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First round af2 playoff game recaps

August 9, 2004 - arenafootball2 (af2) News Release


SATURDAY, AUGUST 7

Peoria Pirates 45, OKLAHOMA CITY YARD DAWGZ 36 (Attendance: 2,215)

OKLAHOMA CITY - The old adage of defense wins championships proved correct again as the Peoria Pirates (10-7), who feature the af2's top defense, defeated the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz (10-7), who featured one of the leagues top offenses, 45-36, at the Cox Convention Center. The Yard Dawgz' Timon Marshall returned the opening kickoff of the game for a touchdown, but the Pirates defense controlled the game after that. The first two Yard Dawgz plays from scrimmage were turnovers. The Pirates held the Yard Dawgz to just 48 yards in the first half and 199 in the game, a low for Oklahoma City this season. The defense also knocked quarterback Craig Strickland out of the game, making Oklahoma City have to adjust to Joe Phears at the helm. Peoria's Jerald Burley caught six passes for 131 yards and two touchdowns. Oklahoma City's Timon Marshall recorded an interception, six receptions for 34 yards and the opening kickoff return for a touchdown. Peoria faces the Bakersfield Blitz in California next Saturday.

Louisville Fire 53, QUAD CITY STEAMWHEELERS 48 (Attendance: 5,952)

Moline, Ill. - The Louisville Fire (10-7) defeated the Quad City Steamwheelers (10-7) 53-48 at The Mark in one of the craziest plays in af2 history. Louisville kicker Danny Kight lined up for a 53-yard field goal to win the game with only four seconds left. He had plenty of leg but it missed just wide left. Quad City return man Jeff Hewitt couldn't handle the bounce off the upright and it went over his head to the 10-yard line. Louisville lineman Derrick Shepard picked up the bouncing ball and with a block on Hewitt from teammate Demetrius Forney, Shepard, the 330-pounder from Georgia Tech, took the ball into the endzone and give Fire their first playoff win in team history. In the game, Louisville's Tony Stallings totaled 233 all-purpose yards on 192 kick-return yards and five receptions for 41 yards and two touchdowns. Jeff Hewitt caught three passes for 46 yards and all three went for touchdowns. Ronnie Gordon finished ten of 21 for 149 yards and four touchdowns. The Fire's Matt Sauk finished sixteen of 26 for 174 yards and five touchdowns with one interception. Louisville attempted five onside kicks, recovering none of them, but believed they would have an easier time stopping the Steamwheelers with a shorter field. Louisville will face the Tulsa Talons on Saturday next week.

FLORIDA FIRECATS 35, Memphis Xplorers 33 (Attendance: 4,319)

Estero, Fla. - Steven Green's field goal attempt with no time remaining went wide right and the Florida Firecats (11-6) held on to defeat the Memphis Xplorers (10-7) by a score of 35-33 at Germain Arena. This kick was set up by what could have been one of the biggest mental goofs in af2 history. With just nine seconds left quarterback Ken Mastrole was instructed to drop back and toss the ball into the crowd to kill the final seconds of the game. He dropped back, but he didn't throw the ball, instead he was sacked on his own five-yard line, setting up the missed Green field goal. Memphis' Dahnel Singfield recorded nine tackles and an interception. Kevin Prentiss caught six passes for 122 yards and two touchdowns along with a kickoff returned for a touchdown. Florida's Magic Benton recorded six receptions for 86 yards and two touchdowns. The Firecats go on the road next week on Friday to face the Tennessee Valley Vipers, a team they just lost against 76-60 two weeks ago, but defeated 53-30 at Tennessee Valley in Week 8.

CAPE FEAR WILDCATS 54, Birmingham Steeldogs 53 (Attendance: 3,715)

Fayetteville, N.C. - Recovering two onside kicks in the 11 eleven minutes of the game, the Cape Fear Wildcats (13-4) defeated the Birmingham Steeldogs (10-7) 54-53 at the Crown Coliseum. Jake Eaton completed eighteen of 28 passes for 211 yards and four touchdowns with zero interceptions. He also rushed six times for fifteen yards and one score. Matt Burstein caught seven passes for 94 yards and three touchdowns. He also racked up 143 return yards on the night. George Williams caught seven passes for 92 yards and one touchdown. He also returned a kickoff 56 yards for a touchdown. Birmingham's Carlos McNeary caught four passes for 48 yards and two touchdowns along with three kickoffs returned 97 yards and one field goal returned 22 yards. Anthony Jordan caught four passes for 58 yards and two touchdowns. Cape Fear will play their first road game in playoff history on Saturday when they face division rival Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

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