Marion Blue Racers

{{Short description|Professional indoor football team in Ohio, US (2010–15)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox indoor American football team | name = Marion Blue Racers | logo = Marion Blue Racers.PNG | founded = 2010 | folded = 2015 | city = Marion, Ohio at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum | colors = Blue, Light Blue, Red, White {{color box|#081C63}} {{color box|#2161AD}} {{color box|#F70018}} {{color box|white}} | coach = Demetrius Ross (2011) Ryan Terry (2011) Lorenzo Styles (2012) Marc Huddleston (2012, 2013, 2014) Martino Theus (2013) LaMonte Coleman (2013, 2014, 2015) Rick Kranz (2015) | owner = LaMonte Coleman Shavonne Coleman | president = LaMonte Coleman | general manager = LaMonte Coleman | cheerleaders = Blue Raes | league = Continental Indoor Football League (2011) United Indoor Football League (2012) *Northern Conference (2012) Continental Indoor Football League (2013–2014) *South Division (2014) X-League Indoor Football (2015) | team_history = * '''Marion Blue Racers''' (2011–2015) | no_conf_champs = | conf_champs = | no_div_champs = 1 | div_champs = * {{CIFL Year|2014}} | no_league_champs = | league_champs = | no_playoff_appearances = 3 | playoff_appearances = * {{CIFL Year|2011}}, 2012, {{CIFL Year|2014}} | arena_years = *Veterans Memorial Coliseum (2011–2015) }}

The '''Marion Blue Racers''' were a professional indoor football team based in Marion, Ohio. The Blue Racers began play as an expansion team in the Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL) in 2011, before moving to the United Indoor Football League (UIFL) for the 2012 season. The Blue Racers returned to the CIFL in 2013. The team had announced that it would be joining the Xtreme Indoor Football League (XIFL) for the 2014, but later re-signed with the CIFL. During the 2015 season, the Blue Racers played as members of X-League Indoor Football.

The Blue Racers were the second indoor football team to be based in Marion, the first being CIFL charter members the Marion Mayhem from 2006 to 2010. The first owners of the Blue Racers were LaMonte and Shavonne Coleman. The Blue Racers played their home games at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

==Franchise history==

===2011 season=== {{main|2011 Marion Blue Racers season}} The franchise couldn't have asked for a more exciting start than their first game on March 5, 2011. Marion entered the 4th quarter trailing 37–23 to the Port Huron Predators. They started their comeback by scoring a touchdown with 10:31 left in the game. Mike Tatum caught a nine-yard touchdown pass from Josh Harris and Tyler Lorenz added the extra point, cutting Port Huron's lead was cut to 37–30. With 3:27 left in the game, Harris ran in from three yards out to tie the game. The game winning score came on an eight-yard run by Harris with 27 seconds to play. Port Huron quarterback Jim Roth was intercepted by Bryan Williams as time expired to secure the victory. On April 2, 2011, the Blue Racers set a CIFL record with 8 rushing touchdowns in a single game, against the Indianapolis Enforcers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.marionstar.com/article/20110403/SPORTS/110402002/Blue-Racers-roll-past-Indianapolis/ |title=Blue Racers roll past Indianapolis |author=Bob Putman |date=April 2, 2011 |publisher=Marion Star |work=www.marionstar.com |accessdate=April 8, 2011 }}{{dead link|date=June 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> After the Blue Racers got off to a 3–1 start, Demetrius Ross stepped down from his head coaching position, citing personal reasons. His Defensive Coordinator, Ryan Terry took over as head coach, just 2 days before the Blue Racers played their first road game at the Dayton Silverbacks.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.marionstar.com/article/20110407/SPORTS/104070319/-1/VideoNetwork/Blue-Racers-coach-Ross-steps-down?odyssey=nav%7Chead/ |title=Blue Racers Coach Ross steps down |date=April 7, 2011 |author=Bob Putman |publisher=Marion Star |work=www.marionstar.com |accessdate=April 8, 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140508225107/http://www.marionstar.com/article/20110407/SPORTS/104070319/-1/VideoNetwork/Blue-Racers-coach-Ross-steps-down?odyssey=nav%7Chead%2F |archivedate=May 8, 2014 }}</ref> The Blue Racers went on to an 8–2 regular season record, losing twice to the Cincinnati Commandos. The team defeated the Dayton Silverbacks 53–18 in the league Semi-Finals, before being defeated by the Commandos again in the 2011 CIFL Championship Game 44–29.

