Admirals soar, Patriots fall

By Michael Selecky
VIEW Sports Writer

BATTLE CREEK — After taking last weekend off to celebrate Independence Day, The Michigan Admirals of the United States Football Alliance (USFA) were back in action last Saturday at Battle Creek, extinguishing the Blaze, 30-28, on the strength of two two-point conversions.

After the first quarter ended with Battle Creek taking a 7-0 lead, Michigan began to mount a comeback, outscoring the Blaze, 14-13, in the second to send the game into halftime with the Admirals down, 20-14. As the two teams each scored a touchdown with a two-point conversion in the game’s final stanza, the difference in the contest came in the third quarter, as Michigan managed an 8-0 advantage.

Offensively, Andre Broach led the team with 23 carries for 141 yards and three scores, along with two catches for 21 yards. For the receiving corps, Davison graduate Justin McHugh topped the team with four grabs for 27 yards and a touchdown, Donquay Granberry made three receptions for 68 yards and Lapeer East product Steve Treece notched two catches for 20 yards. McHugh also ran for four yards.

On the other side of the ball, the Admirals’ leaders included Grand Blanc graduate Chad Howe, who was second on the team with six tackles, Walter Jackson made a game-high 12 stops and Justin Marrs had eight tackles and one sack. For- mer Bobcat Mike Thomas also got in on the action with four stops.

The victory helped Mich- igan end a three-game losing streak and upped its record to 2-3 overall. They next play this Saturday when they host the Ohio Outlawz.

In other semi-professional football action, the Genesee County Patriots of the North American Football League (NAFL) began their 2008 season last Saturday in Ontario, losing to the Tri-City Thunder, 29-9. Last season the Patriots beat Tri City twice when they were still known as the Titans.

After the Thunder drew the game’s first blood to go up 7-0, both teams settled down and played some quality defense, resulting in the two squads exchanging safeties before Tri City found the end zone once again. This sent the game into halftime with Genesee County down, 16-2.

In the third quarter, the Patriots got things going by forcing a defensive turnover on Tri City’s first possession, which they converted into a 10-play offensive drive that climaxed with a two-yard touchdown romp from fullback Chuck Wheeler. With a successful point-after attempt by kicker Brian Dinnan, Genesee County made it a one-possession-game at, 16-9.

The Patriots began the fourth quarter with a strong defensive showing, forcing Tri City into a punting situation that they hoped would lead to their gaining a little more momentum. Instead, Genesee County fumbled in its own end zone, which was quickly recovered and turned into a defensive score to give Tri City a 22-9 advantage.

In an effort to stop the bleeding, Patriot quar- terback Dave Inman went skyward, eventually throwing an interception that Tri City returned just three yards shy of the Genesee County end zone. Three plays later the Thunder hit pay dirt with the game’s final score. The Patriots next play this Saturday in London, Ontario.

Elsewhere in the NAFL, the Lapeer County Lions played its first ever regular-season contest last Saturday at its home field at Almont High School, topping the Flint Fury of the Mid-Continental Football League, 20-13. The game was also the season opener for Flint, who plays its home games at historic Atwood Stadium.

The win put the Lions atop the Central Lakes Division with Tri-City at 1-0 while the Patriots and the London Silverbacks both started out at 0-1.

Lapeer County next plays this Saturday at Tri City. Flint will next face the Seminoles in Detroit.