VIDEO: Rod Miller Talks After Heartbreaking 62-60 Loss

Eastern Conference Semifinals: Trenton Steel @ Columbus Lions

FOURTH QUARTER

STEEL LOSE, 62-60. Quite a sequence to get it that close, but it came down to the two point conversion, and the pass went incomplete. Video from coach Rod Miller soon.

Down by the field…check Twitter for updates

1:00 left — One minute warning…

5:45 left — Crum. Uno. 62-46.

5:45 left — That may be the dagger…Trenton trails by 15 after a Gerald Gales TD grab up the right side after McCoy avoided a ton of Trenton defensive pressure. 61-46 Lions

8:13 left — Nemeth to Huff…juggled in the end zone and picked off for the touchback. Huge. 54-46, Lions.

9:49 left — Crum hits the uno. Of course. 54-46, Lions.

9:49 left — Merritt lined up under center and McCoy out wide in a “Wild Lion” formation…everyone committed to Merritt running, and he simply shovel passed to McCoy for six. But Crum misses the PAT. 53-46, Lions.

13:49 left — Antoine Rivera with an unbelievable, leaping 30 yard TD grab. First play of the drive. Wow. Lions 47-Steel 46

14:13 left — Merritt with a well-defended grab in the left side of the end zone for the TD…Lions up 47-39.

THIRD QUARTER

COLUMBUS LEADS 40-39

1:09 left — Nemeth with the QB sneak, and Trenton cuts the lead to one again…40-39.

3:09 left — Brandon Horace catches a few Steel defenders guessing the wrong way after a short pass from McCoy, and he burns them all to head to the house. Lions lead 40-32.

5:01 left — And another GREAT pass by Nemeth and a nice grab by Turner for a 37 yard TD. That was huge. 33-32 after the PAT…

6:56 left — Another Crum uno. 33-25.

6:56 left — Crum in for a long field goal for Columbus…45 yarder…he hits it. Nice kick. 32-25, Columbus leads.

11:54 left — Trenton turns a near delay of game into a TD…Turner, of course, makes the grab in the left side of the end zone in a somewhat broken play. Camay’s PAT…good, 29-25.

15:00 left — Crum hits an uno to start the half…they lead 29-18.

HALFTIME STATS

Nemeth 18-28, 196 yds, 2 TD, 2 INT
McCoy 12-19, 113 yds, 3 TD, 1 INT

Huff 9 rec, 92 yds
Turner 7 rec, 79 yds, 2 TD

Merritt 5 rec, 36 yds, 1 TD
Gales 4 rec, 57 yds, 1 TD
Smith 2 rec, 11 yds, 1 TD

SECOND QUARTER

COLUMBUS LEADS 28-18…STEEL GET BALL TO START THIRD QUARTER.

:01 left — Camay coming in for another FG attempt. This will be from 27 yards…it’s good. 28-18.

:44 left — Crum hits an uno…28-15 game.

:44 left — Anthony Merritt was wide open in the end zone…McCoy spotted him for an easy six, and Columbus is up 27-15

:49 left — The Steel got called for offensive pass interference earlier in the game…and now it’s Columbus’ turn. But this one happens in the end zone…the Steel get called for holding, the fouls offset, and there’s no touchdown.

1:00 left — One minute warning…

Johnsonbaugh fumble recovery, Turner TD grab

4:29 left — Oderick Turner with a TD on the very next play…Columbus leads 20-15 after Camay’s PAT is blocked.

4:57 left — Nemeth picked at the goal line, but the Lions defender fumbled and Joe Johnsonbaugh recovers. HUGE break.

Two catches, Lions pick six

10:10 left — Bad snap on the PAT, and Carl Spellman runs it back for two points. 20-9.

10:10 left — Nemeth picked off…it’s returned all the way to the end zone, and Trenton now trails, 20-7.

14:48 left — Interception, Gladel Brutus!

FIRST QUARTER

COLUMBUS LEADS, 14-7

1:16 left — Charleston Grey caught a screen pass to the right for an apparent touchdown, but it’s called back for an illegal block in the back. Big break right there.

2:50 left — Craig Camay misses wide left from 29 yards.

5:29 left — GREAT pass and an even better catch by Dan Huff…third down pass gives Trenton 21 yards and keeps the drive alive.

7:27 left — McCoy with a nice touch pass over the defense to Josh Smith in the back right corner of the end zone. PAT good…14-7.

Huff reception, Turner TD grab

10:25 left — Trenton strikes right back. E.J. Nemeth finds Oderick Turner in the right side of the end zone for a short TD grab. Craig Camay’s PAT…good. 7-7.

