Venom put the Brakes on the Wheelers

​By Tonya Swim
Amarillo, Texas-The Quad City Steamwheelers took a 14 hours bus ride down to Amarillo to play against the Venom and try to improve their lot in the Northern Conference.

The Steamwheelers received the ball first. Conner Hollabaugh's kick was taken by Joe Powell
out to their own 24.
EJ Hilliard's first pass of the game was incomplete. A handoff then another incomplete pass brought out Jacob Stytz for an attempted field goal but Hilliard took the snap and ran up to the V20 but was short the first down and the Venom took over on downs.
Time out QC

Nate Davis started the Venom's first possession with a pass to Raymond Johnson Jr. down to the Quad City 8. Then with an eight yard pass to R. Johnson Jr. and the Venom was on the board. Hollabaugh's kick was good and at 11:30 in the first Quad City 0 Amarillo 7.
This was Davis' 42 touchdown pass on the season.

Hollabaugh's kick is a touchback giving Quad City the ball on their own five.
Hilliard ran the ball up to the Quad City 10 bringing up second and five. A handoff and another run put the ball on the Quad City 20 and the first and ten. Hilliard fakes a handoff, but the pass was incomplete thanks to Nashawn Lewis. Hilliard again runs the ball up the right side to the Venom 17 and an incomplete pass will keep them there. Time out, Quad City. Another incomplete pass due in part to great defense by Cashmin Thomas brings up the third and ten, then a 17 yard pass to Tyler Williams in the endzone is a touchdown. The PAT by Stytz is good, the score at 5:31 in the first is Quad City 7 Venom 7.

Stytz kickoff taken by R. Johnson Jr. out to the Venom 13.
Davis' deep pass was knocked away and the handoff to Antonio Bray was a loss of three.
Davis found R. Johnson Jr. to get the ball down to the V21 but was short the first down, however a flag on Quad City's Kewan Alfred gave the Venom the option of taking just the five yards, but a replay of the down, which they took, putting the ball on their own 15 bringing up third and eight. A quick pass to Ricardo Johnson put the ball on the Venom 24 then a fake handoff and quick pitch again to R. Johnson put the ball on the Quad City 15. Another pitch, this time to R. Johnson Jr added five yards then a pitch to Bray added another one bringing up third and four. Davis found R. Johnson Jr. for another touchdown. A flag on the play for illegal defense on Terry Johnson was declined, extra point was good and with 31.4 seconds left in the first, Quad City 7 Amarillo 14.

Quad City starts their next possession on their own 8. Hilliard ended the first quarter with an incomplete pass.Starting the second quarter, Hilliard tossed to Williams but he was bounced back by Terrious Triplett for a loss of one. Time out Quad City. Hilliard ran up the middle, but only gained three because of Lewis bringing up fourth and nine on the Quad City 10 and the field goal team. The 49 yard attempt was no good and the Venom took over midfield due to the ball hitting the pylon.

Davis started out the next play with a pass to Bray for a gain of 5 then a pass to R. Johnson Jr. for a 20 yard pass touchdown. Extra point was blocked. 12:14 in the second quarter, Quad City 7 Venom 20.
Kickoff taken by out by Powell who made it to the Venom 24 before being taken down by Demario Donnell. Hilliard used one play, a 24 yard pass to Quinton Pedroza for a touchdown. Extra point was blocked, 11:46 in the second, Quad City 13 Venom 20.

​Stytz kickoff taken by R. Johnson Jr. out to the Venom 13.
Davis used passes to Terrell Smith, Antonio Bray, Xavier Amey and Ricardo Johnson pass to get the ball up to the Quad City 20. A flag for an illegal snap against the Venom backed the ball to midfield and a fourth and eight. Davis ran the ball up to the Quad City seven then used a timeout. Davis found R. Johnson in the endzone. Hollabaugh's kick was good, 7:12 left in the half Quad City 13 Venom 27.

