Expansion Bowl Blowout Sets Up Battle for First on Friday
April 27, 2003 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Cincinnati Swarm News Release
The Cincinnati Swarm made history for the second consecutive week on Saturday night. After recording their first home win last week, the Swarm picked up their first road victory on Sautrday. The Swarm (2-2) downed the home-standing Green Bay Blizzard (0-4) by a final of 69-33. The 69 points more than double the previous Swarm record for points in a game. The win keeps the Swarm in a first place tie in the Midwest Division.
Swarm QB Christian Batcheller was 24 of 28 for 269 yards with eight touchdowns. Batcheller was making his first start because of an injury to starting QB Danny Smith. Swarm WR/LB James Scott caught five passes in the game for 88 yards and three touchdowns. WR/DB Tony Locke caught five passes for 80 yards with three TDs.
The Swarm defense was impressive for a second consecutive week. The Swarm held the Blizzard to 272 yards and forced three turnovers. Derrick Shepard recorded his first sack of the season. Mike Mills intercepted a pass for the second consecutive game. Rob Green got in on the act as well by recording his first interception with the Swarm.
Special teams play was also part of the show. Jim Jones returned a kickoff for a touchdown early in the second half. The TD marked the second consecutive game that Jones went the distance with a kickoff, and the third game in a row that a member of the Swarm returned a kick for a touchdown.
In a game billed as the "Expansion Bowl", the Swarm struck quickly. The opening drive for the Swarm was capped by a four-yard rushing touchdown for Jim Jones. The TD was Jones' second of the season and gave the Swarm a 7-0 lead less than four minutes into the game.
The Swarm struck again on their second drive. With four minutes left in the first quarter, Christian Batcheller found Anthony Payton for a five-yard touchdown pass. The touchdown pushed the Swarm advantage to 13-0 after Andy Payne missed the extra point.
On the ensuing Green Bay possession, Mike Mills recorded his second interception in as many games to end the Blizzard drive. Green Bay QB Ryan Aulenbacher attempted a pass in the end zone that Mills intercepted to keep the Blizzard off the board.
The Swarm struck again with 7:42 remaining in the second quarter. A two-play drive was capped by a 25-yard pass from Batcheller to James Scott. The TD was Scott's team-leading fourth of the season and gave the Swarm a 20-0 lead.
The Blizzard answered with a score of their own to cut the lead to 20-7. Aulenbacher hit Joe Rivard with a flare pass that Rivard carried to the end zone. The touchdown was Rivard's first of the season.
After the Blizzard TD, the combination of Batcheller and Scott resulted in a Swarm touchdown for the second time. Batcheller hit Scott with two consecutive passes. The second completion resulted in a Batcheller touchdown pass for the third time on Saturday and put the Swarm up 26-7.
The Blizzard would score with less than 30 seconds left in the first half to cut the Swarm lead to 26-14. Aulenbacher found Mal Lawyer on a short dump pass to pull the Blizzard within twelve points.
Unfortunately for the Blizzard, 30 seconds was too much time. The explosive Swarm offense scored with just 5.2 seconds left in the half. Christian Batcheller hit James Scott to cap another two-play drive for the Swarm. The score gave Batcheller four TD passes for the game and gave Scott three touchdown catches on the evening. The touchdown also pushed the Swarm lead to 32-14 heading into halftime.
On their first offensive play of the second half, things went from bad to worse for the Blizzard. Aulenbacher fumbled the snap into his own endzone. Blizzard OL/DL Brandon Williams fell on the ball, but the Swarm recorded the safety to lengthen their lead to 34-14.
On the following kickoff, Jim Jones went the distance for a kickoff return touchdown. The TD marked the second consecutive game that Jones returned a kick for a touchdown. The scored gave the Swarm a 41-14 lead just over two minutes into the second half.
Aulenbacher hit Robert Garth with a 26-yard strike to dent the Swarm lead. The touchdown put the Blizz within 21, but Green Bay missed the point after leaving the score at 41-20.
Batcheller hit Tony Locke for a touchdown on the Swarm's next offensive play. An Anthony Payton return set the Swarm up on the Green Bay 24 when Batcheller zipped a strike to Locke. After Locke's touchdown, Batcheller completed a two-point conversion pass to Jim Jones to run the score to 49-20.
After a Green Bay fumble, Batcheller found Jim Jones with a 20-yard touchdown pass. The TD was Batcheller's sixth of the game, and Jones' third marker on the night (1 rushing, 1 on a return and one receiving). After a failed extra point, the Swarm held a 55-20 lead.
Aulenbacher continued the second half shootout by hitting Robert Garth with a 28-yard touchdown pitch on the next Green Bay possession. The Blizzard pulled to within 28 on the score, 55-27.
The Swarm scored their ninth touchdown when Batcheller and Locke hooked up again, this time on a 17-yard scoring strike. Batcheller's seventh touchdown pass of the game gave the Swarm a 61-27 lead.
A Rob Green interception set up another Swarm touchdown. After Green picked off an Aulenbacher pass, Batcheller hit Locke in the end zone for the third time in the second half. After Locke ran in a two-point conversion, the Swarm held a 69-27 lead.
Aulenbacher recovered to hit Nick Johnson with a seven-yard scoring strike with 2:17 left in the game. Aulenbacher's fifth passing touchdown set the score at 69-33 after a failed two-point conversion attempt.
Batcheller made his first bad pass of the game with under ten seconds remaining. Mal Lawyer picked off Batcheller's last pass and the game ended after the Blizzard's next offensive play. The 69-33 final is the biggest margin of victory in Swarm history.
The Swarm return to U.S. Bank Arena on Friday for a match-up with the Louisville Fire. The Swarm and Fire are currently tied for first place in af2's Midwest Division. The battle for first place begins at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Tickets are available through U.S. Bank Arena box office and all Ticketmaster locations.
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