Perfect Slaughter nab title

HOFFMAN ESTATES – The Slaughter captured their first Continental Indoor Football League championship Saturday, hanging on for a 58-48 win against the Fort Wayne Freedom before an announced crowd of 3,861 at the Sears Centre.

The Slaughter (14-0) also became the first Chicago pro football franchise to go undefeated since the 1942 Bears, a fact that was not lost on quarterback Russ Michna.

“We came into the season with the mind-set we wanted to win every game,” Michna said. “Fort Wayne played a heck of a game tonight, but we held on.”

After the game in the locker room amid a rowdy champagne celebration, game MVP Donovan Morgan, who had five catches for 78 yards and three touchdowns, took a good-natured jab at Slaughter coach Steve McMichael, a member of the Super Bowl champion 1985 Bears.

“I told coach he never had an undefeated season before,” Morgan said.

Although Morgan won the game’s MVP honors, it was the arm of Michna that dominated much of the spotlight. Michna finished 14-of-20 passing for 182 yards and seven TDs. He had no interceptions.

Three of Michna’s scoring strikes were to Morgan, two to receiver Bobby Sippio and another to Dontrell Jackson. He also found offensive lineman Rob Boss on an 8-yard scoring pass to open the second half.

Fort Wayne (7-6) opened the scoring 1:45 into the game on a 38-yard pass from quarterback Randy Hutchison (27-of-48, 355 yards). The Slaughter took a 31-28 lead into halftime after a CIFL-record 52-yard field goal by kicker Chris Nendick with 4 seconds remaining in the second quarter.

The Slaughter never trailed the rest of the way, although Fort Wayne came within two points early in the fourth quarter.

“The Slaughter are here to stay,” McMichael told the crowd as he held up the championship trophy. “This is your championship, too.”