First Round Playoff Recaps
Published on August 5, 2002 under arenafootball2 (af2) News Release
Cape Fear Wildcats (14-3) 57, Richmond Speed (12-5) 48
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. â After two defensive battles went Richmond's way earlier this season, Cape Fear used offense to overpower the Speed when it mattered most, winning 57-48 in the first round of postseason before 4,802 fans Saturday.
Trailing 55-48 on its final possession, the Speed drove to the Wildcats' five-yard line and had a 1st-and-goal with 30 seconds left. However, an incompletion followed by a sack, fumble and unsportsmanlike conduct penalty backed up Richmond to a 4th-and-goal from its own 10. On the ensuing play, E.J. BURT broke through the offensive line and forced BOB BEES to intentionally ground the ball in the end zone, resulting in a game-clinching safety.
Both teams traded scoring punches through the first three quarters, but Cape Fear got the break in the fourth when CLARENCE MONIBA returned a GEOFF GROSHELLE drop kick attempt to the Richmond four-yard line. After a couple of plays, BOB PESAVENTO, making just his second af2 appearance, plunged in from one yard out, handing the Wildcats a 48-41 lead with seven minutes to play. DAMON THOMPSON pulled Richmond back into the game with a 15-yard touchdown reception with just under five to play before WILMONT PERRY scored the game winner on a 13-yard scamper with 1:49 on the clock.
Bees completed 21-of-33 passes for 269 yards and five touchdowns in the losing effort. KEVIN HARVEY was the game's Ironman after catching six passes for 57 yards and a TD and rushing for another. Harvey added 10 tackles on the defensive side of the ball.
Pesavento led the Wildcats with 207 yards passing and two touchdowns, plus a pair of rushing scores. Perry was named the game MVP after scoring the deciding touchdown. He finished with 38 yards rushing and three touchdowns. Burt recorded two sacks, including the deciding safety, to earn ADT Defensive Player of the Game honors.
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Albany Conquest (14-3) 31, Rochester Brigade (7-10) 26
ALBANY, N.Y. â COREY HILL caught the game-winning touchdown pass to help Albany advance to the American Conference semifinals with a 31-26 victory over Rochester.
The crowd of 5,808 fans saw Hill's 21-yard scoring grab with 1:24 left increase the Conquest's advantage to 31-20. Rochester managed to pull a score back, but MARTINO THEUS' 15-yard TD catch came with just four seconds left, and the ensuing onside kick went out of bounds as time expired.
Hill broke a 10-10 deadlock with a four-yard TD reception three seconds before halftime. JASON MATTES made it 24-10 with an 18-yard reception just over a minute into the third quarter. Rochester pulled within four after Theus scored on a seven-yard play and CHARLES EGER converted a 26-yard field goal, but would get no closer.
Hill took home game Most Valuable Player honors with 13 catches for 130 yards and two touchdowns. RYAN VENA completed 23-of-33 for 234 yards and three touchdowns. LOU VEGA was named the ADT Defensive Player of the Game after recording a crucial sack. MIKE LEVY was honored as the game's Ironman. Levy had a sack and two tackles on defense.
Theus led Rochester with 11 receptions for 96 yards and two touchdowns. Brigade QB MATT D'ORAZIO ended the night with 197 passing yards and three touchdowns.
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Macon Knights (14-3) 57, Augusta Stallions (13-4) 41
MACON, Ga. â Macon quarterback JOHN RAYBORN tossed seven touchdowns to carry the Knights past the Augusta Stallions 57-41 Saturday night in front of 3,500 fans at the Macon Coliseum.
Augusta scored the game's first touchdown, a GLEN GAUNTT-to-CHRIS JOHNSON 45-yard strike, but that's the only time the Stallions led. Macon scored the next two touchdowns to take the lead and built a 10-point advantage by halftime, a lead that wasn't threatened for the rest of the game.
Rayborn earned MVP accolades for his 21-of-29, 217-yard night. He also rushed for a score. Rayborn threw touchdown passes to four different receivers on the night. JACQUES RUMPH had three, NORMAN MASON two and GABE AMEY and MARTEZ WESLEY each had one.
Mason was named the Ironman of the Game after he hauled in nine balls for 61 yards and two touchdowns and recorded six solo tackles. BYRON DOUZART rounded out the awards as he was named the ADT Defensive Player of the Game. Douzart recorded 2.5 tackles (all for a loss) and blocked an extra-point attempt.
The Stallions were led by Gauntt, who completed 22-of-33 passes for 246 yards and five TDs. The receiving duo of BEN BRONSON and Johnson (who led all receivers) hauled in eight and six passes for 72 and 105 yards, respectively.
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Florida Firecats (10-7) 43, Tallahassee Thunder (9-8) 31
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. â The late heroics of QUINCY SORRELL helped Florida earn its first postseason victory with a 43-31 win over Tallahassee in front of 2,142 fans at the Leon County Civic Center Saturday.
