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SoCal Coyote Victory over the California Tide
The current gets deeper for the SoCal Coyotes Saturday night when they paddle into unchartered waters against a powerful California Tide (4-0) football team that shellacked the South Bay Spartans 58-0 last weekend, and earlier this summer, sent a message to the league in a bench-clearing preseason brawl against the national champion Inglewood Blackhawks.
The game is the first road test of the Southern California Football Alliance season for the Coyotes (1-1), whose 53-man roster reflected its youth last week when rookie mistakes blew a 17-point lead.
The ensuing gunfight wound up a 44-34 loss to the San Diego Thunder, despite a heroic effort by Rashad “The Franchise” Roberts, who had a club-record 13 catches for 294 yards and two touchdowns. How the Coyotes respond to adversity against the Tide in a hostile environment might be the story of the night.
KICKOFF: Kickoff is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at John Muir Stadium, 1905 Lincoln Ave, Pasadena, CA 91103. Gates open at 6 p.m. The Coyotes will take the field for team stretch one hour prior to kickoff.
LAST WEEK: The Coyotes played a thrilling game against the Thunder, but their immaturity against a veteran team was glaring. SoCal had 12 penalties for 150 yards, including critical mistakes that kept clutch San Diego drives alive and killed a furious Coyote comeback . Youthful errors – a blown coverage, a missed tackle – led to long Thunder touchdowns that made the difference in a 44-34 loss.
Meanwhile, the Tide’s dismantling of the South Bay Spartans is the only common opponent the teams share. However, AAA football fans are still buzzing over how the Tide stood toe-to-toe with the vaunted Blackhawks before a brutal fight marred the finish, and one player was knocked unconscious by a swinging helmet.
WEATHER: The forecast for Pasadena at kickoff is partly cloudy and 72 degrees, with no chance of rain. Winds will be from the south at five miles per hour.
GENERAL SEATING: Walk-up tickets are available at the gate for $10. Children under eight are free. No coolers, or outside food or drink, are permitted inside the stadium.
RADIO: Play-by-play will be called by “Voice of the Coyotes” Matt McKay and color man Sam Maggio, and aired on KXPS Team 1010, the flagship station of the Coyote Radio Network. The game can also be heard via the Coyote GoMobile YAPP, available for free download in the iTunes Store and Android Market. The YAPP also has the Coyote roster, videos, and Coyote TV features.
HEAD COACHES: The Tide are led by decorated Air Force Major Grady “Coach Tuck” Tucker, a Purple Heart recipient whose impressive 10-year coaching career includes 2011 Coach of the Year honors as a national runner-up. The Coyotes are under the direction of AAA Hall-of-Fame head coach J. David Miller, who brings a record of 75-16 (.840) into the game. Miller was a 2012 national runner-up and Coach of the Year.
WHEN THE COYOTES HAVE THE BALL: Veteran 6-5, 230-pound Coyote gunslinger Nate Lewis hung 514 yards and three scores on a stunned San Diego defense, and picked apart the Thunder secondary with surgeon-like precision in the SoCal Silver Stretch Run ‘n’ Shoot attack. The 2012 National Player of the Year has 890 yards in just two games, for an NFL passer rating of 118.85.
“I heard about him, I read about him, but I had to see him for myself,” said one visiting SCFA coach. “I’m a believer. It’s all true. Nate Lewis is the real deal.” So is the “Lewis-to-Roberts” connection, which has reached “Peyton Manning-to-Reggie Wayne” proportions: Since April 2012, the pair has connected for 42 touchdowns, including longs of 97, 80, 79, 56 and 67 yards. But don’t be fooled: Lewis also completed balls last week to eight other receivers, proving that if you’re open, he’ll find you.
Former Arena Football standout Kevin Page (Glenville State) had four catches for 66 yards, while Wayne Jacobs (New Mexico Highlands) had one catch for a blistering 55 yards. Punishing rookie S-back Nigel Simmons (College of Sequoias) had 60 yards on three catches and slashed in for a red-zone touchdown.
WHEN THE TIDE HAS THE BALL: The SoCal ‘Darkside Defense’ was brilliant early against the Thunder, but couldn’t keep its poise in the face of a hellacious San Diego comeback. Linebacker Ryan Pervine led all tacklers last week with 10.5 solo stops, followed by defensive end Devin Howard, who had five solo tackles, two sacks and three tackles for losses.
The Coyotes will face one of the SCFA’s most elusive quarterbacks in the Tide’s Kyle Parrish, a Michael Vick-style passer who breaks contain and bends defenses with both his arm and legs. His favorite target is Tide wide receiver Marquis Avery, who will severely test a Coyote secondary that surrendered 352 passing yards and four touchdowns last week to the Thunder.
DAN THE ‘ICE’ MAN: Kicker Dan Kelly hit from 32 and 49 against the Thunder, and was good on all four extra points. Kelly is perfect in PATs and has scored 24 points on the year.
COYOTE QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “You can learn more about a man’s character on the two-yard line than anywhere else in the world.” -- Coyotes head coach J. David Miller, after S-back Nigel Simmons slammed in last week for a two-yard score – and quarterback Nate Lewis threw himself into the pile to ensure the score …
The helmets of the SoCal Coyotes proudly bear the logo of Dickie O'Neal's, an Irish-American inspired, full-service family restaurant, situated among a spirited atmosphere.
A title sponsor of the desert champions, Dickie O'Neal's Irish Pub Restaurant was created for friends, families, children, and visitors from lands near and far. We welcome all of our American and international visitors as guests.
Dickie O'Neal's serves authentic, homemade Irish Meals, Comfort food, Seafood, Steaks, Baby Back Ribs, Cheeseburgers, Pizza, Pasta, and great salads, plus full menu of home made dishes using Grammy Rose's original recipes.
Dickie's is located at 2155 North Palm Canyon in Palm Springs. For more information, check out their Facebook page or give them a call at 760.325-2600.republished with permission #thesocalcoyotes
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