af2 Week Three Recaps
April 15, 2002 - arenafootball2 (af2) News Release
San Diego Riptide (1-1) 69, Fresno Frenzy (0-2) 52
FRESNO, Calif. â The San Diego Riptide (1-1) used a 30-point scoring burst in the second quarter to gain its first victory in team history, 69-52 over the Fresno Frenzy (0-2) Thursday before 5,138 fans at Selland Arena. Riptide QB KANE CLAUNCH completed 13-of-22 passes for 219 yards with seven TDs, and ran for another score en route to Game MVP honors.
Last week's go-to receiver, MARTY GRAHAM, compiled 256 all-purpose yards and has 656 all-purpose yards in just two games played this season. Ironman honors went to Fresno WR/DB EDDIE KLANESKI, while San Diego's RYAN CUTHBERT was named the ADT Defensive Player of the Game.
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Charleston Swamp Foxes (1-0) 67, Greensboro Prowlers (1-1) 32
GREENSBORO, Va. â The Charleston Swamp Foxes (1-0) scored 52 seconds into the game and never looked back as they rolled to a 67-32 win over the Greensboro Prowlers (1-1) Friday before 2,313 fans at Greensboro Coliseum.
Charleston OS DWAYNE WILMOT led all receivers with nine catches for 99 yards and four scores. He also added an interception on defense. Veteran Swamp Fox QB RAY ISSAC started out a perfect 7-for-7 in the first quarter and finished 9-of-12 for 108 yards and four touchdowns, only seeing action in the first half.
OL/DL PRESTON VINSON led the strong defensive effort by the Swamp Foxes with three sacks and a pair of safeties.
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Quad City (2-0) 36, Louisville Fire (0-2) 27
LOUISVILLE, Ky. â Quad City (2-0) scored 22 straight points in the second half to overcome a 21-14 deficit and defeat the Fire 36-27 before a crowd of 10,122 fans at Freedom Hall.
Louisville (0-2) never trailed through the first three quarters, but the Steamwheelers took the lead for good when FRANK TRENTADUE blocked MIKE MOSER 's 49-yard field goal attempt. The ball rolled out of the end zone for a safety and a 22-21 Quad City lead. Trentadue, the Ironman of the Game, had another blocked field goal and a sack in the contest. Fourth-quarter TD passes of 26 and 10 yards from TONY ZIMMERMAN, the game MVP, to IRA GOOCH put the game away.
Louisville DS DELVECCHIO WALLS, who gave the Fire its 21-14 third-quarter advantage with his 10-yard fumble return for touchdown, was named the ADT Defensive Player of the Game.
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Mohegan Wolves (1-1) 47, Norfolk Nighthawks (0-2) 29
NEW LONDON, Conn. â The expansion Mohegan Wolves (1-1) earned their first-ever win by getting past the Norfolk Nighthawks 47-29 Friday before 3,583 fans at the Mohegan Sun Arena. Norfolk (0-2) has opened the season with two straight losses to expansion teams.
QB CABLE DAVIS led the way for the Wolves, completing 19-of-31 for 211 yards and four TDs. One of those TDs went to OS BRANDON BURNSIDE, who caught seven balls for 63 yards and earned game MVP honors. Norfolk QB ROY JOHNSON was 11-of-21 for 153 yards and two touchdowns, while DS DESMOND WASHINGTON had a game-high five tackles.
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Richmond Speed (3-0) 72, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers (0-2) 30
WILKES-BARRE, Pa. â The Richmond Speed (3-0) used a combination of pinpoint passing, aggressive defense and an ability to capitalize on every Wilkes-Barre/Scranton miscue en route to a lopsided 72-30 victory in front of 6,968 fans at the First Union Arena.
Richmond QB and game MVP BOB BEES connected on 18-of-25 passes for 181 yards and five touchdowns. His primary target was WR/DB KEVIN HARVEY, who caught eight passes for 130 yards. Pioneers QB TYLER TOMICH, who backed up JOHN KNUST last week against Greensboro, completed 17-of-29 passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns in the loss. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton dropped to 0-2.
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Memphis Xplorers (2-0) 49, Peoria Pirates (1-1) 48 â overtime
PEORIA, Ill. â TIM LESTER connected with RUSSELL COPELAND on a do-or-die two-point conversion in overtime to give Memphis (2-0) a 49-48 win at Peoria in front of 7,213 fans at Carver Arena.
Memphis trailed 27-14 at halftime, but rallied to set up a wild finish that included seven lead changes down the stretch. Lester's 7-yard TD pass to Copeland gave Memphis a 41-38 lead with only seven seconds left in regulation. But Peoria kicker TODD KURZ hit a 34-yard field goal with no time remaining to send the game to overtime.
