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Five of the most memorable games of 2004

June 17, 2004 - arenafootball2 (af2) News Release


As the drive to the ArenaCup Playoffs heats up, let's take a look back at five of the most memorable games of the 2004 season and then look forward to five upcoming matchups of importance.

FIVE OF THE MOST MEMORABLE GAMES OF THE FIRST HALF OF THE 2004 SEASON

Columbus Wardogs at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers, Week 1

A turning point in a season usually comes at least a few weeks into the season for teams, but not for the 2004 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers. When preseason acquisition Mike Gluski struggled against the Wardogs in the season opener, throwing three interceptions and only one touchdown, Tim Hicks came into replace him. Little did anyone realize at that moment but Hicks wouldn't relinquish the starting role. At that time though Hicks wasn't thinking about becoming the starter saying, "When I got into the game I just wanted to do anything that would help us win the game. As far as being the starter, that was up to the coaches and whatever decision they made, I was ready for it." He certainly helped the team, leading the Pioneers to a comeback victory. Hicks ran for a 20-yard touchdown to start the fourth quarter and put the Pioneers within six points. Columbus added a field goal to go up nine. Hicks came back and threw a 45-yard touchdown pass to Jurron Kelley to get the Pioneers within two points. Then the Pioneers defense cranked it up. On fourth down and goal for Wardogs at the Pioneers nine, Ufuoma Pela pressured Wardogs quarterback Kyle Rowley and his pass felt incomplete giving the Pioneers the ball. Six plays later Hicks had moved the Pioneers down the field and found Rocco Forgione for a 17-yard touchdown with just ten seconds remaining for a 38-33 Pioneers victory.

Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz at Rio Grande Valley Dorados, Week 4

A standing room only crowd at Dodge Arena gave the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz a noisy welcome when they faced the Rio Grande Valley Dorados in a Week 4 divisional battle. The Yard Dawgz dominated the first the game of the series 55-17 two weeks prior but the rematch was a different story. In the rematch, Dorados lineman Spencer Conley remembered the atmosphere inside the arena, "It was crazy. Everybody in that arena (Dodge Arena) wanted us to win. We had been blown out the previous game in Oklahoma City and it seemed as if the fans were at that game in Oklahoma City, because they were knowledgeable about that game and they must have read the paper about what had happened in that game. They wanted us to win that game really bad, going into it, to get our revenge." The Dorados fed off this energy to even up the score before halftime with two consecutive touchdowns. The second touchdown coming when Conley forced Dawgz' returnman Kris Peters to fumble on the nine, setting up a Mike Duncan touchdown catch for the Dorados to tie the game at 27. The game would go back and forth in the second half with Manwell Talbert catching a six-yard pass to put the Dorados up 44-41 with 4:11 left in the game. Looking to respond, Craig Strickland took the Yard Dawgz offense down to the Dorados' one-yard line, and then it was time for the Dorados defense to step up. On first down Nick Davis stopped Timon Marshall on a rush for a loss of three yards. On second down Conley sacked Strickland for a loss of eight yards. A third down pass was an incomplete. Then on fourth down Oklahoma City attempted a 27-yard field goal to tie the game, but the Dorados blocked it to send the hometown fans away happy.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers at Louisville Fire, Week 9

In a Week 9 matchup between the No. 1 Wilkes-Barre Scranton Pioneers and the No. 4 Louisville Fire, Anthony Payton caught a 25-yard pass off the nets while laying flat on his back in the endzone with no time remaining to give the Fire a miraculous 48-47 victory. The catch surprised everyone including Payton who said, "It took a second to realize what happened. Then I realized it might have been the greatest catch I had ever made." While this play will go down as one of the most remarkable endings in af2 history, it almost hides the events leading up to it. The drama began in Week 5 when the Fire and Pioneers met in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton both undefeated at 3-0. The Pioneers pulled out the game on eight Tim Hicks touchdown passes while limiting Matt Sauk to just two touchdown throws. Interceptions by Kyle Grove and Ameer Riley for the Pioneers helped clinch the game and give the Pioneers the 59-51 victory. When the Pioneers came to Louisville, revenge was on the minds of the Fire. With the Pioneers up by thirteen points in the fourth quarter it looked like Pioneers were in control, but then Anthony Payton ran in a touchdown from one yard out. An 18-yard field goal attempt by David Davis in the final minute would have put the Pioneers up by nine points and clinched the game, but it was missed. The Fire gained possession, setting up the unthinkable finish.

