Former Hornet shines brightly in team’s first playoff victory

Sports

Discussion

June 29, 2010

Ross rushes for 98 yards, three touchdowns in Stampede’s 45-35 win

By Tom Waddill Sports Editor The Huntsville Item Tue Jun 29, 2010, 10:29 PM CDT

HUNTSVILLE — Last week was a pretty good one for former Huntsville High School football star Derrick Ross. This week looks to be even better.

Named Offensive Rookie of the Year in the Indoor Football League last week, Ross scored three touchdowns and rushed for 98 yards Monday, helping the San Angelo Stampede Express to its first-ever playoff victory, 45-35 over the Fairbanks (Alaska) Grizzlies.

“Me and my o-line ate 18 carries, 98 yards and three TDs,” Ross said after the game. “I’m a little sore after this game. Epsom salt here I come.”

In the IFL’s final first-round playoff game Monday, the Fairbanks Grizzlies (9-6) traveled quite a distance to take on San Angelo (11-4).

Ross turned in what the league is calling, “a breakout performance” on Monday night in San Angelo. The powerful running back (6-foot-2, 235 pounds) who played collegiately at Tarleton State and professionally for one season with the Kansas City Chiefs, helped the Stampede build a commanding 35-12 lead with just over two minutes to play in the third quarter.

Over a seven-minute span leading into the fourth quarter, Fairbanks rallied back and cut the advantage to just three points at 35-32 with 11:03 left in the game.

“We had a letdown,” Stampede Express head coach Clint Dolezel said. “There’s no question about it, we just stopped making plays.”

San Angelo was suddenly struggling to move the ball and was facing a fourth-and-long with a chance to turn the ball over to a red-hot Grizzlies offense.

“The huddle is our comfort zone,” receiver Jonathan Ferguson told the San Angelo Standard-Times. “We talked about how somebody needed to make a play, and there wasn’t a guy in that huddle that didn’t think we were going to do it.”

On fourth down, Ferguson laid out in a full stretch to bring in Dustin Almond’s 35-yard pass as he sailed across the goal line.

“Without that, there’s a good chance we don’t win the game,” Dolezel said in a postgame interview. “It was a money catch and a money throw at a perfect time.”

The touchdown was Ferguson’s second of the game and pushed the Stampede advantage back to 42-32.

Fairbanks could not match the Stampede Express’ ground game, having only 5 total rushing yards for the game in comparison to 102 yards by San Angelo.

Grizzlies quarterback Justin Rummell tried to compensate with a tremendous passing game. The Fairbanks quarterback threw for 186 yards and three touchdown. However, Stampede Express quarterback Dustin Almond more than matched him with three touchdowns and 172 yards.

Overall, it was a tight game with the Express capitalizing on a strong ground game to advance. Ross will hope to put another strong showing when San Angelo travels to Billings, Mont., to try and knock off the defending United Bowl champions, the Billings Outlaws.

“I think we can go all the way, of course,” Ross said before the Stampede Express kicked off their playoff season.

Ross said he dreams of playing in the NFL again. He’s trying to make that dream come true by giving his all to the Stampede Express.

“When I felt that I had made rookie of the year I really was just happy. It was like I still can do it,” Ross said. “I work hard and I’m just never going to give up, no matter where I play. I just love playing football and I’ve got to be thankful for the opportunity to play.

“Everyone doesn’t have that chance. I’m going to make the most of it.”

Text Only

Sports

Bigger, faster and stronger, Hornets can’t wait to kick off 2012 football campaign
This spring, the Hornets have overhauled their offensive plans and head coach Shane Martin, his assistant coaches, and most importantly, the players are pumped about the changes they’ve made.

May 26, 2012 3 Photos
Schallenberg: Kats now hoping résumé speaks for itself
Despite one of the best seasons in school and Southland Conference history, all the Bearkats can do now is watch scoreboards, wait and hope for the best.

May 26, 2012
The thrill of victory ... the agony of defeat
The Bearkats knew exactly what they needed to get done and they were up to the task.
In order to reach championship day of the Southland Conference Baseball Tournament, the Kats would have to stave off elimination twice just to get to today’s final round.
The Bearkats nearly pulled it off.

May 25, 2012 2 Photos
Kats beat Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 4-3
May 25, 2012
Alive and kicking: Bearkats still in hunt at SLC baseball tourney
With the possibility of going home early from the Southland Conference Tournament and a chance of their season coming to an abrupt end, the Bearkats needed some quality starting pitching and production from their bats in the worst way.
Like he has done all year long, Sam Houston senior Justin Jackson delivered a lights-out performance on the mound and the offense made the kind of impact the Bearkats have been looking for Thursday morning.
Both elements came together at the exact right time as the Kats stayed alive in the tourney with a 7-1 victory over McNeese State in an elimination game at Bobcat Ballpark.

May 24, 2012
Bad day for Bearkats
The Bearkats’ road to the NCAA tournament just got a little bit tougher.
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi broke out for four runs before top-seeded Sam Houston even stepped to the plate Wednesday afternoon, but the Kats couldn’t find a way to counter that first punch.
Sam Houston connected for eight hits, but could not get enough of those in a row to make a dent in the deficit and are now one loss away from being eliminated from the Southland Conference tournament following a 9-2 loss at the hands of the eighth-seeded Islanders on Wednesday afternoon at the Bobcat Baseball Ballpark.

May 23, 2012
Schallenberg: Time is now for Bearkats in Southland tourney
The Bearkats look to take care of business this week in the Southland Conference baseball tournament.

May 20, 2012 1 Photo
Alpha Omega Academy trio shine at state track meet
Freshman brings home four medals, including two golds

May 19, 2012
Tough night for Kats against Rice
The Bearkats had a golden opportunity to make a lasting impression for a potential at-large bid in the NCAA tournament with fifth-ranked Rice coming to town. Sam Houston’s bats couldn’t get going early enough or be able to link enough hits together against the Owls pitching staff and succumbed to a 5-0 loss in the final game of the season at Don Sanders Stadium on Tuesday night.

May 16, 2012 2 Photos
BEARKAT BASEBALL — Plenty up for grabs against fifth-ranked Rice
For several reasons, today’s game against fifth-ranked Rice is going to be a biggie for the Bearkats.

May 14, 2012 1 Photo
More Sports Headlines

Sports

Search Results

Discussion

Former Hornet shines brightly in team’s first playoff victory

Ross rushes for 98 yards, three touchdowns in Stampede’s 45-35 win

Site Map

Contact Us