FIRE
SINK STEAMWHEELERS
Box
Score
Moline, IL–With the Quad City
Steamwheelers trailing 35-21 at the half,
a strong second half effort came up short
as the ‘Wheelers (2-3) fell 55-53 to the
Louisville Fire in front of 4,721 at the
i wireless Center on Saturday, May 3.
Quarterback Matt Bassuener extended the
Fire lead, 42-21, to start the third quarter
on a one-yard quarterback sneak. However,
the Steamwheelers battled back to score
the next 21 points to pull within two points
early in the fourth quarter, 42-40. Peters
hauled in the 38-yard reception from quarterback
J.J. Raterink as he scored his first of
three touchdowns in the final frame. Ricardo
Lenhart and Demetrius Forney scored the
final two touchdowns of the night for the
Fire to between the Peters catches to give
the Fire a 55-46 lead with just 37 seconds
remaining. Peters hauled in his fourth touchdown
catch of the night with just nine seconds
remaining in the fourth quarter to once
again pull the ‘Wheelers to within two.
The Fire ran out the clock after the Steamwheelers
failed on a last second on-side kick.
For the ‘Wheelers Raterink finished with
315 yards and seven touchdown passes on
22 completions. Peters had his best game
of the season catching four touchdowns and
tallying 154 receiving yards on nine catches.
Wide Receiver Jesse Schmidt finished with
six catches for 110 yards and three touchdowns.
On defense, Kevin Adams led the team in
his debut with 9.5 tackles and a interceptions,
while Jeremy Blocker notched nine tackles.
For the Fire, Bassuener finished with two
touchdown passes and 218 yards on 22 completions.
He also paced the team with 57 rushing yards
and three rushing touchdowns. Lenhart finished
as Louisville’s leading receiver as he hauled
in one touchdown on 133 yards and 13 catches.
Dominic Ross had a game-high 10 tackles
on defense, while Tymere Zimmerman and Mat
Forbes each registered a pick.
During the game Bassuener and Forney set
two Louisville Fire single game team records.
The two combined for 108 yards which is
the most surpassing 106 yards on April 21,
2007 vs. the Alabama Steeldogs. The team
also elcipsed the previous mark of 18 rushing
attempts with 20 rushing attempts against
the Steamwheelers.
The Fire travel to Des Moines, Iowa next
weekend to take on the Barnstormers before
returning home for its first contest this
season against the Mahoning Valley Thunder
on Saturday, May 17.
Score by Quarter |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Final |
Louisville Fire
(4-2) |
21 |
14 |
7 |
13 |
55 |
Quad City Steamwheelers
(2-3) |
7 |
14 |
13 |
19 |
53 |
LEADERS:
PASSING: BASSUENER, Matt (LOU) 22-40-1-218;
RATERINK, J.J. (QCS) 22-33-2-315
RECEIVING: LENHART, Ricardo (LOU) 13-133-1;
PETERS, Kris (QCS) 9-154-4
RUSHING: BASSUENER, Matt (LOU) 12-57-3;
KERR, Nik (QCS) 2-6-1
PNC Bank MVP: Demetrius Forney
(LOU)
Schutt Offensive Player of the Game: Matt
Bassuener (LOU)
JLS Ironman of the Game: Andrew Jilles (QCS)
ADT Defensive Player of the Game: Demetrius
Forney (LOU)
Cutters Catch of the Game: Kris Peters (QCS)
