Berkshire Renegades were unable to continue their winning start to the 2009 season, losing 3-27 to the visiting Cornish Sharks in glorious football weather on Saturday.
Berkshire started promisingly, when Martin McGuire recovered his second fumble in as many games, pouncing on a loose Sharks ball deep within the Renegades’ half. Berkshire were unable to capitalise on the turnover, however, and punted the ball back to the Sharks. The Cornish team put together a controlled drive, moving the ball 59 yards in 10 plays, rounding out the drive with the opening score when running back Andrew Dixon crossed the line from four yards out. David Kriehn’s point-after kick was good, and the Sharks had the lead 0-7.
Berkshire were looking strong on offense on the ensuing drive, with the pick of the plays being fullback Alex Tong’s barrelling 13 yard run up the middle for a first down. Tong fumbled the ball on the next play, and the Sharks gratefully pounced on it. The Berkshire defense held the visitors though, with defensive linemen Sam Thornton and Tony Barron bringing Dixon down for a loss to force a punt. Berkshire went three-and-out on their drive, and the first quarter ended with the scoreboard reading 0-7.
The Renegades defense were still playing strong football at the start of the second quarter, with the Sharks drive ending 7 yards from the Berkshire endzone: linebacker Drew Cameron put a big hit on fullback Jonathon Hall, jarring the ball loose, and defensive back Carl Hagan recovered for Berkshire. Again though the offense struggled to move the ball, and punted. Sharks doubled their lead just a few plays later, Dixon scoring his second touchdown of the day from the 3-yard line, Kriehn’s kick was again good, and it was 0-14.
Cornish would score again before the break, making the most of short field following a blocked punt. This time going to the air, quarterback Richard Atkinson connected with Kriehn for a 27-yard touchdown pass. Kriehn converted his own touchdown to stretch the lead to 0-21.
Berkshire weren’t going to go into the break with nothing to show for their efforts, though. Neal Kent’s 20 yard field goal kick was good, and at the break it was 3-21.
Both teams seemed evenly matched as the second half got underway, putting together strong looking drives that eventually stalled around midfield. Berkshire’s special teams looked to have taken the momentum when James Martin recovered a fumbled punt deep with in the Sharks’ half, but Kent’s 31 yard field goal attempt came up short. Cornish would stretch the lead further just before the end of the third quarter, as running back Ceawlin Hickman broke through the Renegades defense for a 56 yard touchdown run. Kriehn’s leg failed him for once on the point-after kick, the ball sailing just wide right. The scoreline was now 3-27.
As the game entered the final quarter, Berkshire were far from giving up. Kent intercepted an Atkinson pass on the Reading 7-yard line, and the Renegades moved the ball well on the back of Cameron’s strong up-the-middle runs. The drive stalled though, and Berkshire had to punt. The Sharks’ ensuing drive didn’t even last one play, as James Martin dived onto the fumbled ball. Berkshire were forced to go three-and-out, and punted the ball to Cornish. The Sharks were looking to put an exclamation mark on the game and drove the ball hard towards the Renegades’ endzone. Berkshire’s defense were not about to let the visitors score again though and held firm, forcing the Sharks to attempt a 36 yard field goal as the clock wound down. The kick was no good, wide right, and the game ended 3-27.
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