Crimson creams Cream 34-6

The first Cream and Crimson game under new football coach Terry Hoeppner wasn't supposed to be a close match-up -- but it was. The Crimson, filled with mostly first teamers, struggled to put away the second-string Cream team.\nAfter three-quarters of play, the Crimson only led 13-3 in front of more than 6,500 at Memorial Stadium Friday night.\nThe Cream, let by celebrity coach IU Alumni Association President Ken Beckley, struck quickly in the fourth quarter as sophomore Drew Robbins nailed a 41-yard field goal, cutting the lead to seven at 13-6. The long-distance kicking should be a welcomed sight in the fall. The longest field goal made last season was 39-yards by Bryan Robertson.\nFollowing the field goal, the Crimson players exerted their will and finished off the Cream in the fourth quarter by scoring the next 21 points. \nThe Crimson took less than two minutes to get the game going as freshman wide receiver Marcus Thigpen caught 40-yard pass from junior Graeme McFarland in the end zone. Even though Thigpen made the catch, he gave special thanks to his celebrity coach -- IU President Adam Herbert.\n"It was a good call," Thigpen said. "I was waiting for that route all day and he finally called it because I was open. I had to go over there and thank him for it."\nThe high-fives continued for Herbert in the fourth quarter as sophomore quarterback Blake Powers hit junior tight end Chris Rudanovic for a 12-yard touchdown pass. Later in the quarter senior defensive end Ben Ishola picked off a pass from Cream redshirt quarterback Grant Gregory.\nSophomore running back Josiah Sears finished off the scoring with a one-yard plunge past the goal line.\nThough he was happy to get touchdown, Sears felt like he got an easy one, he said.\n"I feel like I stole that touchdown from Ben Ishola a little bit," Sears said. "He had made a great play and got tackled at the one."\nFor his first Cream and Crimson game, Hoeppner was pleased with the performance out of his team.\nThe Crimson pounded out 247 yards on the ground, compared to Beckley's Cream squad with 16.\nLeading all rushers on both sides was senior running back Chris Taylor. Despite only rushing the ball four times all in the first half, he made the most with his attempts. He started off the game with a 23-yard run and on his third attempt he took it to the house on an 85-yard dash in the middle of the second quarter.\nTaylor not only appreciated the hole his offensive line created, but also the crowd, he said.\n"It was a great game atmosphere. That's what we've all been waiting for -- coach Hep is the man," Taylor said. "The two linebackers came up quick and I knew it would be wide open. I got a block from a lineman and it was wide open from there."\nOn a night filled not only with buzz of football in the air but also Little 500, Hoeppner was pleased with the turnout, he said.\n"It was neat going out and seeing the tailgating on a Friday night in April," he said. "Talking about college football and Hoosier football, I think we took small steps. It should be one of the big events in Bloomington: the spring game -- the Cream and Crimson."\n-- Contact Staff Writer at Dan Click at daaclick@indiana.edu.