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af2 Week 18 Game Recaps

Published on July 28, 2003 under arenafootball2 (af2) News Release


FRIDAY'S GAMES

Tulsa 66, BOSSIER CITY 36 (Attendance: 3,124): CRAIG STRICKLAND completed 23-of-37 for 22 yards with six touchdowns and he rushed for another to lead the Talons (13-3) past the Battle Wings (3-13). TACOMA FONTAINE, AL HUNT and MITCH ALLNER each caught two touchdowns for the Talons, while ALERIC CLARK led Tulsa with 73 receiving yards on seven receptions. Bossier City's VAL MORRIS led all receivers with eight catches for 144 yards and four touchdowns.

SAN DIEGO 31, Green Bay 28 (Attendance: 6,238): RICO CURTIS' two-yard rush with 24 seconds left on the clock capped the Riptide's (6-10) fourth comeback over the Blizzard (2-14). San Diego had been trailing 28-14 entering the fourth quarter before outscoring Green Bay 17-0 the rest of the way. KENNY HASLIP earned ADT Defensive Player of the Game honors by tallying 11 tackles (including one for a loss), seven passes defended and one forced fumble.

SATURDAY'S GAMES

Greensboro 67, NORFOLK 65 (Attendance: 4,510): CALEB SLOVER completed 18-of-27 for 360 yards and six touchdowns with no interceptions as the Prowlers (9-7) held off the Nighthawks (8-8). BOBBY SIPPIO and DAVID HILL both totaled 126 receiving yards to lead the Prowlers. Sippio did it on six catches with two touchdowns, while Hill made five grabs with three going for touchdowns. TRAVIS BURNS accounted for all five Norfolk receiving touchdowns, catching 10 passes for 142 yards. Burns also returned seven kickoffs for 197 yards with one 55-yard touchdown run, and he rushed three times for 20 yards and one additional touchdown. Greensboro ended the season with a five-game win streak, but it wasn't enough to land a Wild Card spot.

Florida 48, COLUMBUS 44 (Attendance: 4,726): CAINON LAMB, Ironman of the Game caught four passes for 43 yards and three touchdowns as the Firecats (10-6) sealed its Wild Card ticket with a win over the Wardogs (4-12). The Wardogs had a chance to win on the final drive of the game, but a Florida sack of Columbus QB SHERARD POTEETE on fourth and goal secured the win for the Firecats. Poteete threw for 306 yards and four touchdowns, with all four scores going to Game MVP TERENCE SAMUEL who had nine total catches for 127 yards. The Firecats finished the regular season 6-2 on the road and enter the playoffs for the second straight season.

MACON 51, Tennessee Valley 42 (Attendance: 4,442): Game MVP JACQUES RUMPH hauled in eight passes for 147 yards and three touchdowns as the Knights (10-6) knocked off the Vipers (14-2), securing a Wild Card spot and earning a home game next week in the First Round of the playoffs. Vipers QB MATT SAUK completed 27-of-47 passes for 257 yards and four touchdowns, but also threw a costly interception that BYRON DOUZART (Ironman of the Game) returned six yards for a score.

ROCHESTER 41, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 38 (Attendance: 2,038): AARON TURNER split the uprights from 20-yards out at the buzzer to lift the Brigade (3-13) over the Pioneers (6-10), giving head coach MIKE ESPOSITO his first and only win of the 2003 season. JASON VISCONTI earned Game MVP honors, completing 18-of-30 passes for 224 yards and three touchdowns. DEREK BAKER was named the game's Ironman with his 229 all-purpose yards (150 receiving, 79 kick return) and tow touchdowns. Baker also tallied 4.5 tackles.

CAPE FEAR 55, Memphis 33 (Attendance: 5,426): Game MVP MARCUS WHITEHEAD intercepted two passes, including one which he returned 15 yards for a score as the Wildcats (10-6) handled the Xplorers (6-10) and claimed the Atlantic Division title for the second straight season. BRYAN SNYDER completed 18-of-23 for 155 yards and two touchdowns in his final tune-up before the playoffs. ANTHONY HINES caught seven passes for 75 yards and two touchdowns to lead the 'Cats. Along with Whitehead, the Wildcats picked off four other passes, including two from PHIL CRUMB.

CHARLESTON 43, Richmond 13 (Attendance: 5,283): Behind two interceptions from MICHAEL BROWN, the Swamp Foxes (9-7) held the Speed (6-10) scoreless through the first half and allowed only 112 yards of total offense en route to a team best ninth win. JOHN TURMAN completed 12-of-26 passes for 143 yards and three touchdowns. Brown put the Swamp Foxes up 30-0 when he caught a 45-yard touchdown with 34 seconds left in the first half and then followed that with a 56-yard missed field goal return for a score at the halftime buzzer.

ALBANY 54, Mohegan 51 (Attendance: 6,385): Game MVP RYAN VENA rushed for a tow-yard touchdown with no time left to carry the Conquest (13-3) to a win over the Wolves (10-6). Vena, who completed 21-of-35 for 247 yards and three touchdowns, became the new af2 single season passing yard record holder with 4,452 yards for the season. COREY HILL had a game-high 11 catches for 139 yards and three touchdowns, but came up two receptions short of breaking his single season record of 161 catches set last season. MEL LONG caught eight passes for 120 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Wolves, who end up entering the postseason as the sixth seeded Wild Card.

Quad City 65, PEORIA 42 (Attendance: 6,566): TONY ZIMMERMAN completed 18-of-36 passes for 281 yards and four touchdowns as the Steamwheelers (14-2) dropped Peoria (5-11) and earned home field advantage throughout the postseason. JEFF HEWITT led the Steamwheelers with nine catches for 151 yards and one touchdown and teammate TIM DODGE grabbed eight passes for 121 yards and two scores. Peoria's JACK WALKER caught eight passes for 110 yards and three touchdowns to secure the af2 scoring title for 2003. Walkers 45 receiving touchdowns sets a new af2 single season record for touchdown receptions.

Cincinnati 61, WICHITA 59 (Attendance: 5,034): The Stealth (8-7-1) went on a 20-0 run in the game's final three minutes, but it wasn't enough to surpass the Swarm (7-9). ANTHONY BUICH completed 20-of-39 for 310 yards and eight touchdowns in the losing effort. Stealth receiver SHOMARI BUCHANAN caught six passes for a game-high 118 yards and four touchdowns. With the loss, the Stealth also lost its chance to host a first round playoff game. JON CAIN and ANTHONY PAYTON each caught two touchdowns for the Swarm.

Arkansas 41, BIRMINGHAM 32 (Attendance: 6,860): Game MVP LENNIE JOHNSON caught three passes, all for touchdowns, as the Twisters (9-7) topped the Steeldogs (7-9) and earned the right to host a First Round Playoff game next weekend. REGGIE COOLEY rushed for two touchdowns and intercepted a pass for Arkansas. ADT Defensive Player of the Game KAHLIL CARTER recorded four solo tackles and had five passes defended, including two interceptions.

SUNDAY'S GAME

Bakersfield 75, HAWAII 61 (Attendance: 3,988): Game MVP ERIC MAHANKE caught nine passes for 139 yards and an af2 record seven touchdowns as the Blitz (8-7-1) dominated the Islanders (10-6). CHAD ELLIOTT completed 16-of-24 for 253 yards and nine touchdowns. For Hawaii, NIAN TAYLOR grabbed nine passes for a game high 140 yards with three touchdowns. The Bakersfield defense tallied three sacks.

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