Peoria (1-1) scored 1:30 into OT on a 33-yard pass from WALTER CHURCH to JERMAINE SHEFFIELD. Memphis answered with an eight-play, 37-yard drive, pulling within 48-47 on FB/LB RUDOLPH SCOTT's 2-yard TD run and setting up the game-winning conversion.
Copeland caught 15 passes for 169 yards and for five TDs and the winning two-pointer. Lester totaled 317 yards on 32-of-44 passing, throwing for five scores and rushing for another. Peoria OS CORNELL CRAIG totaled 116 yards on seven catches and had six kickoff returns for 106 yards to net game MVP honors. Ironman of the Game Sheffield had four catches for 68 yards and two touchdowns to go with 2.5 tackles. The Pirates' LINCOLN DUPREE was the ADT Defensive Player of the Game. He led all players with 10.5 tackles (nine unassisted), one forced fumble, one interception and three pass deflections.
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Birmingham Steeldogs (1-1) 47, Mobile Wizards (0-2) 26
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. â Birmingham OS WAYNE THOMAS scored on four of his five catches, leading the Steeldogs (1-1) to a 47-26 win over in-state rival Mobile (0-2) in front of 7,460 fans.
Birmingham took control by outscoring the Wizards 33-13 in the second and third quarters, the big blow coming on TERRANCE HARRIS' 55-yard kickoff return TD to open the second half and give Birmingham a 34-14 bulge. Steeldogs QB MONTRESSA KIRBY also hooked up with Thomas for three TD passes during the stretch.
Kirby hit 15-of-26 passes for 174 yards and the four TDs to Thomas, who totaled 61 receiving yards in winning game MVP honors. Ironman of the Game WR/DB CEDRICK BUCHANNON of Birmingham rushed for a touchdown, totaled 44 receiving yards and made three tackles. Steeldogs OL/DL JERRY TURNER had a sack and two tackles to pick up ADT Defensive Player of the Game honors. ANTOINE FLOWERS led the Wizards with nine catches for 87 yards and two touchdowns. Mobile QB JOHN HOLMES completed 21-of-46 passes for 195 yards in his Wizards' debut.
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Cape Fear Wildcats (2-0) 38, New Haven Ninjas (0-2) 20
NEW HAVEN, Conn. â The expansion Cape Fear Wildcats improved to 2-0 Saturday night as they got past the New Haven Ninjas 38-20 before 5,969 at the New Haven Coliseum.
The Wildcat defense held the Ninjas to 139 total yards of offense and sacked New Haven QB PHIL STAMBAUGH four times, including two safeties. Ironman of the Game OL/DL E.J. BURT had one of the safeties.
Cape Fear QB VIC PENN threw two TD passes and completed 20-of-30 attempts for 178 yards. One positive for the Ninjas was the play of New Haven native DAMON RICHARDSON. The DS had two interceptions in his Ninjas' debut.
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Macon Knights (2-0) 48, Tallahassee Thunder (1-1) 42
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. â Macon QB MIKE GLUSKI found WR/LB GABE ARNEY for a 13-yard strike with 1:36 remaining to lead the Knights (2-0) to a 48-42 victory over Tallahassee (1-1) Saturday before 3,342 people at the Leon County Civic Center.
This game featured two of af2's hottest arms in Gluski and Thunder QB CHRIS WINDSOR. The two combined for 496 yards in the air. Gluski was 20-of-34 for 239 yards and five TDs on the night, while Windsor completed 17-of-36 for 257 yards and four scores. Tallahassee OS CAINON LAMB was named the game MVP, as he caught 13 passes for 189 yards and three TDs. Lamb also had a 50-yard kick return for a TD.
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Florida Firecats (2-0) 40, Columbus Wardogs (0-1) 35
ESTERO, Fla. â The Florida Firecats (2-0) edged the Columbus Wardogs 40-35 Saturday night before 5,081 at TECO Arena. Columbus (0-1 in 2002) is 0-17 all-time.
Columbus dominated the total offense numbers, putting up 234 yards to Florida's 142, but the Wardogs' six turnovers helped Florida pull ahead. One costly turnover was a late third-quarter interception that game MVP JAROD WARE took back 49 yards for a TD to give the Firecats the lead for good at 23-20. Wardog QB JEROME WEAKS completed 20-of-44 for 225 yards and three TDs. He also rushed for two scores.
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Albany Conquest (2-0) 42, Rochester Brigade (1-1) 36
ROCHESTER, N.Y. â The Albany Conquest (2-0) took sole possession of first place in the Northeast Division by beating the Rochester Brigade 42-36 Saturday in front of 6,623 at the Blue Cross Arena.
