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Brigade Ends Road Trip Winless

June 17, 2002 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Rochester Brigade News Release


Richmond, VA (AP)- The Rochester Brigade (5-6) drops their third consecutive game on the road to the Greensboro Prowlers (3-8) in the second highest scoring game of the af2 season 81-62 in front of 3,729 fans at the Greensboro Coliseum. The Brigade maintains second place in the Northeast Division, but the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers move to within one game of the Brigade after winning three in a row.

The Brigade was trailing 28 to 14 after the first quarter, as Prowler QB Chris Weibel connected with OS Antoine Calloway for a 30-yard touchdown pass. The Prowlers also rushed in two scores as FB/LB Rafik Thorossian plunged in from one yard out and WR/DB Walter Ford rushed in from ten yards out. Once again special teams hurt the Brigade, allowing Prowler WR/DB Thomas Stark to return the ball 54-yards for a score.

The Brigade fought to keep pace as QB Matt D'Orazio connected with WR/DB Rodney Bush from ten yards out and OS Martino Theus from 26-yards.

The Brigade trailed at the half 46 to 34; nonetheless, the Prowlers continued their offensive show. Weibel connected on three additional touchdown strikes, two going to Calloway from 25 and 8 yards and the other going to WR/DB Jason Gibson from 25-yards. D'Orazio replied with two rushing touchdowns of his own from one yard and four yards, while hitting Theus for his second of the night from 25-yards.

On the night the Prowlers scored on their first twelve offensive possessions with game MVP Weibel throwing for career game and connecting on 22 of 25 passes for 330-yards and nine touchdowns; a season high for the league. Calloway was Weibel's main target, catching nine passes for 132-yards and four scores.

The 81 points are the most allowed against the Brigade have in franchise history, and their own 62 points were also a team high. On the night, D'Orazio rushed the ball six times for 38-yards and two scores. The 38-yards gives D'Orazio 228 on the season, which is more than the entire Brigade team compiled last season. Theus also broke another record in the losing effort as his ten catches for 141-yards gave him 1,296-yards, passing last season's mark of 1,273-yards set by Derek Baker.

The Brigade moved to within five points of the Prowlers early in the fourth quarter, trailing 59-54, but were unable to keep the offense rolling. The Brigade was sacked on their next possession for a safety and fumbled the ball away on the following two possessions to allow the Prowlers 23 consecutive points before. After a struggle, the Brigade responded as D'Orazio connected with Theus late in the fourth quarter to end the scoring.

D'Orazio led the Brigade offense, completing 24 of 39 passes for 281-yards and six touchdowns. He also rushed the ball six times for 38-yards and two additional scores. D'Orazio's main target was once again the league reception leader, Martino Theus, who caught ten balls on the night to give him 118 on the season for 141-yards and a season high four touchdowns.

The ADT Defensive player of the game was Prowler OL/DL Marco McGee, who registered a key safety that turned the game around in the fourth quarter. The game's IRONMAN was awarded to Rodney Bush, who played the entire game with only two substitutions for one play each. Bush caught five balls for 65-yards and one score and registered three tackles on the night (two solo).

This week the Brigade will face the first place Albany Conquest for the final time during the regular season. The series is currently tied at a game apiece, with the Brigade winning the last meeting to claim the "NYS Lottery af2 Cup". Catch all of the action on WYSL 1040 AM with JC DeLass and John DiTullio.

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