Sports Radio Service


		Locomotives roll Redwoods By Greg Lee November 14, 2009

	San Jose – Playing their first game at San Jose State’s Spartan Stadium, in front of a crowd of 4,312, the Locos came from behind to defeat California 16-10. The Redwoods slim Championship hopes were demolished as the Las Vegas Locomotives turned them away for the second time this season. Shane Boyd made it interesting, leading the Redwoods down the field to the # yard line, before throwing a fourth and ten interception at the five to seal their fate. Boyd, who kept the team’s waning hopes alive with a well-executed ten yard scramble, but fell short in their comeback attempt. Boyd finished the evening with 194 yards and one interception on 21 of 31 passing. The Redwoods, who controlled the ball and the scoreboard through most of the game, have no one to blame but themselves. California penalties and turnovers were as crucial to the Las Vegas comeback as any of J.P. Losman’s completions. Cory Ross, the League’s leading Rusher, put the Redwoods on the scoreboard first with a three-yard carry with two minutes remaining in the first quarter. Ross also set up the score, exploding through the line for a 53-yard rush. Ross, who’s disappointing fumble in the fourth quarter sealed the Redwood’s fate finished with 111 yards and one touchdown on 19 carries. Losman, the former first round draft choice of the Buffalo Bills and the first player signed by the UFL led the Locos offense with 199 yards on 16-29 passing, 1 touchdowns. Throughout the first half, the Locos also featured a run-heavy offense with former Arizona Cardinal, Marcel Shipp carrying the load. Shipp finished the game with 19 carries for 66 yards. As both teams moved between the red zones in the second quarter, with only field goals to mark their scoring, the game turned on a key drive by Las Vegas late in the third quarter. The Redwoods had the Locos on their heels, leading 10-6 deep in their own territory. However following a convincing sack, which would have pinned Vegas near their goal-line, Redwoods tackle Chris Cooper was ejected for un-sportsman like conduct, which gave them a little room to move and more importantly a first down. A broken reverse on second down again set-up third and long, but a 35-yard pass interference penalty moved the ball into Redwood territory. California forced the Locos to third and long again, but couldn’t stop Losman from completing a pass underneath to Parker for the first down to end the third quarter. As if the story were too good to get old, the Redwoods pushed the Locos to third and long for the third time on the drive, only to have Losman complete a 20-yard pass play to put Vegas first and goal. Finally, on third and eight, Losman scrambled and found Andrae Thurman wide-open in the front corner of the end zone. Following a Redwood challenge, the catch was upheld and the Locos took the lead for the first time. Following the kick-off, Boyd and the Redwoods responded with a 20-yard pass to Ross out of the backfield to move quickly across midfield. The Redwoods drive continued into the red-zone and then marched to second and goal, but the air seemed to seep out of the stadium when Ross fumbled into the end zone and recovered by Vegas with 6:43 remaining in the game. Losman drove the Locomotives down the field one last time, capping off the scoring with a field goal at the two minute mark. The drama to the season is over, but the Redwoods will look to finish with a .500 (3-3) record on Thursday, at AT&T park, when they host the crème de la UFL, the 5-0 Florida Tuskers. Game time, for this final game of the season is 6 p.m. Good tickets are still available.