The Brigade (1-1) led 16-9 at halftime, but an Albany quarterback change at halftime turned things around for the Conquest. RYAN VENA replaced JOHN KRUEGER and completed 12-of-18 for 108 yards and three TDs, earning MVP accolades.
Conquest WR/LB ADRIEL LINYEAR was named the game's Ironman, registering six catches for 72 yards and one touchdown. He also had five tackles (four unassisted) on defense. DS HENRY "SHAKE" BAKER earned the ADT Defensive Player of the game, tallying one solo tackle, one interception and one pass defended on the night.
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Bossier City Battle Wings (1-1) 27, Tulsa Talons (1-1) 14
BOSSIER CITY, La. â Bossier City (1-1) managed just six points in the first three quarters against Tulsa (1-1) Saturday night, but struck for 21 points in the fourth to pull out a 27-14 win in front of 4,632 people at the CenturyTel Center.
Two TD catches by WES CASWELL (six receptions, 80 yards) gave the Talons a 14-6 lead entering the final period. But the Battle Wings got an 18-yard touchdown pass from SHERARD POTEETE to KEVIN STEVENSON and a two-point conversion run from LANCE STROTHER to tie the game at 14-14. On the ensuing kickoff, Bossier City recovered a Tulsa fumble and game MVP MARTY KENT nailed a 36-yard field goal to give the Battle Wings a lead they would not relinquish.
Bossier City WR/DB COREY KELLEY sealed the win when he picked off Tulsa QB ANTHONY BUICH and returned it 27 yards for the touchdown and the 24-14 lead. Kent hit his fourth field goal of the game with 4:10 left for the final margin.
Buich finished the game 19-of-38 for 180 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions. Poteete was 14-of-32 for 137 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Ironman winner VAL MORRIS of Bossier City made two catches for 27 yards and one big strip and recovery inside the Wings' 5-yard line. Kelley was named the ADT Defensive Player of the Game.
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Arkansas Twisters (1-1) 34, Wichita Stealth (0-2) 13
WICHITA, Kan. â Arkansas tied a team-record for fewest points allowed in a game, forcing six turnovers, registering five sacks and scoring a touchdown to lift the Twisters (1-1) to a 34-13 win against Wichita (0-2) Saturday.
Game Ironman DARNELL SMALL returned an interception 37 yards for a touchdown with 39 seconds left in the first half to put the Twisters on top to stay, 14-7. Small capped the scoring with a 4-yard TD run late in the fourth quarter, finishing the night with 41 yards rushing, 4.5 tackles and a sack to go with his two scores.
Game MVP RICKY HEBERT completed 20-of-34 passes for 171 yards and touchdowns to LENNIE JOHNSON (who led all receivers with 77 yards) and GREG TAYLOR. WR/LB XAVIER PATTERSON scored the Stealth's two touchdowns, one rushing and one receiving. Wichita's ROBERT HALL netted seven tackles to earn ADT Defensive Player of the Game honors.
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Bakersfield Blitz (2-0) 52, Hawaiian Islanders (1-1) 32
HONOLULU, Hawaii â CHAD ELLIOTT passed for 267 yards and five touchdowns to lead the Bakersfield Blitz to an impressive 52-32 win over the Hawaiian Islanders before 2,998 at the Neal Blaisdell Arena. The Blitz amassed 277 yards compared to Hawaii's 182.
Hawaii led 23-20 late in the first half and trailed just 32-29 midway through the third quarter, but the Blitz outscored the Islanders 20-3 the rest of the way, thanks to two Elliott TD passes and a GABRIEL CRECION TD run. Elliott tossed three touchdowns to STEVE WOFFORD, who was named the game's most valuable player. Wofford caught 13 passes for 132 yards and three touchdowns.
J'SHARLON JONES of Bakersfield was the ADT Defensive Player of the Game. Jones recorded three solo tackles and one assist, but his two pass deflections in the second half were key in the win. Hawaii's CHRIS PAOGOFIE was named the game's Ironman. Paogofie had three assists on defense, also catching two passes for 42 yards and a touchdown.
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THIS WEEK IN af2 HISTORY
4/19/00: Tulsa OL/DL DAVID CAMACHO is signed by the NFL's Baltimore Ravens, making him the first af2 player to make the leap to the NFL.
4/19/01: The Norfolk Nighthawks name former NFL quarterback MIKE BUCK head coach. Buck now coaches the Pensacola Barracudas.
4/21/01: ROY JOHNSON sets the af2 record for longest rush from scrimmage with a 49-yarder against Jacksonville.
arenafootball2 Stories from April 15, 2002
- af2's Carolina Rhinos Announce Roster Changes - Carolina Rhinos
- af2's Carolina Rhinos Get First Look at Home Field - Carolina Rhinos
- Blitz say Aloha to Islanders - Bakersfield Blitz
- af2 Week Three Recaps - af2
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