===2012 season=== {{main|2012 Marion Blue Racers season}} On July 5, 2011, the Blue Racers announced they were leaving the CIFL to join the Ultimate Indoor Football League.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://theuifl.com/archives/1464 |title=Marion Blue Racers join UIFL |publisher=UIFL |work=TheUIFL.com |accessdate=July 5, 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111119112411/http://theuifl.com/archives/1464 |archivedate=2011-11-19 }}</ref> The Blue Racers were added as a member of the Northern Conference, re-uniting with, their arch-rivals, the Cincinnati Commandos. On August 17, 2011, Lorenzo Styles was named the 3rd head coach in franchise history.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=4277647 |title=Lorenzo Styles to Coach Blue Racers |date=August 18, 2012 |publisher=OurSports Central |work=www.oursportscentral.com |accessdate=July 17, 2012}}</ref> In February, team CEO and General Manager, LaMonte Coleman, took a coaching position with the Pittsburgh Power of the Arena Football League.<ref>{{cite web |title=Coleman Signs with AFL's Power |url=http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=4355178 |date=February 15, 2012 |publisher=OurSports Central |work=www.oursportscentral.com |accessdate=July 17, 2012}}</ref> The following day, Ryan Sawyer was named the team's interim general manager while Coleman was coaching in Pittsburgh.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=4355754 |title=Sawyer Promoted |date=February 16, 2012 |publisher=OurSports Central |work=www.oursportscentral.com |accessdate=July 17, 2012}}</ref> On March 30, 2012, Styles resigned as the head coach of the Blue Racers after compiling a 3–1 record, citing personal reason as the reason for his resignation.<ref>{{cite news|title=Lorenzo Styles resigns as Blue Racers coach |url=http://www.newarkadvocate.com/article/BE/20120330/NEWS01/120330002/Lorenzo-Styles-resigns-Blue-Racers-coach |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130104021930/http://www.newarkadvocate.com/article/BE/20120330/NEWS01/120330002/Lorenzo-Styles-resigns-Blue-Racers-coach |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 4, 2013 |date=March 30, 2012 |newspaper=Marion Star |accessdate=July 17, 2012 }}</ref> Offensive Coordinator Marc Huddleston, took over as the team's head coach.<ref>{{cite news |title=Generals looking to stay unbeaten at War Memorial |url=http://tribune-democrat.com/sports/x101439954/Generals-looking-to-stay-unbeaten-at-War-Memorial/print |author=Shawn Curtis |newspaper=The Tribune-Democrat |date=April 6, 2012 |accessdate=July 27, 2012}}</ref> The team remained a strong pipeline for the Pittsburgh Power, as both the team's kickers, Trey Kramer and Seth Burkholder, signed with the team.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=4395729 |title=Trey Kramer Moves Up |date=May 3, 2012 |publisher=OurSports Central |work=www.oursportscentral.com |accessdate=July 17, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=4400537 |title=A Second Blue Racer Kicker Moves On |date=May 11, 2012 |publisher=OurSports Central |work=www.oursportscentral.com |accessdate=July 17, 2012}}</ref> The Blue Racers finished the season with a 7–4 record, earning the 3rd seed in the UIFL North playoff. The team traveled to play the second seeded Erie Explosion, where the game was played at a high school field, where the team had built walls for the playing field. It is the first time an indoor football game, has been played outdoors. The Explosion went on to defeat the Blue Racers 56–47, after the Blue Racers had led 22–0 early in the game.<ref>{{cite news |title=Explosion erupt in 4th to top Blue Racers in UIFL playoff game |url=http://www.goerie.com/article/20120617/FOOTBALL09/306169877/Explosion-erupt-in-4th-to-top-Blue-Racers-in-UIFL-playoff-game |date=June 17, 2012 |author=Bob Jarzomski |newspaper=Erie Times-News |accessdate=July 17, 2012}}</ref>

