Sports stats



Firebirds lose in Las Vegas, 60-38

May 2, 2004 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Albany/Indiana Firebirds News Release


The Indiana Firebirds (6-7) dropped their second consecutive game, this one at the hands of Clint Dolezel and the Las Vegas Gladiators (5-7), 60-38, at the Thomas and Mack Center Sunday afternoon. Dolezel was named the Baby Ruth Real Deal Player of the Game after accounting for six touchdowns (5 pass, 1 rush) and throwing for 292 yards. The loss drops the Firebirds further back in the playoff hunt and sets up a crucial set of games against Central Division foes Detroit, Colorado and Chicago to finish the season.

The Firebirds opened with the ball and QB Adrian McPherson began the game with two straight completions. After a second down sack by the Gladiators Steve Konopka moved the ball back to the Firebirds' 23-yard line, and Anthony Hines went over the boards in the endzone after a McPherson pass attempt, Clay Rush missed wide left on a 41-yard field goal attempt, ending the first drive for Indiana.

Las Vegas struck first when QB Clint Dolezel hit a wide open CoCo Blaylock for a 41-yard touchdown strike, getting the home team ahead 6-0 after a failed extra point attempt. The Gladiators lost regular long-snapper, and six-year AFL veteran, John DeWitt during the first Indiana drive with an unknown leg injury. Indiana recorded their first points when Rush drilled a 21-yard field goal, making the score 6-3 at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter began with Las Vegas' fullback Frank Carter barreling for a 6-yard touchdown run, but after Dolezel's two point conversion pass went unsuccessful, the score stood at 12-3. The Firebirds cam right back with a rushing score of their own when fullback Charlie Cook found paydirt from nine yards out, getting Indiana within two at 12-10.

With one minute remaining in the game and facing a fourth down and ten, Dolezel found Marcus Nash for an 18-yard scoring toss, extending the Gladiators' lead, 19-10. Indiana got the ball back and began on their own seven with :48 second until the half. On first down, McPherson was forced from the pocket in the endzone and drilled a laser to Brett Bech, moving the ball to the Las Vegas 17-yard line. On the very next play Bech went into traffic and hauled in his first touchdown of the game with under thirty second remaining.

The score got the 'Birds back within two, 19-17, but left enough time for Dolezel to get one more crack at the endzone before intermission. Backed up inside his own five after a holding penalty on the kickoff, the 8-year veteran from East Texas State moved the offense on three consecutive completions before hitting Nash with his second touchdown of the day. The 16-yard catch gave the Gladiators a 26-17 lead entering the half.

Dolezel came out of the gate with a 20-yard screen pass to Carter and had Las Vegas at midfield before a minute could tick off the clock in the second half. Going for it on fourth down from the Indiana 10-yard line, Dolezel threw up a pass that Nash went up and grabbed for his third touchdown of the game, this one giving the Gladiators a 33-17 advantage with 9:03 in the third quarter. With the score, Nash moved past Indiana's Mike Horacek (currently injured) for first place on the team's all-time scoring list.

Knowing that another failed offensive possession would dig a hole for the Firebirds, in a place where the home team is 3-2 this season, Evan Hlavacek brought in an amazing one-handed catch from McPherson for a 25-yard score and the Firebirds were back within nine points, 33-24.

On the next possession, the re-energized Firebirds recovered a Blaylock fumble and took over at their own 24-yard line. DS Anthony Derricks recovered the loose ball for Indiana, the first turnover in the game for either team. However, three plays later, an interception in the endzone by Las Vegas' Cornelius Bonner got the Gladiators back in control with 1:44 left in the third quarter. McPherson has now thrown interceptions in two consecutive games, after failing to throw a single one during the Firebirds' six-game winning streak.

Dolezel took advantage of his defense's forced turnover and hit Maurice Bryant on a 29-yard scoring toss, and after Brian Gowins' extra point, the Gladiators went back up by sixteen points, 40-24, at the end of the third quarter.

With fifteen minutes left to try and get back above .500, and seventeen points needed for the win, Indiana took over at the 19-yard line. McPherson wasted little time, hitting Bech for his second touchdown of the day, this one from 31-yard out. The 'Birds two-point conversion attempt was no good and with 12:52 to play in the game, the Gladiators were ahead, 40-30.

Two Nash catches moved the Gladiators inside the Firebirds' five on the ensuing drive and then Dolezel faked a handoff to Carter before trotting in untouched for his first rushing score. The touchdown struck a dagger into the Indiana faithful who made the trip to Sin City, knowing that a 17-point deficit with under nine minutes to play would be tough to overcome.

Starting inside their own five after their own special teams holding penalty, McPherson threw three incomplete passes and on fourth down was sacked at his own one-yard line, ending the hopes for the Firebirds.

Jarrod Penright recorded a late touchdown run for the Firebirds and totaled 24 rushing yards in the game. Carter also ran in two late scores for Las Vegas, giving the final score from the Thomas and Mack Center, 60-38.

The Firebirds will host the Detroit Fury on Friday, May 7th at 8:00 PM at Conseco Fieldhouse in a crucial game with serious playoff implications. Indiana can still make the playoffs, but with only three games remaining, all against Central Division opponents (Detroit, Colorado and Chicago), they could potentially need to run the table for an invitation to the 2004 ArenaBowl playoffs. The top eight teams make the post-season and entering this week the Firebirds' were in the 11th spot out of 19 teams.

• Discuss this story on the Arena Football League (1987-2008) message board...

Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from May 2, 2004


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent Albany/Indiana Firebirds Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central