Entries in Raeder of the Lost Blog for March, 2008
Reichard's grand night
Cody Reichard dind't have to enter the net to give the Ice Dogs a big lift Saturday.
All he had to do was take off his shirt.
Lovin' Lenny
As the Ice Dogs' season winds down, the team is auctioning off players' jerseys between periods of their final two games.
The big winner so far?
Grizzlies Transactions update
Some quick updates since the last transaction post...
New Grizzlies
With military and other commitments keeping some players from traveling, the Grizzlies added four players to their roster for Saturday's game in Texas against the Frisco Thunder.
The aftermath
After an intitial burst of jubilation from Dawkins' interception, the crowd had to wait a few minutes to react to the win. That -- coupled with the fact that fans are allowed on the field after the game -- led to a relatively relaxed denoument. The fans calmly filed out ...
Fairbanks wins 22-17
Fairbanks is a winless franchise no longer.
Thanks for tuning in, folks. I'll be back with one more post to make more corrections.
-JA
Dawkins seals the deal
Grizzlies DB Devin Dawkins picked off Odessa QB Gates at the Fairbanks 14 with 26 seconds to go. The Roughnecks don't have enough timeouts, and Fairbanks will have its first professional football win.
Last gasp
With 53 seconds left, Fairbanks missed a 39-yard field goal, giving the Roughnecks the ball on the 5-yard line with 49 seconds remaining. Odessa needs a touchdown, and they need it on this drive.
-JA
Down to the wire
2:49 remains in the game after a 53-yard Odessa field goal cut the Grizzlies' lead to five (22-17). Fairbanks has the ball at midfield, but there's still plenty of time for possession to change hands a few times.
-JA
This is indoor football, right?
The Grizzlies just attempted a futile 64-yard field goal with 9:25 left in the 4th. The defensive lines have been dominant today, giving neither quarterback much time to see the entire field. This has made the the second half a ball-control game, much unlike the Grizzlies previous two high-scoring games. ...
Odessa back on the board
Odessa broke the third quarter's scoring drought with 4:02 remaing as Gates hit Jimmy Connor in the back corner of the end zone, cutting the Grizzlies lead to 22-14.
After flying through the first half, the game has slowed considerably. More than half of the third period is gone ...
Padon my dust
Well, dust is a light term for what I've been leaving behind as I try to keep up with the pace of the game. I found a few minutes to go back and make some corrections:
Adrian Perez did not catch a touchdown with 3:47 remaining in the second. ...
For your halftime viewing pleasure ...
1: Fan tries to throw a ball through a hula hoop held by a woman standing out of the sunroof of a car. More than anything, the woman uses the hoop in self-defense.
2: Fat-suit sumo wrestling. Who doesn't like that?
3: Lady Grizzlies dance. The music plays ...
Halftime 22-7
Bartik's interception with 55 seconds left in the half turned out to be a positive play.
Odessa fumbled on their own 3 yard line with 16 seconds remaining. Bartik covered that ground with a QB sneak to score, leaving 10 seconds on the clock. The Grizzlies head into halftime ...
Easy, guys
Bartik found Damien Ward open in the flat for a 35-yard touchdown to put the Grizzlies up 15-7 (missed extra point) with 3:47 to go. But that was soon overshadowed by an inexplicable whistle during the ensuing kickoff return ... that led to a sideline scuffle in which mouthguard went ...
Interception
Fairbanks turned the ball over for the first time in the game as Bo Bartik threw an interception to Odessa's Brandon Douglas with about 6 minutes to go in the second quarter.
-JA
A defensive IFL game is possible
With 8:46 remaining in the second quarter, Odessa missed a 35-yard field goal and neither team has scored this quarter.
-JA
Gates' second flub
Marcus Gates, the Odessa QB who replaced Gile, followed the fumbled snap with an interception on Odessa's next posession to end the quater. 9-7 Grizzlies.
-JA
Safety first...
After missing a field goal from the 11, the Grizzlies got a safety on a fumbled snap by Odessa. Grizzlies 9-7.
-JA
A few bits before someone scores again
The place is nearly full and the acoustics in the Carlson Center make it seem like there are fans cheering from behind the bleachers.
Owner Chad Dittman opened the game by announcing the Alaska Wild had lost to Chorpus Christi. He then announced the Roughnecks determination to beat the ...
Tied up
After seeming to stall on their first set of downs, Odessa was able to move down the field. QB Dennis Gile rolled out to his right and threw across his body to find WR Don Robinson open in the middle of the end zone. 7-7.
Gile took a hard ...
Well that was quick
Fairbanks QB Bo Bartik found Solomon Jones for a touchdown with only 18 seconds expired. Grizzlies are up 7-0.
-JA
Pregame, ect.
