Blackjacks Fall in Opener
April 27, 2019 - Arena Football League (AFL)
Atlantic City Blackjacks News Release
PHILADELPHIA - The first game in Blackjacks history got underway with the team receiving the opening kickoff. Kendrick Ings found himself with some open space for a 27-yard return. The drive began with Hippeard completing his first two passes and ended it with a 9-yard touchdown pass to LaMark Brown for the first ever touchdown in franchise history. The ensuing kickoff resulted in a fumble after the ball bounced off the net and off a Soul player. Nick Haag jumped on the ball to give the Blackjacks the ball back on the Soul's 2-yard line. Quarterback Randy Hippeard took the ball himself over the goal line and the Blackjacks jumped out to a 14-0 lead. The Soul handled the ball on the following kickoff and had a return of 5-yards. After the Blackjacks defense held the offense to a fourth-and-six, Raudabaugh found Darius Prince over the middle of the field and was tackled at the 1-yard line. After stopping the Soul's fullback Adrian Ferns two consecutive times, he finally found his way into the end zone. The Soul cut the lead in half and that's how the first quarter would end.
Hippeard started the second quarter off with a bang, a deep 38-yard pass to LaMark Brown for the touchdown, the extra point was missed, Blackjacks would lead 20-7. The Blackjacks defense looked sharp early, the line got to Raudabaugh and forced him to make three straight incomplete passes. The Soul couldn't find the first down marker and would turn the ball over to the Blackjacks on their own 5-yard line. Hippeard took the field with only 5-yards needed to get a touchdown, but James Romain of the Soul had other ideas. He picked off Hippeard in the endzone, which set a franchise record for the most interceptions, and returned it all the way back for a touchdown. Blackjacks lead cut to 20-14. The Soul tried to continue that momentum and attempted an onside kick, but the Blackjacks jumped on it first. Atlantic City took over on the Soul's 14-yard line. Hippeard dropped back in the pocket and found his hot target of the day, LaMark Brown. He would make his way into the end zone. This 14-yard touchdown pass would extend the lead for the Blackjacks with a score of 27-14. The soul would counter with their own scoring drive on a 3-yard pass from Raudabaugh to Darius Prince, his first of the day. Soul kicker Kenny Spencer would fail to connect on the extra point. There was a scuffle after the kick and both Micanor Regis of Atlantic City and Neal Tivis of Philadelphia would be ejected from the game. This would conclude the first half, Blackjacks lead 27-20.
The second half started with the Soul receiving the kick. After the Soul moved the ball down the field, a holding penalty on Kiante Northington would advance the ball up to the Blackjacks 23-yard line. The Blackjacks defense held their own again and forced Raudabaugh to convert a fourth-and-one to Darius Reynolds. Adrian Ferns would push his way into the end zone for his second touchdown of the game. The game was all knotted up at 27. The following drive was over fast, Hippeard was picked off by James Romain yet again, and just like the previous interception, Romain would bring it back 23-yards to the house for his second pick six of the game. Soul would take their first lead of the game at 27-34. Kendrick Ings had a nice return of 14-yards and Hippeard went for it all on the next play. He found a streaking Ings battling James Romain up the field, Ings appeared to catch the ball at first but hit the boards hard in an awkward position. The pass was ruled incomplete. When you don't succeed at first, try and try again, that's just what Hippeard did. He went deep again, and this time connected 28-yards with Antwane Grant for the first touchdown of his career. The Blackjacks tied it up at 34 and that's how the third quarter would close.
The Blackjacks would try their luck with an onside kick but wouldn't convert. The Soul took over on the Blackjacks 22-yard line. Raudabaugh would find Darius Reynolds for his first touchdown of the day and the Soul would take back the lead 34-41. Hippeard found Ings on two consecutive plays at 15-yards each the following drive, Ings' speed and elusiveness were on display this drive. There would be a holding penalty on Lenroy Neysmith of the Soul which gave the Blackjacks a first-and-goal. After two failed plays, Hippeard ran into some miscommunication with his receivers and got called for an intentional grounding penalty, which is a loss of yards and down. On third-and-fifteen, Hippeard found Brown, after a few yards gained after the catch, Brown was hit, and the ball came out and rolled into the end zone where the Soul would pick it up and take it out to their own 11-yard line. The Blackjacks would challenge the ruling on the field, but the call would stand. Raudabaugh turned the ball over quickly as Marvin Ross would intercept him. The first interception in the team's history would be short celebrated. Ross took a nasty hit to his head as he was going to the ground and would need to be stretchered off the field. Ross gave the crowd a thumbs-up as he was being led off the field. Hippeard took command and found Ings for a 2-yard pass and a touchdown, the game was tied yet again at 41. Atlantic City would try the onside kick again but failed to recover. Adrian Ferns powered his way into the end zone for his third short running touchdown of the day a few plays later. The Soul took the lead at 41-48. The Soul now attempted an onside kick and they did successfully recover the ball. Things got interesting as the defense created a what appeared to be fumble, but the runner was ruled down. The Blackjacks would challenge again but the call would still stand. There was under a minute to go and the Blackjacks only had one timeout remaining. The Soul simply just kneed the ball twice and time expired. The Blackjacks would fall in their inaugural game to the Philadelphia Soul with a score of 41-48. The team will look to get its first win next week as they host the Columbus Destroyers in their home opener on May 4th at 3:30PM.
Arena Football League Stories from April 27, 2019
- Destroyers Fall to Empire in Season Opener, 35-19 - Columbus Destroyers
- Empire Defeats Destroyers in First Game of the Season - Albany Empire
- Blackjacks Fall in Opener - Atlantic City Blackjacks
- Philadelphia Soul Win Season Opener - Philadelphia Soul
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