Blaze Splits Season Series with SaberCats
May 12, 2012 - Arena Football League (AFL)
Utah Blaze News Release
SAN JOSE - The Utah Blaze (6-3) split its season series with the division-rival San Jose SaberCats (7-2) following a 70-59 loss in front of a crowd of 10,093 at HP Pavilion. Utah now sits in second place in the West Division of the Arena Football League's National Conference.
QB Tommy Grady had another huge game on offense for the Blaze, throwing for a career-best 397 yards and nine touchdowns. WR Aaron Lesue was unusually quiet in the contest, but WR Shaun Kauleinamoku picked up the slack by hauling in game-highs with 13 receptions for 211 yards and five scores.
The two teams exchanged scores throughout the first half, but a missed PAT gave the SaberCats a 42-41 lead at the midway point. It looked as if the trend would continue into the third quarter until San Jose recovered an onside kick following a touchdown pass from QB Mark Grieb to WR Hank Edwards. Grieb then converted the extra possession into another score off a 10-yard touchdown pass to WR Samora Goodson, giving the SaberCats a 63-47 advantage. The kick proved to be the difference in the game, as Utah was unable to overcome the two score deficit.
"It was a hard fought game and we knew it was going to be," said President & Head Coach Ron James. "You have teams - number one and two in the division - going at each other and playing hard. It came down to mistakes, we made too many and they played a good game."
WR Alvance Robinson caught nine passes for 128 yards with three touchdowns. Lesue contributed four receptions for 58 yards and a score. Defensively, DB Carlton Brown snared his fifth interception of the season and DB David Hyland paced the group with 6.5 tackles.
National Guard MVP of the Game
Utah WR Shaun Kauleinamoku
Russell Athletic Player of the Game
Utah WR Shaun Kauleinamoku
Riddell Defensive Player of the Game
San Jose DL Tim McGill
JLS Ironman
San Jose WR Huey Whittaker
AFL Playmaker of the Game
San Jose WR Hank Edwards
Cutters Catch of the Game
San Jose WR Huey Whittaker's one-handed catch in the first quarter
Spalding Highlight of the Game
San Jose WR Huey Whittaker's one-handed catch in the first quarter
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