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Blitz stun Twisters with last minute comeback, win 36-33

June 11, 2005 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Bakersfield Blitz News Release


Bakersfield, Calif. - Jason Thomas' fourth touchdown pass of the game came in the final minute of play and lifted the Bakersfield Blitz (4-6) to a 36- 33 victory over the Arkansas Twisters (1-9) on Friday night at the Rabobank Arena.

The first quarter saw only two touchdowns, as the Blitz took the lead just three plays into the game. Rennard Reynolds picked up his team-leading 12th touchdown reception on the opening drive. Arkansas answered with a TD throw from Kevin Feterik to Ted Alford, but Kika Kaululaau blocked the extra point and the Blitz led 7-6.

In the second, the Twisters took the lead. Kevin Williams hauled in his 12th touchdown reception this season to make it 13-7 Arkansas. Alford added his second TD of the night to make it 20-7. Reynolds nabbed his second scoring grab of the night on a key fourth and goal play in the final minute of the first half to pull the Blitz within six points, but a last- second field goal by Arkansas put the score at 23-14 at halftime. Blitz QB Jason Thomas was picked off twice in the first half and Bakersfield scored on just two of their five opening half drives.

The Twisters extended the lead in the third when Thomas fumbled in the end zone and Arkansas recovered to make it 30-14. Thomas earned some of the points back by turning in the longest rushing play in team history. After being flushed from the pocket he blazed down the right side of the field and dodged tacklers for the 45-yard score to keep them in the game.

In the fourth Thomas and the defense carried the team to victory. Feterik and company could manage only a 20-yard field goal in the final stanza as the Blitz pounded away at Feterik. Shawn King was named the ADT Defensive Player of the Game by racking up 2 ½ sacks, with one in the fourth quarter on a key back-to-back sack set. Nick Onaindia, in his return to the lineup after missing three and a half games, rumbled in on a 4th and 2 touchdown play to make it 33-28. Bakersfield was backed up in the final minute of play, still trailing by five points on a 4th and 20 play at midfield. That's when Thomas found Reynolds open in the right corner of the end zone for the game winning score. Arkansas' final gasp expired when Feterik took an intentional grounding call in the end zone for a safety, accounting for the final score.

The Blitz go back on the road against one of the National Conference Mid-West Division leaders, the Amarillo Dusters. They return to host the Central Valley Coyotes in their third meeting of the season on Friday, June 24th at 7:00 p.m. That night, the first 2,000 fans will get a Blitz Pool Raft, courtesy of KGET-TV 17 and Rimer Homes. It's also Graduation Congratulations Night, in which all high school and college grads can get 2-for-1 tickets by showing their diploma or cap and tassels at the box office.

Score by Quarters (1-2-3- 4) Final Arkansas Twisters (6-17-7-3) 33 Bakersfield Blitz (7-7-7-15) 36

Offensive Player of the Game: J. Thomas, BAK ADT Defensive Player of the Game: S. King, BAK U.S. Army Ironman of the Game: Alford, ARK



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