April 25, 2008

Pocatello, ID --- Russel Hill threw for two touchdowns, and Kelvin Krosch showed why the Bengals picked him up as a receiver, catching three passes for 91 yards, as the offense unofficially won the 2008 Spring Game 45-39. The defense picked up four sacks and a turnover, keeping the game close the whole way.

Hill, firmly entrenched as the #1 starter, looked the part, going 7-for-12 for 79 yards and a pair of scores. He hit Jaron Taylor on an 11-yard juggling slant pattern, and then on his first red zone snap, he drilled a picture perfect 20-yard pass to Isaiah Burel for a score, Burel's only catch of the day.

Kyle Blum looked solid in the #2 slot for the Bengals, going 6-for-12 for 92 yards, throwing a 6-yard pass to Kenyon Blue for a touchdown. While Krosch didn't have a touchdown, the 6-6 receiver was hard to stop, catching three passes for 91 yards, including a big 47-yard catch over the shoulder on a broken play from Blum.

On the ground, Ken Cornist ran hard for 79 yards on nine carries, including a fourth- quarter 11-yard dash that basically sealed the game for the offense. Ben Laporta mustered the most carries with 10, and Trevor Messersmith, a tight end, scored on a 1-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

Defensively, Keith Goins, Jr. continued his torrid spring, picking off his third pass of the spring in three scrimmages, cutting the offense's lead to just three late. He nearly won the game on the next drive, when Evan Mozzochi, who threw the only interception of the day, was nearly picked again, but receiver Angelo Magee went from receiver to defender to break the pass up. Magee had a team-best five catches, many of the diving variety.

Travis Anderson had a team-best seven tackles, and Ryan Phipps and Kelvin Miller each had six. Goins, along with his pick, had two pass breakups, and D.J. Clark, Jeremy Gibson, and Amir Owens each had one. Philip Arias, Mike Jablonsky, Jon Tuua, and Jason Jones each had a sack.

While scoring was not kept on the scoreboard, the offense earned points conventionally. In the first half, the defense scored one point for a sack, two for a defensive stop, and four for a turnover, with all those points doubling in the second half as the offense started all their second drives in the defense's territory.

PASSING
Russel Hill 7-12, 79 yards, 2 TD
Kyle Blum 6-12, 92 yards, 1 TD
Preston Kelly 6-9, 49 yards
Evan Mozzochi 5-10, 42 yards, 1 INT
TOTALS 24-43, 262 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT

RUSHING
Ken Cornist 9-78, 1 TD
Kenyon Blue 5-26
Joe Strayhand 4-26
Ben Laporta 10-14
Jesse Hofhine 3-8
Trevor Messersmith 3-5, 1 TD
Evan Mozzochi 3 (-5)
Russel Hill 3-(-24)
TOTALS 40-128, 2 TD

RECEIVING
Angelo Magee 5-39
Ken Cornist 4-23
Kelvin Krosch 3-91
Edsel Logan 3-30
Jaron Taylor 2-24, 1 TD
Kenyon Blue 2-17, 1 TD
Isaiah Burel 1-20, 1 TD
Trevor Messersmith 1-9
Jesse Hofhine 1-7
Tyler Hjelseth 1-4
Ryan Anchetta-Major 1-3

DEFENSE
SACKS - Philip Arias 1, Mike Jablonsky 1, Jon Tuua 1, Jason Jones 1
INTERCEPTIONS - Keith Goins, Jr. 1-13
PASSES DEFENDED - Keith Goins, Jr. 2, D.J. Clark 1, Jeremy Gibson 1, Amir Owens 1.