With Florida nursing a narrow 37-31 lead, Sorrell intercepted a CHRIS PERKINS pass at the Florida one-yard line and returned it 49 yards for a touchdown to end the Thunder threat with 11 seconds remaining. ANTHONY DIXON had scored the go-ahead touchdown for the Firecats on a three-yard run 24 seconds earlier.
MAGIC BENTON helped Florida take a 17-10 halftime lead with receptions of five and 35 yards on either side of a STEVEN GREEN field goal. However, MESIAH PORTER evened things up on the opening drive of the second half on a 29-yard pass from VIC PENN. Two Dixon scores in the third quarter helped the Firecats break two deadlocks, but Porter struck again at the beginning of the fourth quarter to even the game at 31-31, setting up the thrilling finish.
BRYAN SPARACINO completed 20-of-40 passes for 279 yards and three touchdowns. Dixon ended the game with a game-high 123 receiving yards and three touchdowns. CAINON LAMB caught nine passes for 85 yards and a score to lead the Thunder. Penn and Perkins combined for 195 yards and four scores.
Sorrell finished the day with two interceptions, including his 49-yard return to preserve the Firecats' win. FRED HARLEY had two sacks to lead Florida's pass rush. SAFOLI NUA led the Thunder's defensive effort with a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and four tackles.
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Tulsa Talons (15-2) 34, Arkansas Twisters (11-6) 32
TULSA, Okla. â HENRY STEPHENS blocked a potential game-winning field goal on the game's final play, giving Tulsa a 34-32 victory over Arkansas in the first round of the 2002 ArenaCup playoffs on Saturday before 4,988 fans.
Arkansas had stopped Tulsa on downs with 11 seconds left in the game and RICKY HEBERT hit LENNIE JOHNSON with a seven-yard pass, moving the ball to the Arkansas 19. MARK NORRIS, who kicked a 33-yard field goal in the second quarter, came on for a 48-yard field goal attempt, but Stephens broke through the middle of the line and batted down the field goal as time expired.
The Twisters reduced a 27-12 deficit to 27-25 with consecutive KEVIN WILLIAMS touchdowns. Tulsa QB ANTHONY BUICH countered with a nine-yard scoring strike to MITCH ALLNER with 4:46 remaining, giving the Talons a 34-25 lead. Hebert, who threw for 218 yards and two touchdowns, scored on a two-yard run with 2:24 left, pulling Arkansas within 34-32.
Tulsa WR/LB KAREEM WISE finished with five receptions for a career-high 78 yards in place of the injured KEONTA GOLSON. Tulsa WR/DB SEAN LOVE was the game's leading receiver with seven catches for 70 yards. Buich finished 20-of-36 for 224 yards.
Allner caught three passes for 42 yards and two TDs and finished with 121 all-purpose yards. LARRY HOLLINQUEST made eight tackles while teammate ITIS ATKINSON added three solo tackles and four pass breakups. Williams led Arkansas with five catches for 73 yards and two touchdowns and added a 26-yard scoring run. Defensively, DAEDRICK CAIL had five tackles for the Twisters.
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Birmingham Steeldogs (12-5) 55, Tennessee Valley Vipers (13-4) 41
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. â The seventh time was the charm for the Birmingham Steeldogs. Entering the first round of the af2 playoffs, Birmingham had faced the Tennessee Valley Vipers six times and lost six times. That changed Saturday night at the Von Braun Center as the Steeldogs pounded the Vipers 65-51 in front of 3,771 fans.
The Vipers never led in the contest and trailed by as much as 26 points. Birmingham's defense forced three Viper turnovers â including an interception return for a touchdown â and scored a safety.
Birmingham jumped in front 14-3 with a 39-yard touchdown strike from MONTRESSA KIRBY to ANTHONY JORDAN and a 10-yard LARRY HUNTINGTON run. Tennessee Valley climbed back into the game, pulling within 21-17 on JERMAINE ALFRED's 18-yard pass to CALVIN HALL. Kirby touchdown runs of eight yards and one yard put Birmingham ahead by double digits to stay at 35-17.
The Steeldogs outscored Tennessee Valley 22-7 in the third quarter, with Kirby hitting WILLIAM MAYES for a nine-yard touchdown pass, followed immediately by an intentional grounding call against Alfred in the end zone. A one-yard sneak by Kirby and a six-yard interception return by Steeldog lineman DAVID DANIEL gave Birmingham a 57-31 bulge entering the final period.
Kirby accounted for seven touchdowns, rushing for four and throwing for three on a 222-yard passing night. Birmingham OS/KR HERMAN BELL caught 11 passes for 147 yards and a touchdown on his way to game MVP honors. The Steeldogs' ANTHONY JORDAN totaled six tackles, 43 yards receiving and a touchdown to be named Ironman of the Game.