11:54 left — Columbus QB Chris McCoy finds Gerald Gales for a 34 yard TD connection…nice over the shoulder grab by Gales on third down. Trey Crum on for the PAT and he hits it. Trenton trails, 7-0.

Trenton wins the toss and defers…

Pre-Game Notes: Eastern Conference Semifinals –Trenton Steel @ Columbus Lions

6:15 PM — The Steel are in full uniform and starting to stretch on the field. The music just kicked in. It’s about that time…7:30 kickoff.

3:30 PM — Here’s a quick look at the arena:

3:00 PM — It’s four and a half hours before kickoff, and the Steel have arrived safely at the Columbus Civic Center for their first round playoff matchup with the Columbus Lions.  The players have eaten and are ready to go down here in Georgia…I’ll have all the updates you’ve come to expect throughout the night.

The Steel active 21-man roster for the game will be as follows:

Spellman, Brutus, Brown, Camay, Trice, Harrison, Rivera, Andrews, Maul, Fumando, Nemeth, Pollard, Johnsonbaugh, Hickson, Tucker, Turner, Heyward, Graves, Leotti, Huff, Zimmerman.

Brandon Clarke made the trip but will not play and Derik Steiner was greeting his teammates in the hotel lobby prior to our departure, but he was not able to travel with the team.

Mike Ashmore, mashmore98 AT gmail.com

See You In The Playoffs

I will not be making the trip to Harrisburg with the Trenton Steel today, instead choosing to focus on my duties covering the Trenton Thunder.

With the game having no effect on the Steel’s playoff opponent — which will be the Columbus Lions — and my preference to avoid another trip to the Equine Arena in Harrisburg, I figured it would be best to take this one off.

While exact travel plans haven’t been decided for the team just yet, I can tell you with great certainty that I will be making the trip to Columbus, GA to cover the team’s inaugural playoff game and the beginning of their run to the SIFL title. I’m so proud of the guys for everything they’ve had to overcome this season, and just as proud to be a tiny little part of things here…best of luck to the guys tonight, and check back for updates from Georgia next week.

Mike Ashmore, mashmore98 AT gmail.com

Game 11: Post-Game VIDEO Interviews

Game 11: Erie Explosion @ Trenton Steel

FOURTH QUARTER

STEEL WIN 78-53

29.9 left — Melik Brown sacks DiMichele in the end zone. That, kids, is a safety. 78-53.

51.6 left — Camay hits a short field goal to make it 76-53.

1:00 left — One minute warning…

2:24 left — DiMichele and Morris connect again…collision between Morris and Maul into the wall at the end, and both are shaken up but OK. They go for two and get it…Steel lead 73-53.

2:44 left — Oderick Turner’s been pretty quiet tonight…which opened things up for Damon Harrison…but he gets in on the act with a short TD catch of his own. Steel lead 73-45.

5:47 left — Carlos Ojeda flips an onside kick attempt into the front row…Steel ball.

5:47 left — Tirone Morris gets a quick TD grab, but the two-point conversion fails and Trenton’s up 66-45. Need to run some time off right here…

Harrison TD

6:11 left — Damon Harrison…he did what he does. Big score there…and that’s the dagger. 66-39 game.

8:30 left — The Steel get a turnover on downs…big stop. That may very well do it.

11:21 left — Nemeth runs it in from a yard out, and once again…the Steel get the lead back to 20. Every score is so big right now.

14:24 left — Tirone Morris beats Desmond Maul up the right side and makes the TD grab. Erie cuts their deficit to 52-39. Still a lot of football left to play here.

THIRD QUARTER

STEEL LEAD 52-32

Fumble…

2:25 left — Harrison fumbles…Erie recovers…big play. I’ll have video.

6:37 left — The Explosion had Tirone Morris under center at the goal line…he botched the snap, and Carl Spellman recovered. Steel ball.

9:19 left — Nemeth runs in another one, and the Steel are up 20. Big game, and the boys are coming up huge.

11:10 left — 4th and 19 for Erie…they’re going for it. They have to. Morris makes a juggling catch into the first row…but it doesn’t matter, they come up short.

13:11 left — Big sack by Tyrell Zimmerman right there on first down to set Erie back eight yards…

14:00 left — Harrison with his fourth TD grab of the game! Steel lead 45-32.

15:00 left — Craig Camay does his once-per-game drill the up man in the groin with the kickoff play…and the Steel get the ball. Matt Leotti recovers.

HALFTIME STATS

DiMichele 12-21, 151 yds; 3 TD-1 INT
Nemeth 12-17, 142 yds; 3 TD-0 INT

Concepcion 7 rec, 103 yds; 2 TD
Harrison 4 rec, 69 yds; 3 TD

SECOND QUARTER

STEEL LEAD 38-32.