Williams took the next kickoff out to the Venom 20 yard line.
Hilliard handed off to Williams then a pass to Keyvan Rudd for a touchdown. Stytz extra point was no good, 5:50 left in the half, Quad City 19 Venom 27.

Thomas took the next kickoff, but couldn't get past the five, so the Venom start on their own five yard line. Davis found Amey for a 32 yard pickup to the Quad City 13, an incomplete pass then a pass to Bray put the Venom on the Quad City six, then a keeper up to the four bringing up fourth and one. Davis used Bray to get the Quad City two but then fumbled and Quad City took over at their own six yard line.
Hilliard handoff to Williams was stopped by Triplett on the Quad City 24. Hilliard's pass to wide open to Darius Hicks resulted in a touchdown with 57.3 left in the half. Two pt conversion good, but a false start on Quad City Anthony Pruit, backed them to the Venom seven and the replay of the two point conversion. Another flag on the offense, for delay of game, moved them back to the Venom 12. The next two point conversion failed when Hilliard was sacked by Jeff Branch. Quad City 25 Venom 27 with 53.7 seconds in the half.

Stytz kickoff taken by Thomas, but a flag for illegal blocking on the Venom's Smith and a facemask on Quad City's Johnson allowed Stytz to redo the kickoff. This time Thomas took return for a 40 yard kickoff return. The two point conversion failed and with 37 seconds left in the half, Quad City 25 Venom 33.

Hollabaugh's kickoff bounces out of the endzone and Quad City took the ball at their own five yard line.
Hilliard's pass was limited to a two yard gain when Louvan Green came into the play. Then a flag for false start on Rudd put the ball half the distance to the goal on the Quad City three. Hilliard was again sacked by Branch bringing up the third and twelve with 25 seconds to go in the half. Hilliards next pass didn't make it's mark due to coverage by Thomas and the field goal attempt was no good. 14.5 seconds left in the half Quad City 25 Venom 33.

Venom start midfield and Davis passes up to Amey for a 10 yard gain. Next pass went aray then Davis finds R. Johnson Jr. for his forth touchdown tonight. The extra point was good and with 2.9 seconds left in the half, Quad City 25 Venom 40.
Hollabaugh's kickoff is touched at the Quad City five. Hilliard handsoff to Williams to end the half.

The Venom start the next half on their own 13. First with an incomplete pass then two passes to Amey to move the ball up to the Quad City 10. The next play had Davis rushing to throw, as he chunks it out of the back of the endzone, but then he found R. Johnson Jr. and tallied Johnson Jr.'s fifth touchdown of the night. Hollabaugh added a point and at 11:21 in the third, Quad City 25 Venom 47.

Hollabaugh's kickoff taken by Johnson up to the Venom 24. Quad Cities first possession of the half started with a false start, moving the ball back to the Quad City 21, but Hilliard ran the next play and got a 16 yard gain and first and ten. Hilliard tried to run again, but was stopped by Desmond Raiford for a loss of one then and incomplete pass brought up the third and 11.
Hilliard pitched to Williams who got to the Venom six and the first and goal but Hilliard ran into Jer'yl Christion and Donnell for a huge 4th down stop with 7:28 left in the third.
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Venom take possession of the ball on their own 5 and start with a false start moving the ball back half the distance to the goal on the Venom two. A pass up to R. Johnson got them to the 10. Davis had an incomplete pass before finding Amey for a deep catch on the Quad City nine. A toss to Bray was knocked out of bounds at the Quad City four and Davis was scrambling to get rid of the ball again starting the incompletion of three passes resulting in a turnover on down at the Quad City five.

