Victor Cristales/Reporter-News Ruff Riders defensive back Darvin Peterson (11) makes an interception during the second quarter of the Ruff Riders' season opener against the Odessa Roughnecks at the Taylor County Coliseum on Saturday, March 6, 2010.
From: Abilene Reporter News
As quick as the weather can change in West Texas, the Abilene Ruff Riders saw a season-opening victory slip away Saturday night.
The West Texas Roughnecks scored twice in the final five minutes to take a 36-33 victory over the Ruff Riders in the Indoor Football League opener for both teams before an announced attendance of 3,126 at Taylor County Coliseum.
The Roughnecks were 0-4 against Abilene last season, including a season-opening loss at the Coliseum.
Abilene led 27-6 late in the second quarter but the Roughnecks held the Ruff Riders to just a field goal in the second half. Eric Henri’s recovery of a blocked field goal attempt for a touchdown with 2:08 remaining gave West Texas its first lead of the night, and Darius Johnson intercepted a pass at the Roughnecks 2-yard line with 1:13 remaining to help preserve the win.
“We definitely let it get away,” Ruff Riders coach Gerald Dockery said. “You’ve got to take advantage of all the opportunities. All the opportunities we had we scored in the first half. The second half, we’ve got to do more than three points. It doesn’t matter if it’s as new quarterback, a new running back, none of that matters. We’ve still got to take advantage.”
Haven Mosely passed for two touchdowns and ran for a third as Abilene controlled the first half. Mosely had touchdowns passes of 31 yards to Juan Reese and 47 yards to Robert Gill in addition to a 1-yard scoring run. Gill also returned a kickoff 22 yards for a score and Nich Pertuit had field goals of 46 and 30 yards.
Mosely split time with Kewan Dewberry, who directed the lone scoring drive of the second half.
“It was to get (Dewberry) involved in the game,” Dockery said. “We’ve got to see who we can go with, who’s going to be a consistent quarterback. You won’t see a two-quarterback system game to game. We won’t do that throughout the season.”
Tommy Jones, the former standout El Paso Generals quarterback, threw for two scores and Javorskie Lane ran for two to lead West Texas. Zeke Arevalo added a pair of field goals.
With Abilene leading 33-23 in the final six minutes, the Roughnecks converted a fourth-and-12 when Jones hit Ryan Bugg for a 17-yard gain to the Abilene 4. Lane scored his second touchdown two plays later and on the next series, Jerrickus Speights blocked Pertuit’s 36-yard field goal attempt with Henri recovering for the deciding score.
The Abilene defense had four interceptions and a fumble recovery but twice, the Ruff Riders fumbled the ball back on the next play. Abilene finished with four turnovers.
“We’ve got to learn how to protect the ball,” Dockery said. “You protect the ball, you score and you can take care of it from there. But you can’t turn the ball over like we did after (getting) big turnovers and put our defense back on the field.”
Roughnecks 36, Ruff Riders 33
West Texas 6 7 10 13—36
Abilene 13 17 0 3—33
1st quarter
ABI—Juan Reese 31 pass from Haven Mosely (Nich Pertuit kick), 13:41
WT—Brandon Sparrow 13 pass from Tommy Jones (kick blocked), 7:21
ABI—Robert Gill 22 kickoff return (kick failed), 6:59
2nd quarter
Second Quarter
ABI—Mosley 1 run (Pertuit kick), 8:23
ABI—Gill 47 pass from Mosley (Pertuit kick), 1:06
WT—Javorskie Lane 3 run (Zeke Arevalo kick), 0:10
ABI—Pertuit 46 FG, 0:00
3rd quarter
WT—Arevalo 49 FG, 8:33
WT—Ryan Bugg 29 pass from Jones (Arevalo kick), 2:16
4th quarter
ABI—Pertuit 30 FG, 11:00
WT—Lane 1 run (kick failed), 4:42
WT—Eric Henri recovered blocked field goal attempt in end zone (Arevalo kick), 2:08
