Heartbreak in the Valley for the Renegades
By: Rhett Kleinschmidt
Updated: June 10, 2007
For video highlights, click on the gray "Watch" icon.
FRESNO, California - Central Valley Coyotes Aleric Clark returned a pair of
kickoff
returns for touchdowns, including a 56-yard return as time expired to
prevent a Lubbock comeback win and defeat the Lubbock Renegades 74-68
Saturday night in front of frenzied 2,497 fans at Selland Arena. The
Renegades saw their two-game winning streak snapped and they drop to 4-6 on
the season.
The two teams combined for 21 touchdowns and there was only one defensive
stop of the combined 18 offensive drives. Lubbock's defense could not stop
the Coyotes offense, which found the endzone on all eight offensive
possessions. The only stop came on the first play of the second quarter, as
Donyell Booker scooped up a fumble in Lubbock's offensive backfield and
scampered 18 yards for the score. While the Coyotes strikes were short and
sweet, Lubbock manufactured their scoring drives. Special teams play hurt
the Renegades again, placing the Coyotes with quality field position and
forcing themselves to drive long lengths on their scoring drives. The
Renegades offense almost overcame the lack of productive special teams and
defensive collapses with the play of quarterback Robert Kent. Kent helped
the Renegades go 7-for-7 on fourth down conversions and had his hand
involved in all ten touchdowns produced by Lubbock. The Lubbock
signal-caller tossed eight touchdowns and completed 28 of 45 passes for 363
yards, while also rushing for two scores. Kent finished with 43 rushing
yards on seven carries. Chris Highshaw led Lubbock receivers with 126 yards
on seven catches, including a franchise best 45-yard touchdown reception.
John King had three of Kent's eight touchdown throws for his second
consecutive three-touchdown performance.
Quarterback Clay Groefsema picked apart Lubbock's defense by completing 16
of his 20 pass attempts for 230 yards and five touchdowns. His primary
target was Tonae Martin, who caught 9 passes for 121 yards and found the
endzone twice. Fullback Damian Martin also rushed for a pair of scores in
the see-saw affair that saw 12 lead changes.
Lubbock almost pulled off the dramatic win before being upstaged by Clark's
winning score. As Central Valley marched offensively in the final minute
trailing 62-60, Lubbock's Chris Hudler gave Groefsema an escort to the
endzone on first-and-goal from the five yard line. It allowed the Coyotes
to take a 68-62 lead, but it gave Lubbock back the ball with 40-seconds
remaining and an opportunity to grab the final lead. Lubbock did go the
distance on the ensuing drive and Robert Kent's one-yard touchdown run with
four-seconds remaining tied the game at 68-68, and Chris Balseiro's PAT was
blocked to keep the score tied. Thoughts, which then shifted to the thought
of overtime, were quickly ended on the following kickoff, as Clark eluded
several defenders down the right side of the wall and gave the Coyotes the
home win.
Lubbock now heads into a bye week and will not play until they host the
Amarillo Dusters for a Central Division battle on Saturday, June 23rd at
Lubbock's City Bank Coliseum.
(courtesy: Renegades press release)
For video highlights, click on the gray "Watch" icon.
FRESNO, California - Central Valley Coyotes Aleric Clark returned a pair of
kickoffreturns for touchdowns, including a 56-yard return as time expired to
prevent a Lubbock comeback win and defeat the Lubbock Renegades 74-68
Saturday night in front of frenzied 2,497 fans at Selland Arena. The
Renegades saw their two-game winning streak snapped and they drop to 4-6 on
the season.
The two teams combined for 21 touchdowns and there was only one defensive
stop of the combined 18 offensive drives. Lubbock's defense could not stop
the Coyotes offense, which found the endzone on all eight offensive
possessions. The only stop came on the first play of the second quarter, as
Donyell Booker scooped up a fumble in Lubbock's offensive backfield and
scampered 18 yards for the score. While the Coyotes strikes were short and
sweet, Lubbock manufactured their scoring drives. Special teams play hurt
the Renegades again, placing the Coyotes with quality field position and
forcing themselves to drive long lengths on their scoring drives. The
Renegades offense almost overcame the lack of productive special teams and
defensive collapses with the play of quarterback Robert Kent. Kent helped
the Renegades go 7-for-7 on fourth down conversions and had his hand
involved in all ten touchdowns produced by Lubbock. The Lubbock
signal-caller tossed eight touchdowns and completed 28 of 45 passes for 363
yards, while also rushing for two scores. Kent finished with 43 rushing
yards on seven carries. Chris Highshaw led Lubbock receivers with 126 yards
on seven catches, including a franchise best 45-yard touchdown reception.
John King had three of Kent's eight touchdown throws for his second
consecutive three-touchdown performance.
Quarterback Clay Groefsema picked apart Lubbock's defense by completing 16
of his 20 pass attempts for 230 yards and five touchdowns. His primary
target was Tonae Martin, who caught 9 passes for 121 yards and found the
endzone twice. Fullback Damian Martin also rushed for a pair of scores in
the see-saw affair that saw 12 lead changes.
Lubbock almost pulled off the dramatic win before being upstaged by Clark's
winning score. As Central Valley marched offensively in the final minute
trailing 62-60, Lubbock's Chris Hudler gave Groefsema an escort to the
endzone on first-and-goal from the five yard line. It allowed the Coyotes
to take a 68-62 lead, but it gave Lubbock back the ball with 40-seconds
remaining and an opportunity to grab the final lead. Lubbock did go the
distance on the ensuing drive and Robert Kent's one-yard touchdown run with
four-seconds remaining tied the game at 68-68, and Chris Balseiro's PAT was
blocked to keep the score tied. Thoughts, which then shifted to the thought
of overtime, were quickly ended on the following kickoff, as Clark eluded
several defenders down the right side of the wall and gave the Coyotes the
home win.
Lubbock now heads into a bye week and will not play until they host the
Amarillo Dusters for a Central Division battle on Saturday, June 23rd at
Lubbock's City Bank Coliseum.
(courtesy: Renegades press release)
For video highlights, click on the gray "Watch" icon.