Quad City again started off with a false start backing them up half the distance to the goal on their own two. A handoff to Williams drew the personal foul on the Venom when he was tossed into the Venom bench giving Quad City 15 much needed yards and the first and ten. A pass to Rudd put them on the Venom 11 then a keeper a gain of two. Hilliard fakes a pitch completing the pass for a touchdown, but and illegal formation negated the touchdown and backed Quad City up to the Venom 14. Time out, Venom.
Hilliard passed to Rudd for a touchdown and a two point conversion was completed by pitching to Williams then a pass to Pedroza in the endzone. 1.8 seconds left in the third, Quad City 33 Venom 47.

Stytz onsides kick picked up by Venom's R. Johnson and the Venom start on the Quad City 14 to start the fourth quarter.

Davis' handoff to Bray lost two yards, but a pass to R. Johnson got the ball up to the Quad City five bringing up the third and one. Davis' handoff lost one yard then Quad City called a time out. Davis handed off to Branch for the first and 10 then a run for a no gain. An incomplete pass and a pass interference call in the endzone against Powell automatically place the ball on the two yard line. Davis pitched to Christian getting up to the half yard, then tried a keeper and was pushed back, but a flag placed the ball on the quarter hash. Davis' pitch to Bray lost three yards, then Davis was flushed out and ran up to the one yard line bringing up third and goal. Davis handed off to R. Johnson Jr. and he ran it in or the touchdown. Hollabaugh's extra point was good and with 9:04 left in the game, Quad City 33 Venom 54.

Hollabaugh's kick taken by Powell out to the Venom 22 and stopped by Richard Mitchell. Hilliard's first pass was intercepted by Thomas and the Venom get the ball back on the Quad City five.

Davis' pass was incomplete bringing up second and ten. A pass to Amey, then R. Johnson put the ball on the Venom 20. Davis then found Smith with a pass for a touchdown. Hollabaugh added the one and with 6:52 left in the game, Quad City 33 Venom 61.

The kickoff goes out of bounds giving Quad City the ball on their own five.
Hilliard found Tyler Jones to complete a pass to the Quad City 13 then found Darius Hicks to bring up the first and 10 on the Quad City 19. Hilliard's next pass was incomplete then a delay of game moved them back five yards. Another incomplete pass was negated by the pass interference call on Triplett giving Quad City 15 yards. Hilliard passed to Jones then scrambles into the endzone for a touchdown. Flags on the play was offsides on Raiford and the touchdown stands. A two point conversion pass to Rudd was good and with 2:37 left in the game, Quad City 41 Venom 61.

Statz kicked off but the Venom called a timeout. The onside kick was recovered by Lewis and the Venom start on the Quad City nine.
Davis' pass was incomplete then a handoff to Bray was a loss of two. Davis' connected again with R. Johnson Jr. for Johnson's sixth touchdown on the night and Hollabaugh's PAT was good. 1:58 left in the game and Quad City 41 Venom 68.

​Kickoff was taken by Powell for a 41 yard kickoff return. Two point conversion was good and with 59.8 seconds left in the game, Quad City 49 Venom 68.

The next onsides kick was marred by the flag against the kicking team and the Venom started first and 10 on the Quad City four yard line.
Davis handed off to Bray for a three yard gain, but fumbled the next play and Quad City recovered on their own five.
Hilliard passed to Rudd then tried to run up the middle, but was pushed back by Branch and Green for a two yard loss. Time out, Quad City. A pass to Hicks added six more to the board, but the two point conversion failed. 10 seconds left in the game, Quad City 55 Venom 68.

Statz with the onsides kick recovered by Amey at the Quad City 18.
Davis hands off to Bray then the game buzzer sounds.
Final Score Quad City 55 Venom 68.

​Cashmin Thomas had an interception and a kickoff return this game. Did that help him boost his confidence going into the playoff run? “No, it didn't. Every time you walk on the field you are supposed to have confidence. Mom always told me to stay ready so you don't have to get ready.”

The Venom improve to 8-3, but are tied with two Northern teams.
The Venom travel for their last regular season game to Frisco, Texas Saturday. Game begins at 7pm and can be viewed on Pluto tv.