0.0 left — And Nemeth takes a knee. Um. OK.

2.3 left — Camay on to try a 56 yarder…but timeout is called, and the Steel line up for a play…now Erie calls a timeout.

2.3 left — Lenny Wicks returns an inexplicably short kickoff for a TD…and just like that…Erie gets it to 38-32. PAT missed.

11.7 left — WHAT A HUGE TURN OF EVENTS! Damon Harrison runs back the kickoff for 57 yards and six points! Camay makes it seven, and Trenton leads 38-26.

19.5 left — Wow. Carlos Ojeda tried for the 2-point dropkick after the TD and it got blocked…it was recovered by Najah Pruden, and he lateraled to Desmond Maul, who ran it back into the end zone. That’s two points. Steel lead 31-26.

24.8 left — Concepcion with another TD grab in the back of the end zone…Steel up 29-26.

1:00 left — One minute warning…

Steiner run, TD…

4:25 left — Nemeth runs one in…Steel up 29-20.

7:12 left — DiMichele runs one in…Steel up 22-20.

10:40 left — Craig Camay on for a 47 yard attempt…way short.

14:50 left — THERE’S THE BIG STOP! Najah Pruden…yes, Najah Pruden picks an ill-advised Adam DiMichele pass to the middle of the end zone.

FIRST QUARTER

STEEL LEAD 22-13.

4:38 left — Mike Andrews with a sack and a forced fumble on DiMichele in the end zone…but Bob Hammer recovers and gets it back to the line of scrimmage.

5:09 left — Camay hits the uno…22-13.

5:09 left — Harrison and Nemeth are on fire tonight…Nemeth threw a beautiful deep pass with sweet touch down the left side and Harrison made the grab. Camay’s PAT makes it 21-13, Steel.

6:27 left — DiMichele finds Tirone Morris in the right side of the end zone on third down, and the Explosion have matched Trenton score for score so far…but after a penalty pushes back the PAT, Ojeda misses and Erie trails 14-13.

8:51 left — Nemeth to Harrison again…Steel up 14-7.

10:39 left — Adam DiMichele to Kevin Concepcion…I’ve seen this movie before. 7-7.

Video of the first possession

11:09 left — E.J. Nemeth connects with Damon Harrison for a short TD grab on the left side of the end zone, and Craig Camay’s PAT makes it 7-0, Steel. Nemeth’s 60th TD pass of the season.

Erie will kickoff…

Game 11: Pre-Game Notes

6:05 PM — So here’s how it works…

If Trenton wins tonight and Richmond loses on Saturday, Trenton clinches a playoff spot.

If Trenton loses tonight and Richmond loses, Trenton still needs to beat Harrisburg.

If Trenton loses tonight and Richmond wins…problems.

4:30 PM — Inactives are WR Antoine Rivera, DB Brandon Clarke, DB Chris Pollard and DL Stephon Hickson.  DB Will Blanden is not playing, but is still listed on the roster.  Also, that means Matt Leotti is playing…he’s listed as a WR/LB. 

Erie will not have Eric Wicks, but Lenny Wicks is here.  They’ve also picked up a backup QB since we last saw them: Colton Hansen.

Mike Ashmore, mashmore98 AT gmail.com

VIDEO: MILLER, FOUR PLAYERS TALK AFTER STEEL STOMP STAMPEDE, 83-23

Mike Ashmore, mashmore98 AT gmail.com

Game 10: Harrisburg Stampede @ Trenton Steel

FOURTH QUARTER

2:59 left — Nemeth with a franchise record 5th rush TD — he had three, Steiner two. The Steel are up 83-23.

4:30 left — You leave the press box for one minute…and the Steel create another turnover. They have the ball, up 53.

6:15 left — Nemeth with a 2 yard TD run…76-23 game. Huge win in many ways for Trenton.

9:55 left — Cipra misses a field goal. Just throw in the towel at this point.

14:42 left — Harrison finally runs one back. Untouched as he slashes across the field. 69-23.

14:52 left — Will Hines with a TD run…Harrisburg cuts the deficit to 62-23 after a missed PAT

THIRD QUARTER

STEEL LEAD 62-17

1:52 left — Oh, Oderick. Oderick Turner, one week after setting a league record of his own with 225 receiving yards, hauls in another TD, and Trenton leads 62-17.

3:20 left — Brian Harris sets a new SIFL record…seven picks. Desmond Maul gets his second.

5:18 left — Big Tuck! Nate Tucker with a TD grab…and the subsequent celebratory dance…and Trenton’s up 55-17.

Wackyness…

6:39 left — Nemeth drops the snap, and Fearon Wright runs it back…and gives it to a fan…who gives himself to the turf. Steel still up 48-17.

