MUSKEGON – The Muskegon Thunder were looking to add fuel to their red-hot season start against the visiting Chicago Slaughter on Friday night at L.C. Walker Arena. The hosts, however, never even got the pilot light lit in a 27-10 loss that snapped the team’s four game winning streak in Continental Indoor Football League action.

   Chicago (4-3) needed less than two minutes to get on the scoreboard as receiver Dontrell Jackson grabbed a Ronnie Gordon pass near midfield, juked his defender, and sprinted untouched to the end zone. The 29-yard score was Jackson’s 10^th TD of the season. Kicker Ben Aguillar’s successful point-after try made it 7-0 with 13:30 remaining in the opening quarter.

   On the ensuing kickoff, Aguillar drilled a line drive that bounced off of Muskegon’s Mitch Cumings and into the hands of a Slaughter player. The guests took full advantage as running back JR Taylor broke free on a 31-yard scoring dash that pushed the lead to 13-0 after Aguillar’s kick was blocked by defensive end Ernest Bentz just 3:35 into the contest. It would be all the points Chicago would need to ensure their third win in as many tries against their Great Lakes Conference rivals.

   The slow start by the hosts was not unusual. They have now been outscored 52-26 in the first quarter of games during the 2008 campaign. Their ability to rally from behind during the win streak has helped overshadow the deficiency, but the trend proved too difficult to buck against a steadily improving Chicago squad.

   The Slaughter increased their lead to 20-0 on another Gordon to Jackson hookup from 9 yards out at the 7:50 mark of the second quarter. The play capped a 5-play, 45 yard drive that further took the air out of the Thunder and their usually raucous crowd of 2,910.

   Muskegon’s lone highlight of the first half was provided by kicker Mike Brennan who guided a 43-yard field goal through the 9-foot wide uprights 4:06 before the intermission. The Lexington, Kentucky native has made four three-pointers this season, none closer than 34 yards. Making the feat more impressive is the low ceiling and overhead scoreboard that makes kicking at Walker Arena a challenge to say the least.

   The Thunder’s comeback bid gained momentum as quarterback Dan Richard hit a streaking Tony Terrell over the middle on a 19-yard pitch and catch that cut the deficit to 20-10 after 2:55 had elapsed off the third quarter clock. It was Terrell’s 4^th TD this year, eclipsing his output of three a year ago.

   What may have been the most pivotal play of the game came on Muskegon’s next offensive series as they drove to the Slaughter 10 yard line. On third down, center Lance Dusendang snapped the ball to an unsuspecting Richard who chased the rolling ball all the way back into Thunder territory before making the recovery. The lost opportunity meant Terrell’s was the only scoring in the frame as the two teams stale-mated each other over the final 12 minutes.

   With the fourth quarter being Muskegon’s best scoring period, and Chicago’s worst, it appeared the Thunder might have the Slaughter right where they wanted them as the final 15 minutes began.

   That theory was quickly dismissed by Taylor who again got loose and rambled 29 yards on the first play of the fourth quarter. It was the 15^th TD on the season (14 rushing) for the former Eastern Illinois standout.

   Muskegon’s sluggish offense never threatened down the stretch. The Thunder entered the game ranked seventh in the circuit in scoring at 44 points per game, but the Chicago defense, led by defensive back Torri Stuckey’s 5 tackles, including a sack and pass break up, were up to the challenge, despite coming in allowing 42 points per game (9^th best).

   Jonathan Martin added an interception for the visitors and Phil Alexander notched a sack.

   Offensively, the Slaughter got 109 yards rushing from Taylor on just 8 carries as Chicago muscled its way to a 137-20 advantage on the ground. Gordon completed 15-of-28 passes for 144 yards with one interception and added 21 yards on 5 rushes. Jackson paced a balanced receiving corps with 53 yards on four catches while Keith Herron and Robert Height also hauled in four receptions each, good for 31 and 30 yards, respectively.

   Richard connected on only 12-of-32 attempts for 154 yards with a pick and contributed all 20 rushing yards for the Thunder. Running back Preston Garris was held out of the end zone for the first time this season, but managed 81 yards on 6 grabs. Nathan Wruble, making his first appearance since suffering a leg injury in the season opener, made 3 catches for 21 yards while Terrell notched a pair of catches totaling 42 yards.

   Defensively, Muskegon got nine stops and a pass break up from Jon Horn and 8 tackles from Tim Gough. Maurice Simpson posted his second interception of the season and Eric Malloy had 3 tackles and recorded the Thunder’s lone sack, his fourth. The 4^th best scoring defensive unit did its share, holding the Slaughter 24 points below their season average. Muskegon has held five of its six opponents below their current scoring pace on the season.