Running back/linebacker Justin Ferringer remains on injured reserve, and lineman Jay Fulk and wideout/defensive back Jeff Myrielkes also won’t see the field tonight for the Grizzlies.
It was plenty chilly, but there were about 10 tailgates in the north parking lot about two hours before game time. A man ...
Mutiny on the Lost Blog?
If you thought it was impossible for Adam Raeder to write a live blog of the Grizzlies game while in Anchorage for the high school basketball state championships, well, you were right.
I’m Josh Armstrong, and I’ll be taking Raeder’s duty as your eyes and ears at tonight’s IFL ...
Overtime heartbreaker
The Eielson Ravens had the ball with a minute to play in regulation, they couldn't get a shot off.
Eielson leads, barely...
After the third quarter Eielson holds a 48-44 lead over Haines.
Eielson Halftime (I'm back)
At halftime in the boy's 3A semifinal, Haines leads Eielson 30-28.
Lathrop leads; Hawks trail
After three quarters of play at the Sully, Lathrop holds a 35-31 lead on Juneau, while Hutchison trails 38-27 to Petersburg.
Halftime for Hutch; close for Lathrop
(1:40 p.m.)The Hawks are making the most of their poor draw -- a lot of people had Petersburg as the team to beat, and now Hutch faces them in the second round -- hanging with Petersburg at halftime.
Galena reigns supreme
The Galena Hawks are your Class 2A boys champs.
8 minutes to immortality
The Galena Hawks are eight minutes away from the 2A state boys basketball title.
After three quarters, Galena holds a 54-39 lead over Bristol Bay.
Hawks fly into halftime
The second half is about to start and the Galena Hawks are within 16 minutes of a state title.
2A title game, End 1Q
So far, this game has been everything a title game should be.
Hawks down
(1:55 p.m.) Sorry about not getting you the halftime updates you've become accustomed to (OK, you're probably not accustomed to anything at this point, but I don't see how that's important.)
Anyway, in a game that gives whole new meaning to back-and-forth game, the Hawks found themselves down 21-9 ...
Ravens have this one
(12:35 p.m.) If this were a medical drama, there'd be a nurse next to me urging, "Doctor, you've done all you can, you've got to call it."
Your halftime update
The Eielson Ravens have recovered from their early scare.
Lathrop Falls
The Lost Blog has just learned from valued correspondent Danny Martin that the Lathrop boys had a rough start to the state tournament, falling to No. 2 Bartlett 64-37.
For reasons that can best be described as "a really loud gym," further details could not be heard.
Good morning Anchorage
The Surgeon General warns that it could be hazardous to your healthy to blog on as little sleep as I've got, but that's a risk we at the Lost Blog are willing to take.
Beer call?
We've just received word that the Carlson Center, err, Grizzly Cave, is out of beer.
Grizzlies score
I wonder if my News-Miner workman's comp covers whiplash?
The seesaw just sawed back
The last 60 seconds have been rough of Fairbanks.
Trading TDs
To answer my own question from the previous post: No.
Higgs stayed perfect on the night, hitting Darrick Wallace for over the middle for a 27-yard score.
But Bartik is finding his rhythm, hitting Tim Copeland on a perfectly thrown pass to the corner of the end zone. ...
Putting out an APB for a pass rush -- and a Grizz score
The Fairbanks defense has been solid for the most part, but their pass rush is a glaring weakness right now.
Grizzlies pull closer
Bo Bartik and Solomon Jones have barely had time to learn each other's name, but they just pulled Fairbanks within a score.
The newest wideout caught a 28-yard strike from the newest quarterback as the Grizzlies pulled within 19-14.
The Grizzlies cheerleaders aren't exempt from the trials of ...
Tough loss
Maybe the Grizzlies should send their gloves back to whoever made them.
Fairbanks had its third fumble of the game, this one by far the most painful.
Donnie McCumby was on the doorstep of scoring, but lost the ball while diving for the goal line.
Katy recovered ...
End 1Q
The first quarter is in the books and the Fairbanks Grizzlies trail 19-8.
After Fairbanks' 4-and-out, Katy drove right down the field, with Carlos Alsup making a 3-yard scoring scamper.
Lucky for the Grizzlies, though, the Katy kicker keeps missing wide right.
Katy also seems to be ...
Fairbanks' offense sputters
On their first drive, the Fairbanks Grizzlies went 4-and-out.
The drive featured three incomplete passes. One was dropped, one was underthrown, one seemed to be miscommunication between Bartik and his receiver.
The other play? A fumbled toss reminiscent of Fairbanks' first game against the Wild.
13-8 Katy, ...
6:27 1st Q
We have a drive.
