UFL update: Sentinels at Tuskers
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Final Sentinels-Tuskers notes:
The Tuskers looked like the best of the four teams after one week of action, which was of very high quality for a brand new product… Florida took advantage of New York’s mistakes on Saturday night... The Tuskers converted three turnovers into 21 points. Brooks Bollinger had four TD passes for Florida, which has an excellent combination of backs in Tatum Bell and Michael Pittman… NY has a solid TE in Ronnie Ghent and needs to find a way to keep Craphonso Thorpe involved in the offense. After a big first quarter, Thorpe wasn’t heard from again for the rest of the night until late in the contest.
4th quarter update –
Tatum Bell puts the game out of reach as he scored from 1-yard out with 11:52 to go. Bell has 70 yards on the ground for the Tuskers, who opened up a dominating 35-13 advantage.
New York moved the ball down the field as Florida went into a prevent, but the drive stalled at the Tuskers’ 14. Quinn Gray’s pass on 4th-and-3 came up empty and Florida took over on downs with 7:35 to play.
Chris Greisen replaced Brooks Bollinger with the game well under control. Shaud Williams also came in to play some running back and he broke off a 16-yard gain on his first of a few successful carries on the drive. On 3rd-and-1 at the Sentinels’ 32, the Tuskers went for a pass, which didn’t make sense since they were running out the clock by running the football well. The pass fell incomplete, but on 4th-and-1, Williams got the necessary yards on the ground and the clock ran down to the two-minute warning.
Game over: Tuskers 35, Sentinels 13. Bath for Jim Haslett on the sideline.
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3rd quarter update –
Florida took the kickoff and proceeded to go on a 10-play, 76-yard match that culminated in a touchdown. On the drive, Michael Pittman had a 29-yard run and Tatum Bell added a 12-yard scamper. Brooks Bollinger was 3-for-5 on the drive, including a 16-yard pass to Chas Gessner for the TD. The Tuskers led 21-13 with 9:54 to go in the quarter.
NY began on its’ own 28 and on first down LaBrandon Toefield fumbled for the second time tonight and the Tuskers recovered at the Sentinels’ 31. NY head coach Ted Cottrell threw the blue challenge flag, but a booth review upheld the play and the Tuskers took over.
Six plays later, Florida busted the game open when Ryan Neufeld caught a one-yard pass from Brooks Bollinger for a 28-13 lead. It was the first pass of the drive as the first five plays were all runs, including 11- and 16-yard runs by Tatum Bell on back-to-back plays.
The Sentinels began on their own 26 and did get a first down on a pass to Ronnie Ghent, who did his best Edwin Moses imitation when he tried a hurdler move on the right sideline during a 12-yard gain. A few plays later though, New York was forced to punt and the Tuskers took over at their own 29 with 3:30 to go in the 3rd.
Florida continues to move the chains as time runs out in the 3rd.
Note: It’s great to hear the voice of Paul Maguire. ESPN/ABC made a huge mistake by taking him off the NFL telecasts. Maguire also seems to be more up on the UFL rules than the officials.
2nd quarter update –
After no penalties in the first quarter, a flag comes out on the opening play of the second quarter as the Sentinels tried to get the Tuskers to jump on 4th-and-1. It didn’t happen, 5-yard penalty. New York then converted the 32-yard FG try for a 10-0 lead very early in the quarter.
The Tuskers next drive began at their own 30 after an exciting 20-yard kickoff return by Willie Andrews. However, three plays later, Florida was forced to punt after a Bollinger scramble on 3rd-and-9 didn’t get enough for the first down.
New York took over at its own 25 and got one first down, but the Sentinels couldn’t get anymore. The punt coverage team came through pinning the Tuskers inside their own 10.
On the next series, Bollinger was picked off on a 3rd down by Paul Pratt, a player who tried out to make the team, and he returned it 27 yards to the Tuskers’ 1-yard line.
Cecil Sapp was unable to score on two carries from the 1-yard line and NY took a time out on 3rd down with 8:17 left in the half. On 3rd down LaBrandon Toefield took a pitch on the right side and fumbled toward the goal line into the end zone. The ball was recovered by Florida, which took over at its own 20.
Brooks Bollinger then completed passes on the first two plays – one to Chas Gessner for 8 yards and one to Jason Foster for 13 yards. An illegal blitz was then called on New York – a 15-yard penalty. On a second down, Foster picked up 21 yards on a nice cross into the middle of the field after receiving the ball on the left side. A third down pass to Michael Pittman brought the ball to the Sentinels 9. On the next play, Bollinger pulled off a nice play action fake and hit Frank Murphy for the score. The extra point is good by Matt Bryant and the score is NY 10, FL 7 with 3:52 left in the half. The Tuskers turned what looked like it was about to be a 17-point deficit into just a three-point one.
New York’s next drive began at its own 24, but on second down Quinn Gray was picked off by Fakhir Brown and the Tuskers take over on the Sentinels 35.
Florida didn’t waste any time as Bollinger found a wide open Taye Biddle down the middle of the field for a score. Bryant hit the XP and all of a sudden the Tuskers move in front 14-10 with 2:52 left in the second quarter.
NY starts its next drive on its own 29. A second down pass to Steve Sanders was good for 21, moving into FL territory. A 10-yard run by LaBrandon Toefield was followed by a 7-yard pass to Ronnie Ghent. After an incomplete pass, Quinn Gray had to burn NY’s last timeout of the half to avoid a delay of game penalty with 46 ticks left on the clock. On 3rd-and-3 at Florida’s 30, Gray kept the drive alive with a short completion. On 3rd down, Gray grounded the ball, which is legal in the UFL, to avoid a sack that would’ve ended the half. The play allows NY to try a 42-yard FG, which was good with nine seconds left in the half.
At the half, it’s FL 14, NY 13.
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1st quarter update --
On the game's first drive, Quinn Gray and Craphonso Thorpe put on a show for the Sentinels. Gray hit Thorpe for a 54-yard connection and the two later combined on an 11-yard pass play for the team's first score and an early 7-0 lead.
Brooks Bollinger then drove the Tuskers down the field, but the drive stalled, setting up a 35-yard field goal attempt by former Buccaneer Matt Bryant. However, the kick was unsuccessful. Bollinger was 4-for-5 on the drive.
New York didn't get a first down though on its second drive and punted it back to Florida, which took over at its 28, following a 45-yard punt by Tom Malone.
The Tuskers' second drive came to a quick end when on 3rd and 3, Simeon Rice recorded his first UFL sack. Todd Sauerbrun punted it away for Florida and New York took over on its own 36.
The Sentinels gained nine yards on two carries by LaBrandon Toefield and added 15 yards on a 3rd-and-1 toss by Gray to tight end Ronnie Ghent. Ghent dragged multiple tacklers about 10 yards on the play. On 2nd-and-10 at the Tuskers 40, Charles Ali busted off a 22-yard run. On 3rd-and-9 the Sentinels hit a draw for 8 yards by Ali. The fourth and short decision will have to be made after the break. That's the end of the opening quarter -- Sentinels 7, Tuskers 0.
Also see the current UFL standings and it looks like two Examiners are at tonight's game. Make sure to check out the coverage from Ted Fleming, Tampa Bay Sports Examiner and Adam Soucie, Florida Tuskers Examiner.
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UFL update: Sentinels at Tuskers
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