Steeldogs Cant Slow South Georgia
May 8, 2005 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Alabama Steeldogs News Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. The Steeldogs first win of the season is still at least one week away.
Herman Bell caught eight passes for 110 yards and two scores, but the Birmingham Steeldogs, hobbled by QB Ray Nelsons gimpy knee, fell at home, 69-49, at the hands of the South Georgia Wildcats.
The Steeldogs led throughout much of the first quarter, as Nelson found a streaking Detronn Harris from 16 yards out, putting Birmingham on top 7-0. South Georgia answered late in the quarter, as Bobby Pesavento fired a 27-yard scoring pass to Matt Burstein. It was one of five touchdown passes that the OS from Arkansas hauled in on the evening.
The Wildcats forced a safety early in the second quarter, giving them an eight-point advantage. The lead never changed hands again.
Nelson was injured just before halftime after getting sacked for a one-yard loss. Reserve quarterback Tim Gallahan saw his first action of the year early in the second half. In his second series, Gallahan tossed a short out pass to Herman Bell, who took it 44 yards to the end-zone to put the Steeldogs within 14 points at 42-28.
But the combination of Pesavento and Burstein was just too much to handle, as the pair scored three additional touchdowns to put the game out of reach.
Pesavento completed 24 of 33 passes for 228 yards and eight touchdowns. Burstein caught 10 passes for 141 yards and five touchdowns, good enough to earn Offensive Player of the Game honors.
Nelson completed 16 of 22 pass attempts for 159 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Aside from Bells outstanding performance, Detronn Harris caught eight passes for 91 yards and a touchdown. Bells numbers earned him the U.S. Army Ironman of the Game award.
The Wildcats Rob Keefe collected five and a half tackles and took home the ADT Defensive Player of the Game award.
The game drew 4,935 fans to the BJCC Arena.
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