LAKELAND, Fla.—It didn't take long for the Black Team to get started.
On the eighth play from scrimmage,
Michael Wheary caught the first of his two touchdown passes on the day to lead the Black Team to a 21-14 win over the Red Team in the annual Spring Football Game.
Wheary finished the game with six catches for 129 yards, catching a 12-yard TD, and a 44-yard score in the first quarter.
"
Michael Wheary had some spectacular plays, and that's something we've come to expect from him," said coach
Keith Barefield.
The Black Team was in position to put the game away with 5:24 left in the first with the ball at the Red 11, but
Terrance Hicks picked off a pass and returned it 89 yards for a touchdown to bring the Red Team within seven.
Black Team running back
Chris Bryant capped off a 14-play, 80 yard drive with 1:47 to go in the first half with a 14-yard touchdown run to take a 21-7 lead at the intermission.
Bryant finished the game with 123 yards on 16 carries.
"I really liked the way Bryant ran in the first half," said Barefield. "He showed some flashes in the fall and did some good things in the spring and we wanted to see what he did when the lights came on, and that was really good."
With 30 seconds left in the game, the Red Team got its lone offensive touchdown on a 4-yard run by Brian Sannon.
The Black Team defense also contributed, holding the Red Team to just 116 yards of total offense and eight first downs.
David Green totaled six stops, including two for loss and a sack.
"We wanted to get a good look at our defensive front, and we feel we've developed some depth there," said Barefield. "We were anxious to see how things looked in our new defense, and they played well tonight."
The Fire open the 2016 season on the road on Thursday September 1
st at Faulkner.
