FIRE
FALL TO VISITING QUAD CITY
Louisville, KY- Plagued with
injuries and nearly 60 penalty yards, the
Louisville Fire fell to the visiting Steamwheelers
leaving them with a 2-1 record. Despite
a great effort by Offensive Player of the
Game Lonnell Dewalt and rookie quarterback
Matt Bassuener the Fire could not respond
to the unrelenting Quad City squad.
Former University of Louisville
standout and newly assigned rookie, Broderick
Clark returned the opening kick off 14 yards
to start the game. Quarterback Matt Bassuener
once again showed his running game with
a 12-yard carry. He connected with Ricardo
Lenhart twice and Lonnell Dewalt once to
move the ball down the field. Two incomplete
passes left the Fire no chance for a touchdown.
Kicker Danny Kight was able to put three
points on the board with a successful field
goal.
Quad City’s quarterback J.J.
Raterink connected with Deontrae Johnson
on 2nd and long, but Raterink was sacked
by the efforts of returning linebacker Brett
Maddox. Possession quickly changed when
Bassuener’s pass intended for Dewalt was
fumbled and recovered by the Steamwheelers.
Raterink then found Johnson for a completed
pass and a touchdown. Derek Pearson’s kick
was good, putting the score in Quad City’s
favor 7-3.
As the penalties and incomplete
passes began piling up for the Fire, Bassuener
and his offense were unable to put anything
on the scoreboard early in the second quarter.
Raterink found Jesse Schmidt in the end
zone and Pearson’s kick was again successful
making the score 3-14. Louisville Fire then
brought in quarterback, Aaron Marshall,
who connected with Clark and Dewalt to move
the ball down the field. Although unable
to score, Kight’s kick was good advancing
the score 6-14. Quad City’s offense could
not answer giving Louisville an opportunity
to even the score. Bassuener took advantage,
completing a 12-yard pass to Dewalt. A short
run by Demetrius Forney ended in a score.
Bassuener had a last minute pitch to Dewalt
to complete a successful two-point conversion,
tieing the score 14-14. Quad City responded
with a touchdown of their own with 45 seconds
left in the 2nd quarter. After a failed
extra point, the Fire trailed Quad City
14-20 at halftime.
Quad City started the third
quarter with a pair of incomplete passes;
however Raterink managed to find Kris Peters
for a 20-yard pass. He then connected with
Johnson for a touchdown. Following the Steamwheeler’s
successful field goal, the Fire took action.
Bassuener ran in the end zone for a touchdown
and once again Kight’s kick was flawless.
In an effort to shut down the Steamwheelers,
returning defensive back Matt Forbes picked
off Raterink’s pass. The offense tried to
pull out a score but was unable to do so
when Bassuener’s pass was intercepted.
In the fourth quarter, Quad
City’s Raterink found Johnson again for
a touchdown pass, and Pearson’s kick was
good making the score 21-33. Clark returned
the kick 15 yards to give the Fire momentum.
Marshall connected with Lenhart then found
Dewalt in the end zone. Kight again kicked
making the score 28-33. Tavoris Horton quickly
pulled down a Steamwheeler pass as the Fire
made a final attempt to score. Unable to
post another touchdown, Quad City held off
Louisville 39-28 for the final score.
“We knew Quad City was a good
team and we knew we would show up eventually,
but were going to have to go back to the
drawing board,” commented Head Coach Tommy
Johnson.
The Fire will hit the road
for their second away game of the 2008 season
on Saturday, April 19 against the Tennesse
Valley. They will return to Freedom Hall
on Saturday, April 26 as they face their
hometown rival Lexington Horsemen.
Score by Quarter 1 2 3 4 Total
Quad City 7 13 7 12 39
Louisville 3 11 7 7 28
Attendance: 4,640
PASSING: BASSUENER, Matt (Lou)
14-28-1-160, RATERINK, J.J. (QCS) 16-29-1-201
RUSHING: BASSUENER, Matt (LOU) 5-27, MONK,
Russell (QCS) 2-4
RECEIVING: DEWALT, Lonnell (LOU) 10-81,
JOHNSON, Deontrae (QCS) 8-74
