Hedgehogs 31,   Renegades 10

Renegades ………….0  10  0  0 – 10
Hedgehogs ………….7  10  7  7 – 31


FIRST QUARTER

Hedgehogs: S. Fitzgerald  20 pass from T. Pynchon (S. Beckett kick), 9:08

SECOND QUARTER

Renegades: FG  V. Sickler 27  14:51
Hedgehogs:  J. Kerouac 12 run (S. Beckett kick) 12:33
Renegades: H. Van Noy 1 run (V. Sickler kick)  6:26
Hedgehogs:  FG  S. Beckett  32  1:03

THIRD QUARTER

Hedgehogs:  R. Moody 11 pass from T. Pynchon (S. Beckett kick) 9:08

FOURTH QUARTER

Hedgehogs: R. Bolano 31 interception return (S. Beckett kick)  :53


Attendance: 64,005

                                                Renegades                   Hedgehogs
First Downs ……………………………16                         25
Total Net Yards……………………. 311                        421
Rushes-Yards…………………….25-74                 43-201
Passing…………………………………237                          220
Punt Returns……………………….2-19                        4-46
Kickoff Returns………………….3-113                      3-70
Interceptions Ret…………………..0-0                         1-31
Comp-Att-Int………………….24-35-1                  22-35-0
Sacked-Yards Lost……………….2-14                       1-10
Punts……………………………….4-43.5                      1-33.0
Fumbles-Lost………………………..1-0                            2-0
Penalties-Yards…………………...4-51                         3-25
Time of Possession……………19:34                        40:26



RUSHING

Renegades:   H. Van Noy 9-35,  T. Duff 6-24, K. Hill  4-7, R. Bell 4-3,  S. Webb 2-5.
Hedgehogs:  J. Kerouac 20-117,  D. F. Wallace 19-74,  I. Reed  4-10

PASSING

Renegades:  K. Hill  24-35-1-237
Hedgehogs:  T. Pynchon 20-30-0-185,  I. Reed  2-5-0-35


RECEIVING
Renegades:  A. Friel 8-86, W. Pope 7-63, S. Webb 4-43, T. Stokes 3-39, H. Van Noy 2-6.
Hedgehogs:  S. Fitzgerald 8-93, R. Moody 6-38, B. Behan 4-50, D. F. Wallace 2-24,
M. Martone  1-8,  T. Wendel 1-5.


MISSED FIELD GOALS

Renegades:  V. Sickler  31  (WR)
Hedgehogs:  S. Beckett 51  (short)



RECAP


Hartford –

Roberto Bolano’s 31-yard interception return with less than a minute to go slammed the door on the Karl Hill-led Brooklyn Renegades. It was the linebacker’s first touchdown in a five-year career and he had a sack and a half to go with it. Hill turned the ball over only once but that was enough. Hartford’s defensive line dominated the Renegades after the half when a light rain turned the playing field to mush. The Hedgehogs were able to run most of the game and dominated the clock from that point on. Jack Kerouac and David Foster Wallace combined for nearly 200 yards on the ground. Thomas Pynchon threw touchdown passes to Scott Fitzgerald and Rick Moody before tearing his ACL late in the third quarter. Ishmael Reed kept the ball on the ground the rest of the way, and even showed a brief flash of the scrambling ability that drove the Hedgehogs to pick him up as QB insurance in the off-season.

Nick Hornby had a half-sack for the Hedgehogs. Strong Safety Wesley Brown nearly picked off another Hill pass that was tipped at the line of scrimmage by nose-tackle David Bradley. The rest of the defensive line—Chester Himes and Icepick Slim—played lights-out all game. The Renegade running back tandem of  Henry Van Noy and Terry Duff were never able to turn the corner to create any sort of momentum. Brooklyn had to rely on their short passing game. Hill was unable to complete anything longer than 15 yards the entire game. Stan Webb almost took a kickoff return the distance in the second quarter before being pushed out of bounds on the 11 yard line. Van Noy scored the only Renegade touchdown a minute later.

Tight end Brendan Behan broke his nose making an impossible one-handed catch for Hartford at the end of the first half and still managed to get out of bounds, allowing Sam Beckett to kick a 32-yard field goal to put them up by a touchdown at the break. From that moment on the momentum stayed with the Hedgehogs and essentially the game was over.


 

Richard Peabody is a French toast addict and native Washingtonian. His latest books are Speed Enforced by Aircraft (Broadkill River Press) and Blue Suburban Skies (Mint Hill Books). He won the Beyond the Margins “Above & Beyond Award” for 2013.