Firecats Down Pioneers in Overtime
July 16, 2005 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Florida Firecats News Release
Sixty minutes wasn't enough time to settle the rematch of the 2004 American Conference Championship between the Florida Firecats and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers as Florida came out on top 48-47 in overtime.
The Firecats came into the match up at 11-2, still alive for the #1 seed in the post-season. The Pioneers meanwhile at 7-6 still had a lot to play for as the 4th member of the eastern conference to be headed to the playoffs.
Florida opened the scoring as Offensive MVP Chris Wallace, who went 24 of 31 for 282 yards with 6 TD passes, ran the ball in from 3 yards out on the opening drive and take a 7-0 lead. The Pioneers answered right back using only 3 plays to tie it 7-7 after Ameer Riley ran it in from the 3 yard line.
OS Magic Benton caught his 1st of 2 TD's on the next drive when he hauled in a 34 yard pass from Wallace. After the Pioneers turned the ball over of downs Iron Man of the Game Cainon Lamb caught a 13yrd TD pass to stretch Florida's lead to 20-7.
The Pioneers next drive also came up short when a touchdown was waived off after Thomie Venisnee caught a ball in the back of the end zone, but was leaning on the back boards and was ruled out of bounds. The Pioneers then turned the ball over downs for the 2nd straight drive when Taso Apostolidis' 4th down run came up short at the 1.
Florida appeared to be on the verge of putting the game away until FB Steve Gorrie fumbled the ball on a screen pass that was returned to the Florida 6. 1 play later Thomie Venisnee made up for his earlier drop by catching a bullet from Snyder.
The Pioneers then recovered the onside kick and marched down the field when Snyder threw his 2nd score of the half to J.R. Thomas to make it 20-20 with just 10 seconds to play in the half. Chris Wallace guided Florida down field on a quick drive that was capped off with Brent Burnside's spectacular catch scooping up the ball 2 inches from the ground in the end zone as time expired to end the first half with Florida on top 27-20.
The Pioneers began the 2nd half on offense and went on an 8 play drive that ended with Taso Apostolidis 1 yard run to make it 26-27. The teams then traded scores as Cainon Lamb caught his 2nd TD of the night followed by Snyder & Thomas' 2nd hookup of game to make it 34-32 Florida early on in the 4th quarter.
Magic Benton grabbed his 31st TD of the year with 55 seconds remaining in the game in what looked like the final nail in the coffin to put the Firecats up 41-32 but it took Snyder who finished the game 27 of 47 for 276 yards and 5 TD passes just one playe to find Rocco Forgione on a 30 yard strike to pull it back within 3.
Kicker David Davis tried his 2nd onside kick of the game but it traveled too far and was swatted out of bound by Brent Burnside. Florida was unable to kill the clock however as Wallace's 2nd straight QB keeper found him being tackled for a loss stopping the clock on 3rd down and Brandon Kornblue's FG attempt was blocked by Chris Ekwueme with 24 seconds to go in the half. David Davis' line held and he connected on a 27 yard field goal to send it into overtime at 41 all.
In overtime the Firecats moved the ball down field and capped off a 7 play drive with Wallace's 6th TD pass of the game, his 3rd to Lamb from 6 yards out to go up 48-41.
Wilkes-Barre had a huge return all the way to the 22 and one play later was looking at 1st and goal at the Florida 6. Snyder checked down to his 3rd option and found TE Ufoma Pela on 4th down to pull with in one, but the team came up short as Snyder's 2pt attempt sailed incomplete out of the back of the end zone.
DS Roy Stabler was named the game's Defensive Player of the Game and finished with 9.5 tackles and 6 pass breakups.
The Firecats now hold the #1 seed in the playoffs as Manchester fell to Memphis 83-26, with 2 games left to play against Green Bay and Birmingham on the road, they finished up the regular season 7-1 at home best in franchise history. 1st year head coach Kevin Bouis now has the team thinking home field advantage throughout if they can take care of business the next 2 weeks.
The Pioneers meanwhile fell to 7-7 with Albany and Macon still on the horizon.
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