San Diego Riptide at Hawaiian Islanders, Week 9

169 points, the most ever in an af2 game, were scored when the San Diego Riptide defeated the Hawaiian Islanders 91-77 in Week 9. Riptide quarterback Kane Claunch completed 27-of-37 passes for 379 yards and seven touchdowns while rushing for another touchdown. Claunch's 379 passing yards set a Riptide record. The Islanders' Anthony Arceneaux caught seven passes for 92 yards and one touchdown but made his big impact on special teams, returning three kickoffs back for touchdowns, to tie a league record. He finished with six kickoff returns for 254 yards. With all of this said, the game could have a larger impact than just being an answer to a trivia question. Going on the road and defeating the division leader by scoring 91 points and forcing five turnovers has rejuvenated the Riptide season. Winning is what Claunch is focused on, not records saying, "Right now, all I care about is wins. It was good for us because it really showed what our offense is capable of and it was a win over a good team. Right now, that's all that matters. Maybe when I'm done playing and looking back at my career it will be something I can say I'm proud of, but right now all that matters is continuing to win games." The Islanders on the other hand have struggled a bit since the game. The Islanders entered the game in sole possession of first place in the West Division; they now currently sit tied with Bakersfield for this spot. San Diego entered the game with only two victories, now they are looking like a team gearing up for the ArenaCup Playoffs riding a three-game winning streak.

Hawaiian Islanders at Bakersfield Blitz, Week 10

Both the Hawaiian Islanders and Bakersfield Blitz walked onto the field with 5-3 records. When they walked off the turf Bakersfield had the inside track to the division title as they had a 52-44 comeback victory. The lead went back and forth as the game featured ten lead changes. With 5:29 left Chad Elliott found Steve Wofford for a 43-yard touchdown pass on a fourth down play to put the Blitz up by one after the extra point. On the decision to go for it Elliott remarked, "We decided at that point in the game we needed to come up big so we went for it." On the ensuing Islanders possession the Blitz defense cranked it up. On first down Islanders quarterback Darnell Arceneaux was sacked by Renna Reynolds. On second down Arceneaux threw an incomplete pass. On third down Arceneaux was sacked again, this time by Ahmad Bhatti. A field goal attempt on fourth down by Hawaiian was no good. On the first play for Bakersfield Elliott found Eric Mahanke for a 41-yard touchdown pass. Then on the first play of the next Islanders possession Nathan Munson intercepted an Arceneaux pass. Both teams added a touchdown after this, but Munson's interception all but clinched the game and sending a message to the Islanders and the rest of the af2 that the Blitz are a team to be reckoned with.

MATCHUPS TO LOOK FORWARD TO

Week 12 Birmingham Steeldogs at Tennessee Valley Vipers

The Week 12 matchup between the Birmingham Steeldogs and Tennessee Valley Vipers will be another chapter in their storied rivalry. The first meeting went to overtime with Birmingham getting their first regular season victory over the Vipers, 36-30. While no longer division rivals, the rivalry hasn't lost any intensity and this second match up on the season will be a good one.

Week 12 San Diego Riptide at Hawaiian Islanders

Week 14 Hawaiian Islanders at San Diego Riptide

These two clubs meet two more times this season, Week 12 in Hawaii and Week 14 in San Diego. Their first meeting went to overtime with Darnell Arceneaux winning the game on a two-point conversion. The second game was the highest scoring game in af2 history, 91-77. Count on similar dramatics when these two teams play again.

Week 16 Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz at Wichita Stealth

In what could be a battle for the division championship, Oklahoma City and Wichita will meet again in Week 16, both in Wichita. Oklahoma City won the first meeting 53-25 in Oklahoma City. Wichita bounced back to defeat the Dawgz in Week 11. This Week 16 will have major playoff implications.

Week 16 Birmingham Steeldogs at Quad City Steamwheelers

Two of the original af2 teams and two of the best teams this season will meet Week 16 when Birmingham takes on the Steamwheelers. These two clubs last met was in 2000 when the Steamwheelers won both meetings by scores of 82-21 and 67-37. These two teams could meet again in the ArenaCup.

Week 18 Louisville Fire at Quad City Steamwheelers

After the Fire won 62-61 in Week 10, the Fire and Steamwheelers meet again in the final week of the season. Quad City Steamwheeler kicker Ryan Geisler will get a shot at redemption, as he missed a potential game tying extra point and a game winning field goal in the final minute of the game. This game could determine the champion of the Midwest Division.

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