ADT Defensive Player of the Game MICHAEL FEAGIN had six tackles and picked off Alfred twice. The Vipers' QB passed for 229 yards and six touchdowns, but also had three interceptions. Both KELLY FIELDS and Hall caught two TD passes apiece. KELLY SNELL ran back an interception for Tennessee Valley's only touchdown of the third quarter.
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Peoria Pirates (12-5) 37, Wichita Stealth (6-11) 36
PEORIA, Ill. â Wichita kicker PHIL AGUILAR missed a 19-yard field goal as time expired to give the Peoria Pirates a 37-36 victory in front of 4,481 fans Saturday in the first round of the ArenaCup playoffs. The Pirates trailed 20-0 in the first half and never led until KRAIG BAKER made his extra-point attempt following a two-yard touchdown run by FB/LB ROBERT MEYER with 2:40 remaining in the game.
Three passes from Stealth QB RON LOPEZ to OS COREY McCOY and two runs by FB/LB ROD PICKETT moved Wichita from its own five-yard line to the Pirates' four. Wichita let the clock run down to one second before calling its final timeout. Peoria then used all three of its timeouts in an attempt to freeze Aguilar, who made an important 27-yard field goal on the last play of the first half, but pushed the potential game-winner a foot wide to the left.
Wichita built its 20-0 lead on a Lopez TD pass to WILL SULLIVAN and two more to McCoy. Peoria's LINCOLN DUPREE then gave the Pirates life with a 53-yard kickoff return for touchdown. The game began to turn on Wichita's next two possessions, drives that ended with fumbles by XAVIER PATTERSON that led to a 36-yard touchdown catch by CORNELL CRAIG and a 24-yard field goal by Baker, making it 20-16 Wichita.
Wichita extended the lead to 36-23 with GREG KYLER's 22-yard touchdown grab with 9:54 left in the third quarter. WALTER CHURCH's one-yard pass to ANTONIS BROWN cut the Stealth's advantage to 36-30 entering the final period, then Meyer's touchdown and Baker's extra point put Peoria ahead for the first time and for good late in the game.
Lopez connected on 24-of -35 passing attempts for 228 yards and five touchdown passes, spreading the receptions to six different receivers. McCoy had eight catches for 94 yards and two touchdowns. Church, the game MVP, finished the game 13-of-26 for 133 yards and two TDs with two interceptions while splitting time with MATT PIKE, who went 3-of-8 for 66 yards with a touchdown and INT. Dupree's five tackles, two pass deflections, and 110 all purpose yards earned him the Ironman of the Game honor. The Stealth's BRYAN HENDERSON was selected the ADT Defensive Player of the Game with three tackles and a sack.
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San Diego Riptide (8-9) 40, Bakersfield Blitz (9-8) 27
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. â The homefield "kiss of death" continued in the Bakersfield-San Diego rivalry Saturday, with the Riptide dealing a season-ending blow to the Blitz, 40-27 in front of 5,127 fans in the first round of the 2002 ArenaCup playoffs. The Blitz won both games in San Diego this season while the Riptide won both games in Bakersfield.
Bakersfield led 17-9 after CHAD ELLIOTT hit offensive lineman RICKY LEUNG' WAI for a 13-yard TD. San Diego responded with back-to-back touchdowns to take a 23-17 lead, a 17-yarder from KANE CLAUNCH to MELVIN BLUE with 1:47 left in the first half and a six-yarder to RICO CURTIS at the 8:25 mark of the third quarter.
San Diego extended the lead to 30-20 on the last play of the third quarter, an eight-yard grab by JERRY GARRETT. J'SHARLON JONES returned the ensuing kickoff 56 yards for a touchdown, but the Riptide added a Curtis two-yard TD run and an 18-yard field goal by RYAN GEISLER to clinch its trip to the National Conference semifinals.
Game MVP honors went to San Diego's MARTY GRAHAM (eight catches, 113 yards, one TD) while the ADT Defensive Player of the Game award went to Jones, who finished the night with 8.5 tackles and two pass deflections. Curtis won the Ironman award, scoring touchdowns both on the ground and through the air and making two tackles on defense.
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THIS WEEK IN af2 HISTORY
8/10/00: Quad City defeats Tennessee Valley 68-59 in the ArenaCup 2000 championship game.
8/10/01: The Quad City Steamwheelers slip past the Richmond Speed 55-51 to become two-time ArenaCup champions. Neither team recorded back-to-back scores as there were 16 lead changes, including WR/LB SCOTT HVISTENDAHL's championship-winning three-yard touchdown catch on a pass from QB JAY McDONAGH with 10 seconds left to play.
arenafootball2 Stories from August 5, 2002
- First Round Playoff Recaps - af2
- Richmond Speed Nominate Bees for 2002 Built Ford Tough Man of the Year - Richmond Speed
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