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Destroyers take Soul out of Philly

May 15, 2005 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Columbus Destroyers News Release


PHILADELPHIA – Destroyers quarterback Matt D'Orazio tied a season high with six touchdown passes while throwing for a career high 283 yards in leading the Columbus Destroyers to their second win of the season over the host Philadelphia Soul, 55-52, Sunday afternoon. The win snapped the club's 11-game losing streak.

With the game tied at 52, Destroyers kicker Steve Videtich connected on a 20-yard field goal with just 20 seconds left, giving Columbus their margin of victory. Philadelphia kicker Tim Seder was wide left on a 43-yard field goal attempt that would have tied the game as time expired. The game saw eight ties and eight lead changes. No team led by more than seven points.

D'Orazio, who was named Offensive Player of the Game, led Columbus to victory completing 28-of-43 passes for 283 yards and six scores. Offensive specialist Damien Groce led all receivers with a game-high 12 receptions for 123 yards and one touchdown. His 12 catches was a career high.

After setting the Destroyers' franchise record for single season receiving yards a week ago, Groce set another franchise mark Sunday. With his 12 catches, he became the club's all-time leader in single season pass receptions (112). Cornelius White added seven catches for 61 yards and three touchdowns in the game.

Soul quarterback Tony Graziani finished 20-of-35 passing for 241 yards and four touchdowns in a losing effort. Steve Smith led Philadelphia in receiving with 11 catches for 109 yards and three touchdowns.

The Destroyers opened the scoring on their first possession of the game following a seven-yard touchdown pass from D'Orazio to Jeremy Unertl at the 6:50 mark of the first quarter. D'Orazio was 7-of-7 passing during the 47-yard scoring drive.

The Soul responded with a quick score two plays later on a 2-yard touchdown run by fullback Chris Ryan to tie the game at seven. The Destroyers tacked on a score late in the first to take a 14-7 lead at the end of one.

Philadelphia opened the second quarter with consecutive touchdowns, first on a 13-yard touchdown connection between Graziani and Smith followed by Ryan's second rushing touchdown of the game. Ryan's touchdown gave the Soul a brief seven-point lead. Columbus would score less than two minutes later on a 26-yard touchdown catch by Groce. The game was tied at 31 at halftime.

Less than a minute into the third quarter, offensive specialist Bobby Olive found the endzone for the first time this season, hauling in a 33-yard pass from D'Orazio. It was the first touchdown reception for Olive since the 2002 season.

White grabbed two of his three touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, including a 13-yard catch that gave Columbus a 52-45 lead with 4:19 left in the game. Smith registered his third touchdown catch of the game on a nine-yard reception with 48 seconds left just before Videtich's game-winning field goal.

The Destroyers return home next Sunday when the club hosts the Tampa Bay Storm in the season finale at Nationwide Arena.

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