Cyclones roll past Blackbirds, 36-9
36-9: that was the final as the Cyclones beat the Blackbirds in hostile territory. The Cyclones leaned on the run, piling up 164 yards on 29 carries. The Cyclones defense set the tone, allowing 264 yards all game.
The Cyclones got on the board first as Birchall capped the drive with a 4-yard strike to Greaves. The Blackbirds evened the score when Fenwick found Delgado for a 4-yard touchdown. The winning points came when Birchall capped the drive with a 16-yard run, 12:32 left in the second quarter. The Cyclones kept pulling away: Birchall and Holloway teamed up for a 10-yard touchdown.
The Cyclones kept pulling away: Stockwell caught a 1-yard scoring throw from Birchall. The Blackbirds responded as the Blackbirds defense recorded a safety. A big swing came in the second quarter: Thistlewood jumped a route for an interception. Ezra Greaves had the game's longest gain, 49 yards.
For the winners, Weston Birchall threw for 252 yards on 19 of 28, reaching the end zone three times. Brennan Holloway topped the ground game with 98 yards; one went for a touchdown. Cyrus Prescott led all receivers with 130 yards. Dorian Stonecipher led the defense with 8 tackles. On the losing side, Cassius Fenwick put up 235 passing yards, including one touchdown, completing 23 of 45. Gage Delgado kept getting open, finishing with 60 yards, including one touchdown. On defense, Desmond Hartwell made 7 tackles. Dexter Thistlewood was the game's biggest swing, worth +6% in win chance to the Cyclones.
The win moves the Cyclones to 1-1. That puts them third in their division. The loss drops the Blackbirds to 0-2. They hold fourth place in the Summit East. The Blackbirds meet the New York Cyclones on Sunday, November 15. The schedule brings the Boston Blackbirds for the Cyclones on Sunday, November 15.