Friday, September 16, 2005

Ottawa slide now at four games

Blue Bombers, rain put damper on Renegades with 37 - 21 Winnipeg victory

Josh Ranek recorded two touchdowns Friday night.

OTTAWA -- It wasn't a clear night in the Nation's Capital, and at the end, neither was the Renegades' attempt to put a stranglehold on a playoff spot.

Both teams needed the win to pull them out of their three game losing streaks. The Rengades wanted a win to help secure their drive towards the post-season. The Blue Bombers, well they just really needed the win. When all was said and done with 17,567 soaked fans watching, it was Winnipeg that came out on top with a 37 - 21 victory.

In the first few minutes of the game it seemed as if the rain was going to set the mood, not that exciting, but the Bombers wanted to repeat their last win they had over the Renegades on August 19 and they did. Gavin Walls got the Winnipeg team fired up with an intercepted pass from Kerry Joseph, running ten-yards for the opening game touchdown.

Joseph bounced back from the interception, lighting the Renegades fire with a eight-yard touchdown pass to Josh Ranek. Ranek had two touchdowns for the night, giving him a total of five touchdowns in the past two games. Joseph continued to add fuel to the Renegades fire with a 14-yard run touch down pushing the Renegades to a 20 - 14 lead.

Even though there seemed to be enough rain to wash the Renegades game clean, it wasn't. In the second quarter they handed over two points to the Bombers with a safety touch. The slip in Ottawa's play added more hunger to Winnipeg's game. The Bombers' Troy Westwood kicked a ten-yard field goal, ending the first half 21 - 19 for Ottawa. It could have been at this point where the Renegades fire stopped.

Penalties and missed opportunities hurt the Renegades considerably in the second half.

The third quarter of the game was quiet on the scoreboard from both the Renegades and the Bombers. Ottawa fans held onto the glimmer of hope that the 'Gades would win breaking the teams losing streak. Perhaps the fans were a little waterlogged and they forget about the Bomber's hunger to the win. Winnipeg came into the game wanting to win and in the fourth quarter they continued their first quarter drive to victory.

Charles Roberts opened up the quarter for the Bombers with a four-yard run touchdown. Glenn then completed a two point conversion pass to Chris Brazzell. Westwood kicked two more field goals for a night total of forty one-yards. Westwood finished off the night with a five-yard convert, but not before Walls recorded his second touchdown, running Ron Ockimey's forced fumble from Joseph, for a 79-yard touchdown.

The Renegades next the Calgary Stampeders on the road, September 22nd. Seemingly every game becomes more and more crucial with six games left in the season.