af2 Green Bay Blizzard

Blizzard Drops Overtime Heartbreaker to Lightning 68-62

Published on June 11, 2006 under arenafootball2 (af2)
Green Bay Blizzard News Release


In what would be the first-ever home overtime game in franchise history, the Green Bay Blizzard dropped a heartbreaker, 68-62 to the Stockton Lightning in front of 4,832 fans at the Resch Center. The loss meant the end of their season-high three game winning streak, and with the win the Lightning bounced back after losing their last two.

Early in the first quarter, the Blizzard struggled offensively as QB James MacPherson was named as the starting quarterback for the injured QB Ronnie Gordon, but the team only managed two field goals. The Lightning went up 14-6 at the end of the first period with Lightning QB Josh Blankenship hitting WR/LB Phil Goodman for the first TD and FB/LB Tupo Tuupo rushing for a 3-yard score for the second.

The Lightning went right back on the attack in the second quarter as Blankenship found FB/LB Chris Harris from ten yards to make it 20-6. The next two Blizzard scores however, came in little time and from far out. MacPherson tallied two touchdowns in the quarter, the first for 38 yards to OS Brent Holmes, and the second to WR/DB Dontrell Jackson for 43 yards. Stockton again took the lead 29-19 on a field goal by K Marc Hickok and a touchdown pass from Blankenship to WR/DB Kenyatte Morgan. At the end of the quarter though, MacPherson threw a soft touch pass over the middle that was caught in the end zone by WR/LB "Superman" Robert Garth. The Blizzard headed into the locker room down by only four points, 29-25.

Midway through the third quarter, MacPherson found Garth one more time. This time it was a 35-yard scoring play that put the Blizzard up for the first time in the game, 32-29. The Lightning answered right back as Blankenship found Morgan again, this time from 14 yards out.

In the fourth quarter, each team traded scores, one-upping the other the entire time. It was not until the end of the fourth quarter though when it looked bleak for the Blizzard, who were trailing 56-46. They scored on a MacPherson touchdown pass from 11 yards out to WR/LB Gerald Harris, and then with no time remaining in regulation, K Dallas Pelz kicked a 22 yard field goal to send the game into overtime with the score tied 56-56. The game would be the first-ever home overtime game for the Blizzard, and the extra frame would prove to be as wild as regulation.

In the extended quarter, each team scored on their first possession, sending the game into sudden death. The Blizzard scored first, but missed their PAT. The Lightning evened the score at 62-62, but their PAT was blocked by Garth. Stockton attempted an onside kick, which would provide the final blow to the Blizzard. Initially, they lined up for the onside, then changed formation to a standard kickoff, then kicked it onside anyway. The maneuver paid off, as the Blizzard was caught by surprise and the onside kick was recovered by Lightning DS Clyde Surrell and taken back 44 yards for the winning TD, clinching the game for the Stockton Lightning.

Game Awards:

Schutt Offensive Player of the Game: STO QB Josh Blankenship

U.S. Ironman: GBB WR/LB Robert Garth

ADT Defensive Player of the Game: GBB WR/DB Dontrell Jackson

Cutters Catch of the Game: GBB WR/LB Brent Holmes (4th quarter TD)

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