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 April 4, 2005 - Evansville, IN - The Evansville Bluecats defeated the Lexington Horsemen Saturday night at Roberts Stadium to remain undefeated and take over first place in the UIF’s South Division. The win makes the Bluecats 2-0 on the season, and drops defending champion Lexington to 2-1.
The Bluecats offense was once again led by a strong running game. Evansville running back Dale Jennings rushed for 90 yards on 22 attempts and scored 2 touchdowns. Running back Otis Shannon added 39 yards and one touchdown on five carries in his first Bluecats game, and Sean Bennett added three touchdowns rushing and two receiving.
After the game, Head Coach Ollie Guidry said, “Dale continued to play well for us. This time he shared the wealth with Otis who was making his debut. Sean Bennett really had a big game. Five touchdowns for a skill position player is incredible. We were really able to take advantage of his athleticism and his ability to play more than one spot on the field. He’s going to be a big part of our continued success.”
Evansville quarterback Ramon Robinson completed 13 of his 24 pass attempts for 151 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. The offensive line did not allow him to be sacked.
Byron Curtis led the Bluecats receivers catching four of Robinson’s passes for 53 yards. Gerald Clark caught 3 passes for 29 yards and Sean Bennett had two receptions for 45 yards, both for touchdowns.
The Bluecats scored on all five offensive possessions of the first half behind four touchdowns and a field goal to take a 31-16 halftime lead. The Bluecats scored two more touchdowns on their first two possessions of the second half to open up their largest lead of the game at 45-22 midway through the third quarter.
The Evansville Bluecats offense converted on 9 of their 11 3rd down conversion opportunities during the game. In total, the offense tallied 25 first downs against the Horsemen. 9 first downs were achieved through passing, 12 by rushing, and 4 by defensive penalty.
“In the first half, the team played very well. The guys stuck to the game plan and we played Bluecats football.” Coach Guidry said. “The second half was exciting for the fans but it was too close for comfort. We didn’t capitalize on some opportunities but all in all, the guys continued to fight. We let them back in the game a little bit but we really put that on ourselves. Lexington is championship team and they’re not going to lie down for anyone, so this is a big win. I know it’s early, but we’re 2-0. They (Lexington) haven’t lost in a long time and it’s our first win ever against them.”
The Bluecats defense played well again. The Bluecats only allowed Lexington to convert on 4 of their 13 3rd down conversions and intercepted Dusty Bonner twice. Evansville’s defense was once again led by Connie Brown who recorded 7.5 tackles, including 5 solo tackles. Tywaiin Dismuke intercepted two of Bonner’s passes and had one other pass break up. Dismuke also added 7 tackles including one for a loss to his excellent defensive effort.
Defensive back Quincy Roe had 6 tackles and Scotty Stewart added 5 tackles. Roe and Stewart each broke up one pass. Linebacker Darrell Jack had 4.5 tackles and broke up two passes. Defensive end Richard Johnson had 4 tackles, all for a loss, totaling 14 yards. Johnson also broke up one pass.
“In my opinion, Lexington is one of the most physical teams we’d seen in a long time. The defense dealt with adversity and fought through it. It’s a great group that really plays well together no matter what happens. They stepped up and contained one of the best quarterbacks in the league.” Coach Guidry commented about the Bluecats defense.
The loss snaps Lexington’s 10 game winning streak dating back to last season, and it’s the first road loss for the Horsemen in almost a year dating back to last May 15th.
Up next, the first place Bluecats will hit road for the first time this season and start a two game road trip when they take on the Tupelo FireAnts (0-3) on Friday night, April 8th, at the BancorpSouth Center in Tupelo, Mississippi. Kickoff will be at 7:30pm.
The Bluecats return home on Saturday, April 23rd, when they welcome the Black Hills Red Dogs to Robert’s Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7:05pm. For tickets, contact the Roberts Stadium box office at 812-476-1383 or Ticketmaster. For the complete Evansville Bluecats 2005 schedule, please visit the website at www.evansvillebluecats.com.
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