   For the game, Chicago held a 275-150 advantage in net yards of offense and edged Muskegon 13-10 in first downs. The Slaughter was whistled for 5 penalties equaling 24 yards in the intense, physical battle while the Thunder were flagged for 52 yards on 7 infractions.

   With the loss, Muskegon falls to 4-2, and now must prepare for a rematch at Eastern Division leading Kalamazoo (6-1) on Saturday, May 3^rd. On April 4^th, the Thunder knocked off their closest geographical rival, handing the Xplosion a 44-37 setback in a game that required overtime.

  MUSKEGON – The Continental Indoor Football League recently released its weekly award winners for Weeks 5 and 6 that included two Muskegon Thunder players. Muskegon (4-1) has already captured three such honors in 2008 compared to last season when they managed just one.

  Thunder quarterback Dan Richard, a 27-year-old Rockford, Mich. native, garnered the CIFL’s Offensive Player of the Week in Week 5 for his outstanding performance in a thrilling 44-37 overtime victory over previously unbeaten Kalamazoo.

   In that contest, Richard rallied his squad back from a second half 34-17 deficit to give Muskegon its biggest win in franchise history to date for the second year team. Richard connected on 18-of-43 passes for 250 yards and four touchdown passes against the Xplosion including what proved to be the game-winning scoring toss to running back Preston Garris in the extra session. Richard also ran for a touchdown in the first half.

   Richard started the season as Muskegon’s backup signal caller, as he watched teammate Ryan Ferguson win the same POW award in the Thunder’s season opener. A week later, when Ferguson started off slowly against Rock River, Richard was summoned from the bench and has taken every meaningful snap since, helping guide the club to four straight wins.

    Winning awards and games is nothing new to Richard who starred on the semi-pro circuit with the Grand Rapids Thunder of the Minor League Football Association for four seasons from 2004-07. During that span, the 6-foot-3, 215 pounder threw for over 7,600 yards and 116 touchdowns while being tabbed the MLFA Offensive MVP in back-to-back seasons (2005-06) as well as the All-Star game MVP (2004).

    While prepping with the Rockford Rams, Richard spearheaded a run all the way to the state championship game during his senior year in 1998. He then played briefly at Ferris State University followed by a three-year hiatus from the sport until reemerging with Grand Rapids. Richard also played outdoors abroad with the Bolzano Giants of the National Football League of Italy in 2005 and made his indoor debut with the Wyoming Cavalry of the National Indoor Football League in 2006.

   The father of two, who calls Payton Manning his favorite football player, will try to help extend the Thunder’s win streak to five when they host the Chicago Slaughter (3-3) this Friday night at L.C. Walker Arena with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

   In Week 6, Thunder defensive back Jon Horn got the nod as the CIFL’s Defensive Player of the Week. He was the second all-time Muskegon recipient of the honor as defensive back/linebacker Paul Dye also earned the award in 2007.

   Horn (5-11, 190) made several key plays that allowed host Muskegon to edge Fort Wayne 39-33. The Battle Creek, Mich. native (BC Central High) recovered a fumble in the first half to keep Muskegon in front, 13-0. After the guests pulled to within 28-25 and threatened to take the lead in final quarter, Horn made a leaping interception off of the Freedom’s Eric Hooks in his own end zone to momentarily preserve the lead.

   Fort Wayne came back and took a 33-28 advantage after a safety and subsequent kickoff return for a score, but Horn again managed to swing the momentum the Thunder’s way. He ran back a kickoff 19 yards to the Freedom 15 yard line, setting up the offense to go in for the eventual winning score four plays later.

   On Fort Wayne’s final possession, Horn made an open-field tackle on the elusive Hooks and then broke up a pass as the Thunder celebrated their fourth straight victory of the season. For the game, Horn was involved in 9 total tackles including 4 solo stops, and helped shore up a defensive backfield that was without the services of captain Maurice Simpson (illness) and cornerback James Poole (injury).

   Horn, who played for the rival Kalamazoo Xplosion in 2007, was invited to join Muskegon for a tryout before Muskegon’s third game at Milwaukee. Defensive coordinator Ryan Hodges and head coach Shane Fairfield were so impressed with the former Northwood University product that they signed him after just one practice and named him to the team’s active 21-man roster three days before the game versus the Bonecrushers.

   The 25-year-old has not given the coaching staff a reason to second-guess themselves, posting 19 total tackle involvements and three picks in as many games. His inspired play against his old team proved vital as he recorded three pass break ups on the Xplosion’s overtime drive to secure Muskegon’s 44-37 win in Week 5.

   Horn and his defensive mates are allowing just 35 points per game in 2008 and averaging an incredible 7 stops per contest but must now slow the high-powered Chicago Slaughter offense (51.5 ppg) to keep the win streak alive this weekend.