The Katy Ruff Riders answered Fairbanks' score with one of their own, using seven plays to cover 23 yards, ending on a 8-yard pass from Higgs to Goins.
13-8 Katy.
"Let's make history..."
...that was Fairbanks owner Chad Dittman's message to the fans before the game.
The Ruff Riders are receiving to open the game and the Grizzlies open with an onside kick.
(Yesterday, Dittman told Fourcade he'd slip him $100 to open the game with an onside try.)
Katy ...
Here are your Grizz
If you wanted to know what a grizzly would do to The Who's "We won't get fooled again" and Motley Crue's "Dr. Feelgood" the Grizzlies have your answer.
The Grizzly Cave
"The Grizzly Cave"
Apparently that's what they're calling the Carlson Center these days.
But as more and more fans filter in, we're learning the newfound cave isn't without a few problems.
Mainly, the Grizzlies seem to have to sold tickets to press row, where yours truly and ...
T-minus 35 minutes
The clock is counting down on the Fairbanks Grizzlies first home game.
Dittman's Dilemma
John Fourcade doesn’t seem like a man to mince words — especially about football.
Campbell's future up in the air
When the Alaska Nanooks wrapped up their first season under head coach Clemon Johnson Friday, they did so without point guard Keven Campbell.
It's finally over
The end result? 88-12 Wild.
Now it's time to see how much the coaches and players can learn from this in a week.
To anyone who stuck around, thanks. And make sure to check out the News-Miner tomorrow.
Still not over...
Is there a mercy rule in IFL?
The Wild lead 66-12 and there's a delay becuase some fan shot confetti onto the field.
After play resumed, Mystrom ran for a 15-yard TD, now 74-12 with 7:22 to play.
EDIT: If anyone's still sticking around until the bitter ...
End 3Q
At this point, the Grizzlies must just want to get out of town.
At the end of the third quarter, the rude awakening for Fairbanks stands at 58-12 Wild.
Back on Track
The Fairbanks Grizzlies offense showed some life in their first possession of the second half.
Set up in good field position by Tim Copeland's 35-yard kick return, Jeff Flanagan scored on a 1-yard scamper on 4th-and-goal.
But the Wild scored on the opening possession of the second half, ...
Halftime
The Fairbanks Grizzlies go into halftime trailing 28-6.
The Wild picked up a touchdown on a 26-yard pass from Nick Mystrom to Keith Smith to take a 26-6 advantage.
On the next Grizzlies play, the snap went over the head of Powell and Mike Quinn recovered for a ...
20-6 Wild
Demarcus James is all over the field.
The Wild cornerback now has 3 INTs, including 2 that he's returned for touchdowns.
3:44 2Q. 20-6 Wild, with the Wild driving.
Fairbanks' first score!
Put Serre Rodgers in the history books.
The linebacker scored the first touchdown, and points, in Fairbanks history, recovering a Wild fumble in the end zone.
The Grizzlies had their extra point try blocked and the Wild marched right back down the field, scoring on a 12-yard Atonio ...
Fairbanks on the doorstep
The Grizzlies are threatening to score again after a big play by Devin Dawkins.
With the Wild on the Fairbanks 5, Dawkins corralled a tipped pass to give Fairbanks the ball back.
They now have 1st-and-2 at the Wild 2.
Start 2nd 7-0 Wild.
2:53 1st Q 7-0 Wild
The turnover bug hit the Grizzlies again as they lost their third fumble of the game.
The Wild now hold the ball with 4th and 6 on the Fairbanks 19.
There have been six possessions between the two teams, with five ending in turnovers (4 fumbles, 1 turnover ...
Tough Start
The Grizzlies promising opening drive came to an abrupt end when Anchorage's Demarcus James stepped in front of a Chris Powell pass and returned it 45 yards for a touchdown.
On the ensuing drive, after Powell's second completion to Kenny Wilson, a pitch went off Wilson's helmet and the ...
It's finally here
The Fairbanks Grizzlies' first season in the intese football league is underway with Kenny Wilson's 20-yard kickoff return.
The Grizz open their first posession at their own 19 and their first play is a pass to Tim Copeland on an out route that goes through his hands.
The ...
T-minus 20 minutes
If this is a sellout, a lot of people must still be
A rough welcome to the Sully
The Fairbanks Grizzlies were out on the field doing pregame stretches for the first time. By the time it was over, they were without Batman and Robin.
A look at the hockey landscape
Here's a look at the some of the news making headlines around the CCHA and college hockey.
-- Injured Michigan captain Chad Kolarik is finding ways to motivate his team.
-- But he's on the mend.
-- USA Today is singing the praises of ...
Welcome to the News-Miner's new sports blog
Thanks to the good folks working tech at the News-Miner, I know own this little corner of cyberspace.