The Kings Comets, Inc.: Kings Comets: 14 - Southern Michigan Timberwolves: 10

  Kings Comets: 14 - Southern Michigan Timberwolves: 10 Back to Schedules
  Teams: Score:      
  Kings Comets vs 14      
  Southern Michigan Timberwolves 10      
Game Played 7/25/2009 7:05PM  

COMETS COME HOME WITH A WIN
Kings opens MCFL play with 14-10 road win

The Kings Comets (1-1 1-0 MCFL) began play in the Mid-Continental Football League by ending several droughts with a 14-10 win against the Southern Michigan Timberwolves Saturday night at Navarre Field in Monroe, Mich.
The win was the first for the Comets in Michigan since a 21-19 win against the North Oakland Tigers in 1998, ending a 10-game losing streak in the state, and first road win of any kind since a 7-6 win at the Fort Wayne Flyers June 30, 2007. The game also gave the Comets a measure of revenge after suffering the worst loss in team history to the Timberwolves last season, 46-0.
None of those streaks seemed in jeopardy after the Timberwolves marched 67 yards on 13 plays to open the game with an 8:32 scoring drive. Leonard LaCroix capped the drive with a 3-yard touchdown run that put Southern Michigan ahead, 7-0.
Kings defense managed to limit the Timberwolves to just one field goal the rest of the game despite the fact the Timberwolves started seven of their next nine possessions in Comet territory, including a run of six straight.
The Comets offense struggled in the first half, with just 33 yards of offense and two first downs. James Frazier did connect with Phillips Barnett on a 33-yard pass that put the Comets inside the 10 yard line late in the first quarter, but Kings was pushed backwards from there and did not score.
Kings offense outdid its first-half effort on the opening drive of the second half. Frazier connected with Dominick Goodman for a 45-yard pass on the second play of the third quarter, and the next play resulted in a 10-yard touchdown pass to Barnett. Goodman hauled in the two-point conversion to put Kings ahead, 8-7, just 2:12 into the second half.
Goodman, the former Colerain and University of Cincinnati receiver, led the Comets with four catches for 80 yards in his debut with the team. The touchdown was the second of the season for Barnett, who caught two passes for 43 yards. Frazier finished nine-of-18 passing for 139 yards.
TiRon Jones extended the lead for the Comets later in the quarter when he intercepted his second pass of the game, this time returning it 99 yards for a touchdown. The two-point conversion failed, leaving Kings lead at 14-7 with 3:34 left in the third quarter.
Southern Michigan appeared ready to tie the score after a three-yard touchdown run by Quentin Celano in the fourth quarter, but the play was negated by a holding penalty and the Timberwolves had to settle for a 30-yard Rasko Apostolovski field goal with just over 10 minutes remaining and never reached Kings territory again.
The Comets return home to Little Miami High School this Saturday for the first of two important home games against South Division rivals. The Comets play the Indiana Mustangs (1-0, 1-0) 7 p.m. August 1, with the winner claiming the early lead in the division.   


BOX SCORE
KINGS 0 0 14 0 -- 14
SOUTHERN MICHIGAN 7 0 0 3 -- 10


FIRST QUARTER

S- LaCroix 3 yard run (Apostolovski kick), 6:28.

THIRD QUARTER

K- Barnett 10 yard pass from Frazier (Goodman pass from Frazier), 12:48.

K- Jones 99 yard interception return (pass failed), 3:34

FOURTH QUARTER

S- Apostolovski 30 yard field goal, 10:04.


KINGS SO. MICH.
First Downs 5 13
(Run-Pass-Penalty) (0-4-1) (5-6-2)
Third Down Conversions 2-9 6-16
Fourth Down Conversions 0-3 1-2
Rushing 18-(-10) 31-78
Passing 9-18-0 12-29-3
Gross Pass Yards 139 107
Sacked-Yards Lost 3-14 3-30
Fumbles-Lost 0-0 2-2
Penalties-Yards 10-63 7-60
Time of Possession 23:21 36:39


INDIVIDUAL STATS

RUSHING: Kings- D. Johnson 4-8; Byndon 4-3; Kessler 1-0; Elder 4-(-8); Frazier 5-(-13). Southern Michigan- Celano 11-27; LaCroix 2-12, TD; Smith 5-10; Rizzuto 1-8; Price 1-(-3); Gibson 4-2; Carter 3-10; Huthinson 1-(-4); Others 3-16.

PASSING: Kings- Frazier 9-18-0 139, TD. Southern Michigan- Hart 6-16-2 38; Hutchinson 4-11-1 46; Smith 2-2-0 23.

RECEIVING: Kings- Goodman 4-80; Barnett 2-43, TD; Elder 2-4; Byndon 1-12. Southern Michigan- Celano 3-15; Payu 2-38; Hart 2-16; R. Johnson 1-11; LaCroix 1-10; Price 1-8; Others 2-9.


Click here for a complete box score and play-by-play.