Nighthawks inch closer to playoff berth with home win
July 12, 2003 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Norfolk Nighthawks News Release
NORFOLK - The Norfolk Nighthawks (8-6) showed a great deal of heart and willpower as they defeated the visiting Macon Knights in front of 4,002 home town fans 42-37.
The Nighthawks were lead by again by quarterbacks Chris Wallace and Aaron Sparrow. Wallace started the game and finished with an 8 for13 passing performance and 88 yards with 2 touchdowns and just one interception. Sparrow stats seemed to mirror Wallace's as he piloted the team to the end of the match-up and completed 8 for 12 passing. He amassed 101 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Tonight's contest pitted two teams on the bubble of making the af2 playoffs. Both knew this coming into the game, but the Nighthawks seemed to play with an extra intensity throughout, as the coaching staff had made it clear early that only the Nighthawks could prevent the Nighthawks from making their way to the playoffs. Head Coach Rick Frazier threw down the 'gauntlet' and demanded that his team respond by winning their last four games.
And so far they have complied, first by defeating their in-state rivals, the Richmond Speed by a score of 63-28. Then they did one better by winning this pivotal game against a dangerous opponent.
Macons' head coach Kevin Porter and his staff were noticeably agitated throughout the game and were warned several times to remain on the sidelines.
Controversy erupted as fans did not agree with a call on the field - Nighthawks' DS Quesuan Wigfall appeared to have tackled Macon's OS Jacques Rumph into the dasherboards in the second quarter. Rumph rolled out of the tackle and into the end zone. The Norfolk Scope went ballistic ... but the call stood.
OS Travis Burns was voted the game's MVP, as he finished with 7 catches for 83 yards, as well as two returns for 70 yards and two touchdowns. DS Quesuan Wigfall was recognized as the ADT Defensive Player of the Game and Dominc Banks, with his brutal hits and acrobatic catches netted him the game's IRON MAN award.
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