Post by lionsroar on May 19, 2009 19:19:05 GMT -5
www.trib.com/articles/2009/05/19/sports/pro/1245146115d99520872575bb0016c52c.txt
By DAN RYAN
Special to the Star-Tribune
Tuesday, May 19, 2009 2:03 AM MDT
OGDEN, Utah -- It really isn't this easy. Matt Strand just made it look that way Monday night.
The venerable Wyoming Cavalry quarterback needed just 10 attempts to register five touchdown passes, finished the first half with six TDs and completed the Madden-like show with seven as Wyoming routed the Ogden Knights 76-24 in the Golden Spike Events Center.
Little more than a formality, Wyoming (8-1) assured itself of a playoff game with the victory. Utah Valley needs just one more victory to do likewise. The only question remaining is whether the Thunder or Cavalry will host the Western Conference championship game July 18. The Cavalry can do that with one more victory over Utah and not bobbling against the Knights or New Mexico, who are a combined 2-14.
That probably won't happen, judging by the Cavalry's offensive display here.
The first touchdown drive? Three plays.
Three more touchdowns on the first play of a possession.
Wyoming only had one third down in the entire first half. That went for a touchdown, as well.
Get the idea?
The quick strikes were part of the plan for Strand, who unofficially finished 15 of 18 for 245 yards and also ran for one score.
"We like the quick strikes because it demoralizes them,'' said Strand. "We're just out there trying to score any way we can.''
Wyoming's output was the highest for a road team in the American Indoor Football Association this season, and Cavalry coach Dan Maciejczak liked it that way not just because the offense was so efficient.
The coach claimed there was some front office smack talk from Ogden that focused on the Cavalry's huge loss at Florence in last season's AIFA championship game.
"We had a lot of reasons to be efficient when someone's running their mouth,'' Maciejczak said. "They know who they are, they created it, and now they can deal with it.
"That was our tackling drill for the week,'' Maciejczak added "It started the last time we played them, and it came from the front office, not one player. If you're going to run your mouth, you might want to think about it. That gave us a lot of focus.''
Even backup James Culver was sharp, completing all three of his passes with one touchdown in mop-up work. His scoring drive? Two plays.
"I'm glad we got out of our offensive funk,'' said Maciejcak, whose team broke 70 for the third time this season. "We're peaking at the right time ... Last year, we may have peaked too early.''
Dante Dudley finished with four touchdowns, while BJ Charlton had two and AJ Street one. Charlton caught three two-point conversions, while James Everage had two.
James Jones rushed for a 22-yard score and caught a 40-yarder in the second quarter.
It was 16-0 after the first two possessions and 22-7 at the end of the first quarter.
Not to be overlooked was the Cavalry defense that limited the Knights (1-7) to three rushing touchdowns by quarterback Caleb Eastman. Wyoming kept Ogden from going downfield and was especially effective in the fourth quarter, holding Eastman to one completion in nine attempts.
By DAN RYAN
Special to the Star-Tribune
Tuesday, May 19, 2009 2:03 AM MDT
OGDEN, Utah -- It really isn't this easy. Matt Strand just made it look that way Monday night.
The venerable Wyoming Cavalry quarterback needed just 10 attempts to register five touchdown passes, finished the first half with six TDs and completed the Madden-like show with seven as Wyoming routed the Ogden Knights 76-24 in the Golden Spike Events Center.
Little more than a formality, Wyoming (8-1) assured itself of a playoff game with the victory. Utah Valley needs just one more victory to do likewise. The only question remaining is whether the Thunder or Cavalry will host the Western Conference championship game July 18. The Cavalry can do that with one more victory over Utah and not bobbling against the Knights or New Mexico, who are a combined 2-14.
That probably won't happen, judging by the Cavalry's offensive display here.
The first touchdown drive? Three plays.
Three more touchdowns on the first play of a possession.
Wyoming only had one third down in the entire first half. That went for a touchdown, as well.
Get the idea?
The quick strikes were part of the plan for Strand, who unofficially finished 15 of 18 for 245 yards and also ran for one score.
"We like the quick strikes because it demoralizes them,'' said Strand. "We're just out there trying to score any way we can.''
Wyoming's output was the highest for a road team in the American Indoor Football Association this season, and Cavalry coach Dan Maciejczak liked it that way not just because the offense was so efficient.
The coach claimed there was some front office smack talk from Ogden that focused on the Cavalry's huge loss at Florence in last season's AIFA championship game.
"We had a lot of reasons to be efficient when someone's running their mouth,'' Maciejczak said. "They know who they are, they created it, and now they can deal with it.
"That was our tackling drill for the week,'' Maciejczak added "It started the last time we played them, and it came from the front office, not one player. If you're going to run your mouth, you might want to think about it. That gave us a lot of focus.''
Even backup James Culver was sharp, completing all three of his passes with one touchdown in mop-up work. His scoring drive? Two plays.
"I'm glad we got out of our offensive funk,'' said Maciejcak, whose team broke 70 for the third time this season. "We're peaking at the right time ... Last year, we may have peaked too early.''
Dante Dudley finished with four touchdowns, while BJ Charlton had two and AJ Street one. Charlton caught three two-point conversions, while James Everage had two.
James Jones rushed for a 22-yard score and caught a 40-yarder in the second quarter.
It was 16-0 after the first two possessions and 22-7 at the end of the first quarter.
Not to be overlooked was the Cavalry defense that limited the Knights (1-7) to three rushing touchdowns by quarterback Caleb Eastman. Wyoming kept Ogden from going downfield and was especially effective in the fourth quarter, holding Eastman to one completion in nine attempts.