===2013 season=== {{main|2013 Marion Blue Racers season}} The Blue Racers announced they would be leaving the UIFL following the conclusion of the 2012 season. A few days later, the franchise returned to the CIFL.<ref>{{cite web |title=CIFL Welcomes Back Marion Blue Racers |url=http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=4446427 |date=July 13, 2012 |publisher=OurSports Central |work=www.oursportscentral.com |accessdate=July 17, 2012}}</ref> On September 18, 2012, the Blue Racers name, CEO and General Manager, LaMonte Coleman, as the team's 5th head coach in franchise history.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=4489784 |title=Blue Racers Name Head Coach |date=September 18, 2012 |publisher=OurSports Central |work=www.oursportscentral.com |accessdate=September 19, 2012}}</ref> Three weeks before the start of the season, the Blue Racers announced that offensive coordinator, Martino Theus, had been promoted to head coach for the 2013 season.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=4535182 |title=Theus Promoted to Lead 2013 Blue Racers |date=January 17, 2013 |publisher=OurSports Central |work=www.oursportscentral.com |accessdate=January 17, 2013}}</ref> Theus was later removed as the head coach in Marion after a 1–4 start.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.marionstar.com/article/20130321/SPORTS/303210004/Blue-Racers-new-coach?nclick_check=1 |title=Blue Racers have new coaches, players, ideas |date=March 22, 2013 |author=Denny McPherson |publisher=Gannett |work=www.marionstar.com |accessdate=June 11, 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150122042511/http://www.marionstar.com/article/20130321/SPORTS/303210004/Blue-Racers-new-coach?nclick_check=1 |archivedate=January 22, 2015 }}</ref> Marc Huddleston finish the season as the Blue Racers head coach, as the team finish the season 2–8. Every home game of the 2013 season was shown on WMNO Marion TV 22, available via broadcast on UHF channel 22 and on Time Warner Cable channel 3 (Marion only).

===2014 season=== {{main|2014 Marion Blue Racers season}} In May 2013, the Blue Racers announced that they were leaving the CIFL again, this time to join the Xtreme Indoor Football League.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=4603042 |title=Blue Racers, Three Other Teams Join Newly Formed XIFL |date=May 28, 2013 |publisher=OurSports Central |work=www.oursportscentral.com |accessdate=June 11, 2013}}</ref> The league was supposed to be run by Blue Racers owner, LaMonte Coleman. However, in August 2013, the Blue Racers re-signed with the CIFL to a multi-year contract. Coleman has hired Marc Huddleston as the 2014 Head Coach and Director of Football Operations. After a 2–1 start, the Blue Racers announced that owner LaMonte Coleman would be taking over as the team's head coach. The Blue Racers recovered from a down season in 2013, by winning the CIFL's new South Division title, clinching them homefield advantage in the South Division playoffs.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=4774406 |title=Blue Racers Are CIFL South Champs, Ready for Port Huron |date=April 21, 2014 |publisher=OurSports Central |work=www.oursportscentral.com |accessdate=April 22, 2014}}</ref> The Blue Racers faced off against the Northern Kentucky River Monsters in the South Division title game and won 56–40.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.marionstar.com/article/20140510/SPORTS/305110006/Solid-physical-effort-leads-Blue-Racers-title-game |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140519131704/http://www.marionstar.com/article/20140510/SPORTS/305110006/Solid-physical-effort-leads-Blue-Racers-title-game |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 19, 2014 |title=Solid physical effort leads Blue Racers to title game |author=Danny McPherson |date=May 10, 2014 |publisher=Marion Star |work=www.marionstar.com |accessdate=May 19, 2014 }}</ref> With the win over Northern Kentucky, the Blue Racers clinched their 2nd berth in the CIFL Championship Game. After 3 quarters of play, the Blue Racers were tied at 26 with the Erie Explosion in the 2014 CIFL Championship Game when Aaron Smentanka found Evan Twombly for a score. After Marion turned over the ball on downs, Richard Stokes scored again for the Explosion, which turned out to be the final score of the game, making the game 38–26.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.marionstar.com/article/20140518/SPORTS/305180013/Blue-Racers-fall-Erie-Explosion-Continental-Indoor-Football-League-championship-game |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140519131647/http://www.marionstar.com/article/20140518/SPORTS/305180013/Blue-Racers-fall-Erie-Explosion-Continental-Indoor-Football-League-championship-game |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 19, 2014 |title=Blue Racers fall to Erie Explosion in Continental Indoor Football League championship game |author=Danny McPherson |date=May 19, 2014 |publisher=Marion Star |work=www.marionstar.com |accessdate=May 19, 2014 }}</ref>

===2015 season=== {{main|2015 Marion Blue Racers season}} In October 2014, as the CIFL disbanded, Marion announced they would be joining the X-League Indoor Football. After a sluggish 2–2 start, Coleman fired Rick Kranz as head coach, and once again named himself as the interim head coach of the Blue Racers.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.marionstar.com/story/sports/local/2015/04/30/marion-blue-racers-preview/26627291/ |title=Coleman takes over as Racers' coach |author=Denny McPherson |date=May 1, 2015 |publisher=The Marion Star |work=www.marionstar.com |accessdate=May 4, 2015}}</ref>

