Saginaw Sting edges Canton Cougars 62-61 for fourth straight victory
Published: Friday, April 15, 2011, 11:20 PM Updated: Saturday, April 16, 2011, 8:31 AM
SAGINAW — Don't expect the Saginaw Sting to shed any tears for the Canton Cougars any time soon.
After the Sting started its Ultimate Indoor Football League season with a 2-0 start, then lost a pair of one-point games — including a 53-52 decision at Canton on March 21 — to drop their record to 2-2.
Saginaw returned the favor at home Friday, allowing the Cougars to rally from an early 21-point deficit to scoring a touchdown with 9 seconds left to pull within a point.
But Canton kicker Lawrence Vickerstaff pushed the extra point right and the Sting won their fourth-straight game with a 62-61 decision in front of a crowd of 1,913 at The Dow Event Center.
"I don't have a bit of remorse (for the missed kick)," Saginaw coach Vince Leveille said. "We've lost a couple close ones that way. This is a little bit of revenge for us."
The Sting improved to 6-2 and remain in second place in the UIFL heading into the second half of the season. Saginaw travels to UIFL leader Northern Kentucky River Monsters at 7:30 p.m. next Saturday for a chance to draw even at the top of the standings.
"This was a good win," Leveille said. "We had a great crowd and it made it tough on them.
"But we have to get a little better. We have to eliminate mistakes on special teams and put more pressure on the quarterback."
The Sting have put in extra time at practice on special teams and it paid off in a big way on Friday.
After Canton took a 14-7 lead midway through the first quarter on its second touchdown pass of the game, Saginaw receiver LaVaughn Macon returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown from inside the Sting endzone. Chris Kollias connected on the first of his eight extra point kicks to tie the game at 14-14.
Saginaw's defense stopped Canton on its next possession and after Vickerstaff missed the field goal, Saginaw's Kevin Brown fielded the miss and returned the kick all the way to the Canton 1-yard line. Vernon Burdon strong-armed his way into the end zone for a rushing touchdown on the next play for a 21-14 lead.
Three plays into the Cougars next possession, Canton quarterback Ray Marrow misfired on a quick lateral pass that Saginaw defender Phillip Smith scooped up and returned 25 yards for another touchdown, pushing the Sting lead to 28-14.
After Saginaw stuffed Canton at the goal line on the next possession, Sting quarterback Tommy Jones connected with former Saginaw Valley State University receiver Andrew Beaver for a 16-yard TD pass, giving Saginaw a commanding 35-14 lead.
Canton responded with a 19-yard touchdown pass with 33.3 seconds left in the first half and added another touchdown on a fumble return to cut Saginaw's lead to 35-28, but Beaver returned the kickoff 50 yards for a touchdown and a 42-28 halftime lead.
"We've worked long and hard and special teams and it definitely paid off today," Leveille said.
Canton closed in on Saginaw in the second half as Cody Smith returned an interception 40 yards for a touchdown, cutting the Sting lead to 42-41 after Vickerstaff missed an extra point.
Jones found Zac Nichols for a 12-yard TD pass in the closing moments of the third quarter for a 49-41 lead and after an interception from Sting linebacker John Jacobs, Jones connected with Beaver for a 40-yard TD strike, giving Saginaw the 56-41 lead.
After a Canton score, Jones hit Beaver again on a short TD pass, but Canton scored again to cut the lead to 62-55 with 3:05 left in the game. Saginaw had a chance to ice the game but Jones had a third down pass picked off with 1:40 remaining. Canton drove all the way to a third and goal and scored with 9 seconds left on a wide open TD pass. That's when Vickerstaff missed the extra point.
"It shouldn't have been that close," Leveille said. "That was an ugly win. But we'll take an ugly win any day."
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