12:09 left — And now every Steel DB has a pick. Carl Spellman gets his, and Bryan Harris has tied a dubious league record with his 6th pick of the game.

14:28 left — And Derik Steiner shows some speed…seriously…on a rush to the outside for his second TD of the game. Steel up 48-10.

14:50 left — Another huge kickoff return by Damon Harrison to start the half…

SECOND QUARTER

TRENTON LEADS 41-10

00.2 left — Cipra misses a long one…

10.3 left — Camay with another field goal after Gladel Brutus’ THIRD pick of the half…and the Steel now lead 41-10.

49.8 left — Craig Camay coming in for a 40 yarder…and he got it. Steel lead 38-10.

1:29 left — Mike Andrews with huge pressure on Harris, and he throws his 4th pick of the game and his 2nd to Gladel Brutus…he picked it in the end zone and got tackled outside of it…Steel ball.

6:03 left — Camay hits an uno! Never thought I’d see the day where he got to let one fly. Trenton 35-Harrisburg 10.

6:03 left — Derik Steiner gets in on the action, running the ball in for his first pro TD…Camay’s PAT is partially blocked, and Trenton’s up 34-10.

10:59 left — Desmond Maul picks Harris in the end zone…this is his first game with the team. Way to make an impression.

13:57 left — Damon Harrison with a dazzling catch…gets smashed into the wall while airborne in the end zone, but he hangs on for six points. Camay makes it seven, and Trenton leads 28-10.

15:00 left — J.R. Cipra on for a 29 yard field goal…good. Steel up 21-10.

FIRST QUARTER

STEEL LEAD 21-7

5:15 left — Jamaal Stokes picks a Nemeth pass that got deflected at the line…huge play right there. Stampede ball.

7:30 left — And on the very next play, Gladel Brutus with a long interception return…

7:46 left — Trenton DB’s seem to never actually look back for the ball on deep balls…another pass interference on that…not saying it was the right call, not saying it was the wrong call…but not looking back makes it an easier call.

Scoring drive…

9:26 left — A one yard Nemeth TD run after a big kickoff return by Damon Harrison, and Trenton’s got their 14 point lead back.

11:25 left — 16 yard TD catch by Terry Jackson, and Harrisburg is in this one…14-7.

12:29 left — Craig Camay giveth, Craig Camay taketh away. He just stroked a kickoff about 15 rows into the stands, and Harrisburg will get great field position at Trenton’s 20.

12:29 left — E.J. Nemeth with a great pump fake, and Dan Huff gets wide open in the right corner of the end zone…14-0 lead after the PAT.

14:18 left — Craig Camay with his time tested smoke the up lineman in the face with the kickoff play, and he recovers it. Steel ball.

14:24 left — Charles Graves picks off the first pass…the first play of the game. Pick six! And this one counts! Brian Harris picked off, and Graves runs it back untouched to put Trenton up, 6-0. Craig Camay’s PAT makes it 7-0.

Steel will kickoff…

Mike Ashmore, mashmore98 AT gmail.com

Game 10: Pre-Game Notes

6:05 PM — Inactives include DB’s Brandon Clarke and Chris Pollard. Newly signed DB Desmond Maul will play. Matt Leotti also out this week…Will Blanden nowhere to be found.

Also, I spoke to E.J. Nemeth before today’s game…here are his comments:

On not overlooking Harrisburg — “Me personally, I try to never look past anybody. It also helps that I have a lot of former teammates on Harrisburg, so whether they’re 0-10 or 10-0, they’re never going to get overlooked by me. Defensively, they’ve played pretty well against us, but offensively they’ve had their struggles. To me, it’s always just another game, another game to win. At the end of the day, I try to tell these guys, when I walk into work on Monday people don’t ask me about how I did, it’s ‘Did you win?’ Luckily, more often than not, I’ve been able to say yes. The main focus is just to go out there and win every game, and we’ve been doing well. Defensively, we struggled last week, but it’s one game and I know they’re going to come back and do good things this week.”

On Trenton being a streaky team, and how to avoid falling into another losing streak — “I think we all kind of went back and looked at the film and saw some breakdowns we might have had. Offensively, we had a touchdown called back and we got stopped on downs. So offensively, we need to look at doing our job. Their job is to score and put up points, but our job is to score and put up points too. We got stopped twice, and if we don’t get stopped twice, we win. It’s not what the defense did, it’s not what the special teams did, it’s about what offensively we should do and we can do. We’ve been able to do some good things this year. In practice this week, I think we fixed the problems and communication issues, and I expect big games out of all three phases today.”

Mike Ashmore, mashmore98 AT gmail.com