an interception and broke up three passes in the first period, and added a second interception in the fourth quarter.
"I'm glad these guys gave me the opportunity to come out here and help them out," Ditmore said. "I have a feeling that this whole summer is gonna be nothing but fun."
Johnson for weeks has been trying to repair a porous defense.
"I brought in eight new guys on defense (this week), a lot of D-1 guys who didn't get picked up in the (NFL) draft," said Johnson. "Makes a big difference."
The New Mexico offense was efficient.
Quarterback Ronnie Simpson threw for two scores and ran for another. Lawrence Pullen caught a 36-yard TD pass late in the first half, and also returned a missed field goal attempt 57 yards for a TD on the last play of the first half.
Another former Lobo, running back Dwayne Davis, scored on a 1-yard run in the fourth quarter.
NOTES: Wildcats receiver Darren Haliburton has received an invitation to attend the Minnesota Vikings' training camp later this year, Johnson said.
... The Saints had four ex-Lobos on their roster. One, Mark Mohoric, was wearing a UNM silver helmet. The other former Lobos were Cedric Patterson, Derrick Allen and Pat Dyer.
... The AIFA's co-owner, Mike Mink, was on the field helping the Utah coaching staff on Saturday night