===2016 season=== On August 23, 2015, the Blue Racers announced that they would rejoin the revived CIFL, which became a member of the Indoor Football Alliance.<ref name="ciflifa">{{cite web | url=http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=5037840 | title=Supreme Indoor Football and Continental Indoor Football League Join Forces | publisher=OurSportsCentral | date=August 23, 2015 | accessdate=August 24, 2015}}</ref> On September 10, 2015, the Blue Racers changed their plans and instead joined American Indoor Football.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.marionstar.com/story/sports/local/2015/09/10/marion-blue-racers/72014084/?from=global&sessionKey=&autologin= |title=Blue Racers switch leagues |author=Denny McPherson |date=September 10, 2015 |publisher=The Marion Star |work=www.marionstar.com |accessdate=September 14, 2015}}</ref> However, on January 22, 2016, the Blue Racers announced that they had suspended operations for the 2016 season due to lack of sponsors. On May 28, 2016, the Blue Racers' owners, LaMonte and Shavonne Coleman, announced they had moved out of the area to pursue other opportunities and put the team and all its assets up for sale.

==Players== {{Marion Blue Racers roster}}

===Awards and honors=== [[File:THOMAS_MCKENZIE_2014-05-21_22-21.jpg|right|400px|thumb|2014 CIFL MVP, Thomas McKenzie.]] The following is a list of all Marion Blue Racers players who won end of the season league awards.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |- !Season!! Player!! Position!! Award |- |{{CIFL Year|2011}} || Mike Tatum || WR || Special Teams Player of the Year |- |{{CIFL Year|2014}} || Thomas McKenzie || DE || CIFL MVP |}

===All-League players=== The following Blue Racers players were named to All-League Teams: * '''WR''' Mike Tatum (1), Bryceson Lawrence (1) * '''OL''' Robert Price (2), Kris Stafford (1), William Haase (1) * '''DL''' Thomas McKenzie (2), James Spikes (1) * '''LB''' Ray Saunders (1), Lambert Budzinski (1) * '''DB''' Marcus Dorsey (1), Steve Witherspoon (1) * '''K''' Trey Kramer (1)

==Head coaches== {| class="wikitable" |- ! rowspan="2" style="width:140px;"|Name ! rowspan="2" | Term ! colspan="4" | Regular season ! colspan="2" | Playoffs ! rowspan="2" | Awards |- ! W ! L ! T ! Win% ! W ! L |- | style="text-align:center;"|Demetrius Ross | style="text-align:center;"|2011 | style="text-align:center;"|3 | style="text-align:center;"|1 | style="text-align:center;"|0 | style="text-align:center;"|{{winperc|3|1}} | style="text-align:center;"|0 | style="text-align:center;"|0 | style="text-align:center;"| |- | style="text-align:center;"|Ryan Terry | style="text-align:center;"|2011 | style="text-align:center;"|5 | style="text-align:center;"|1 | style="text-align:center;"|0 | style="text-align:center;"|{{winperc|5|1}} | style="text-align:center;"|1 | style="text-align:center;"|1 | style="text-align:center;"|CIFL Coach of the Year |- | style="text-align:center;"|Lorenzo Styles | style="text-align:center;"|2012 | style="text-align:center;"|3 | style="text-align:center;"|1 | style="text-align:center;"|0 | style="text-align:center;"|{{winperc|3|1}} | style="text-align:center;"|0 | style="text-align:center;"|0 | style="text-align:center;"| |- | style="text-align:center;"|Marc Huddleston | style="text-align:center;"|2012, {{CIFL Year|2013}},{{CIFL Year|2014}} | style="text-align:center;"|9 | style="text-align:center;"|8 | style="text-align:center;"|0 | style="text-align:center;"|{{winperc|9|8}} | style="text-align:center;"|0 | style="text-align:center;"|1 | style="text-align:center;"| |- | style="text-align:center;"|Martino Theus | style="text-align:center;"|2013 | style="text-align:center;"|1 | style="text-align:center;"|4 | style="text-align:center;"|0 | style="text-align:center;"|{{winperc|1|4}} | style="text-align:center;"|0 | style="text-align:center;"|0 | style="text-align:center;"| |- | style="text-align:center;"|LaMonte Coleman | style="text-align:center;"|{{CIFL Year|2013}}, {{CIFL Year|2014}}, 2015 | style="text-align:center;"|9 | style="text-align:center;"|6 | style="text-align:center;"|0 | style="text-align:center;"|{{winperc|9|6}} | style="text-align:center;"|1 | style="text-align:center;"|1 | style="text-align:center;"|2014 CIFL Coach of the Year |- | style="text-align:center;"|Rick Kranz | style="text-align:center;"|2015 | style="text-align:center;"|2 | style="text-align:center;"|2 | style="text-align:center;"|0 | style="text-align:center;"|{{winperc|2|2}} | style="text-align:center;"|0 | style="text-align:center;"|0 | style="text-align:center;"| |}

