Barracudas tear up the Wild

Two first-quarter Wild turnovers didn't help either as the CenTex Barracudas posted an easy 71-18 victory in the Bell County Expo Center, making the Wild's Intense Football League playoff debut a forgettable experience.

A 2-12 team last season, CenTex (9-6) now faces Corpus Christi in next Saturday's semifinal after winning its first postseason game in its three years as a franchise.

Alaska finishes 5-10, with three more victories than the Wild's inaugural campaign and a postseason berth, solid gains for a team beset by a series of injuries over the second half of the season. One bugaboo persists: The Wild finished winless on the road for the second straight year.

"We know we're going to be the underdog anytime in Texas,'' said Alaska coach Hans Deemer. "We're going to have to play a perfect game to get a win on the road, and we'll get it one day. Tonight wasn't our night."

Wild quarterback Darnell Lovett threw an interception on the game's first play -- a call Deemer didn't agree with -- to set the tone for a Wild offense that could never get on track against a CenTex pass rush that produced eight sacks, five interceptions and a fumble.

Lovett, who completed 9-of-32 passes, was sacked three times, threw another pick and a fumbled lateral, helping CenTex jumped out to a 28-0 lead.

"They came after us hard like I knew they would,'' Deemer said. "I thought we did a better job of picking up the rush in the second half, we just didn't make the connections."

Alaska finally scored when Lavone Nelson caught a 12-yarder from Lovett with 1:09 remaining in the first half. The play came after a CenTex pass interference call on fourth down and brought the Wild's total yardage back to a net of zero.

CenTex answered quickly with another scoring strike. Then Greg Brown returned a deflected Lovett pass 22 yards to give the Barracudas a 42-6 lead.

Nian Taylor's 6-yard reception six seconds before halftime helped Alaska close to within 30 points at 42-12.

With its defense in control, CenTex didn't need big games from its two offensive stars -- former Texas quarterback James Brown and wide receiver Olan Coleman.

In fact, CenTex was content to run the ball early and often -- throwing 10 times in its 22 first-half plays.

When Brown did throw, he was effective, completing 7-of-10 passes, including a 17-yarder to Coleman on his only touch of the half.

CenTex scored on all but one first-half possession. In addition to the interception return, the Barracudas also got a 32-yard Roderick Knight field goal return.

Brown and Coleman connected twice in the third quarter as CenTex built its lead to 57-12. Brown finished 13 of 20 for 143 yards and five touchdowns.

Donny DeLaney wrapped up the Wild's 2008 scoring on a three-yarder with 20 seconds remaining.

"You hate to end with a loss,'' Deemer said. "It never feels good. We'll come back with our core guys and all the injuries won't happen. We'll be back."