From the SIFL: The Tuesday After - Don't Call It a Comeback
Posted on June 23, 2009
From the SIFL
Dan Ryan, SIFL Director of Communications
Austin Turfcats coach Chris Duliban thought his team had a hangover when they fell behind 20-0 to the Texas Hurricanes.
No, no, no, it wasn’t that kind of party. The Turfcats were trying to recover from gunfire and gunpowder.
We definitely don’t want to party with them…
It was a short week for Austin, who travelled to Lake Charles Monday night and lost 60-43 then had to get ready for a home game Saturday night.
"When you go to Louisiana and play a Monday night game and they shoot their muskets off and you get gunpowder in your ears and eyes, it's hard to come back and get ready in 5 days for a game," Duliban said. "I think there was a little hangover from that Louisiana game, but they realized that after the first half, we were only six down and we were right in the game. We had to come back in the second half and be a little more dedicated, put a little more effort into it."
The 20-point deficit is of course, the largest comeback in SIFL history. As for the sport of Indoor Football, the distinction of biggest comeback goes to the AIFA’s Utah Valley Thunder, which has come from 24 points down TWICE this season – The Thunder was down to the New Mexico Wildcats 54-30 and won 58-54 then later erased a 36-12 deficit to defeat the Ogden Knights 70-69 in overtime.
PARKS PERK: Of course Acadiana Mudbugs coach John Fourcade was glad to see Anthony Parks on the field Saturday against the North Texas Crunch. It makes his job easier.
"Play calling goes a little toward him,’’ Fourcade said ``He is a big part of our team."
Parks’ 91 yards was a season high and his 2 TDs marked his fourth multi-score game of this season.
BISHOP BATTLES IN DEBUT: The Texas Hurricanes had their highest offensive output since opening day and came within yards of upsetting the Austin Turfcats Saturday in the SIFL debut of former Heisman Trophy runner-up Michael Bishop.
What’s going to happen when Bishop has a full week of practice?
"Michael’s timing was off, and that’s to be expected with only two full days of practice," said Texas coach Troy Esprit. "But the offense never looked better and that’s because we have a heck of a leader in the huddle."
BROTHERS IN ARMS: Austin may have the sport's only siblings-dominated line after James Cardenas migrated from the Indoor Football League back to the friendly confines of Austin. He joins James Cardenas on one of the SIFL’s solid front threes.
"It's nice to have two brothers who have fought their whole life on the same side of the line," Duliban said. "It was good to see them out there."
NOTES: Houma QB Omar Haugabook has gone two games without a touchdown pass... Louisiana WR Marcus Wilridge has a TD catch in all nine games this season... Austin registered another KO return for a TD despite the absence of Darrick Wallace; this time Reggie Smith took it back to the house.
GAME MVPS FOR WEEK 10:
GAME 17 – AUSTIN 41, TEXAS 34
OFFENSE: Robert Quiroga (A) ; DEFENSE: Barrett Dallmeyer (A); LINE: SPECIAL TEAMS: Reggie Smith (A)
GAME 18 – ACADIANA 45. NORTH TEXAS 6
OFFENSE: Sean Samuels (A) ; DEFENSE: Stephan Barrett (A); LINE: Lanier Coleman (A) SPECIAL TEAMS: Michael Moore (A)
GAME 19 – LOUISIANA 41. HOUMA 16
OFFENSE: Marcus Wilridge (L) ; DEFENSE: Damien Huren (L); LINE: Bryant Mason (L); SPECIAL TEAMS: Tommy Hebert (L)
Quiroga, Smith, Samuels, Barrett, Wilridge and Huren are the nominees for the VIDSWAP.com player of the week, which is determined by fan voting on www.southernifl.com. Polls close Wednesday at 12 p.m. CST.
Jenna Weynand and Lexie Iskander contributed to this report.