==Season-by-season results== {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:75%;" |- | style="text-align:center; background:#fcc;"|'''League Champions''' | style="text-align:center; background:#dfd;"|'''Conference Champions''' | style="text-align:center; background:#d0e7ff;"|'''Division Champions''' | style="text-align:center; background:#96cdcd;"|'''Wild Card Berth''' | style="text-align:center; background:#c8a2c8;"|'''League Leader''' |}

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;" |- !rowspan="2" | Season !rowspan="2" | Team !rowspan="2" | League !rowspan="2" | Conference !rowspan="2" | Division !colspan="4" | Regular season !rowspan="2" | Postseason results |- !Finish !Wins !Losses !Ties |-background:#fcc;" ! style="text-align:center;"| 2011 | style="text-align:center;"| 2011 | style="text-align:center;"| CIFL | style="text-align:center;"| | style="text-align:center;"| | style="text-align:center;background:#96cdcd;"| 2nd | style="text-align:center;"| 8 | style="text-align:center;"| 2 | style="text-align:center;"| 0 ||'''Won''' CIFL semifinals (Silverbacks) 53–53 '''Lost''' CIFL Championship Game (Commandos) 29–44 |- ! style="text-align:center;"| 2012 | style="text-align:center;"| 2012 | style="text-align:center;"| UIFL | style="text-align:center;"| North | style="text-align:center;"| | style="text-align:center;background:#96cdcd;"| 3rd | style="text-align:center;"| 7 | style="text-align:center;"| 4 | style="text-align:center;"| 0 ||'''Lost''' UIFL quarterfinals (Explosion) 47–56 |- ! style="text-align:center;"| 2013 | style="text-align:center;"| 2013 | style="text-align:center;"| CIFL | style="text-align:center;"| | style="text-align:center;"| | style="text-align:center;"| 8th | style="text-align:center;"| 2 | style="text-align:center;"| 8 | style="text-align:center;"| 0 | |- ! style="text-align:center;"| 2014 | style="text-align:center;"| 2014 | style="text-align:center;"| CIFL | style="text-align:center;"| | style="text-align:center;background:#d0e7ff;"| South | style="text-align:center;"| 1st | style="text-align:center;"| 8 | style="text-align:center;"| 2 | style="text-align:center;"| 0 |'''Won''' South Division Championship (River Monsters) 56–40 '''Lost''' CIFL Championship Game (Explosion) 26–38 |- ! style="text-align:center;"| 2015 | style="text-align:center;"| 2015 | style="text-align:center;"| X-League | style="text-align:center;"| | style="text-align:center;"| | style="text-align:center;"| 6th | style="text-align:center;"| 5 | style="text-align:center;"| 3 | style="text-align:center;"| 0 | |- ! style="text-align:center;" rowspan="5" colspan="6"|Totals ! style="text-align:center;"|'''30''' ! style="text-align:center;"|'''19''' ! style="text-align:center;"|'''0''' ! style="text-align:center;" colspan="3"|'''All-time regular season record (2011–2015)''' |- style="text-align:center;" ||'''2''' ||'''3''' ||- | colspan="3"|'''All-time postseason record (2011–2015)''' |- ! style="text-align:center;"|'''32''' ! style="text-align:center;"|'''22''' ! style="text-align:center;"|'''0''' ! style="text-align:center;" colspan="3"|'''All-time regular season and postseason record (2011–2015)''' |- |}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{Official website|http://blueracersfootball.com/}}

Category:Marion Blue Racers Category:2010 establishments in Ohio Category:2015 disestablishments in Ohio Category:American football teams established in 2010 Category:American football teams disestablished in 2015