Steamwheelers Roll Over Jungle Kats in 2007 Season Opener, 81-21

Saturday March 31, 2007

Quad City quarterback J.J. Raterrink throws for 246 yards and 5 Touchdowns

CINCINNATI, Ohio – The Cincinnati Jungle Kats (0-1) kicked off the 2007 regular season, their first year in af2,     against the Quad City Steamwheelers (1-0).  The Steamwheelers, a 7-9 team in 2006, looked much improved as they defeated Cincinnati by an 81-21 final score in front of 4,853 at U.S. Bank Arena on Saturday night.

Quad City drew first blood with 2:15 gone in the opening quarter, as Jermaine Petty rushed for a 6-yard score.  The extra point try sailed wide, giving the Steamwheelers a 6-0 lead.  The Kats would respond immediately, however, when Deontrae Johnson caught a pair of passes, a 41-yard strike followed by a 4-yard catch for the score, making it 7-6 Kats with 11:10 to play in the 1st quarter.

The visitors would score the next two touchdowns, though, in the opening quarter.  Petty ran another ball into the endzone with 7:10 to play, followed by a 23 yard touchdown strike from quarterback J.J. Raterrink to Kris Peters, making it 20-7 Quad City through one quarter of play.

Cincinnati would start the comeback early in the second quarter when Kats quarterback Eddie Eviston tossed a 4-yard touchdown pass to Derin Graham, cutting the Steamwheelers lead to 20-13.  Quad City, however, would respond in a big way, scoring 27 unanswered points to close out the half.  Ratterrink tossed for three touchdowns and ran for another during the second quarter, putting Quad City up 47-13 at the break.  Steamwheelers wide-outs Tom Anthony, Jack Walker Jr., and Shonn Bell each caught TD passes in the second.

It did not take long for Quad City to pad their lead in the third quarter.  Tom Anthony capped off a 34-yard scoring drive by carrying the ball 1-yard for the touchdown, making it 53-13 Steamwheelers with 7:05 remaining in the third quarter.  A few minutes later, Raterrink and Kris Peters hooked up again – this time for 16-yards, extending the Steamwheelers lead to 60-13.

In the fourth quarter, both teams were able to dent the scoreboard; Deontrae Johnson grabbed another touchdown pass from Eviston to make it 67-21Quad City.  Yet, the Steamwheelers continued the onslaught.  Quad City’s backup quarterback Matt Pike played under center in the fourth quarter and threw a pair of touchdown passes.  The first came with just 4:32 to go in the fourth, giving Quad City a 74-21advantage; his second came just a few minutes later, with 1:38 to play, as he found Kris Peters for his fourth TD grab of the night.  Peters’ fourth score made it 81-21 Quad City, and they would go on to win it by the same count.

The Jungle Kats will enjoy a bye week next Saturday before playing three straight road games beginning April 14th when they will visit the Louisville Fire at 6:15pm.  The Kats return to U.S. Bank Arena on May 5th to take on the Fort Wayne Fusion at 7:30pm.  Plenty of great seats are still available for the remaining seven Kats home games by calling 513.381.TURF or online at all Ticketmaster outlets.