Georgia falls 56-55 to San Jose in overtime thriller
March 18, 2006 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Georgia Force News Release
SAN JOSE, CA- The Georgia Force fell 56-55 to the San Jose SaberCats in an overtime thriller at HP Pavilion tonight. With the loss Georgia falls to 4-4 on the season while San Jose improves to 3-5. In the Force's four losses have been by a total of five points. Georgia's WR/LB Derek Lee became the clubs all-time leading scorer with his touchdown catch in the first quarter.
The first quarter, concluded with the Force leading the SaberCats 14-7. San Jose opened the scoring with a one-yard run by FB/LB Phil Glover, but it would be their only score of the quarter. Georgia QB Matt Nagy hit Lee for a 24-yard strike to tie the game at seven. Lee's touchdown, moved him pass former Force OS Markeith Cooper on the franchises all-time scoring list, with 280 points. Georgia's OS Chris Jackson ended the quarter with a 25-yard touchdown grab from Nagy.
Georgia held San Jose to a 28-yard field goal by K Brian Shmitz on their first possession of the quarter, cutting the Force lead to 14-10. Lee hauled in his second touchdown catch of the game on a nine-yard pass from Nagy, extending Georgia's lead to 11 points, 21-10. On San Jose's ensuing possession, QB Mark Grieb connected with WR/LB Ben Nelson on fourth down from 30 yards out to make the score 21-17. Georgia recovered an onside kick and on the next play FB/LB Robert Thomas rushed for an eight-yard score. The Force created the first turnover of the game late in the quarter, when Lee intercepted Grieb in the end zone to put an end to the SaberCats drive. The first half ended with Georgia leading San Jose 28-17.
Heading into the final quarter Georgia led San Jose 35-33. The SaberCats opened the second half with a five-yard touchdown pass from Grieb to WR/DB Barry Wagner. On Georgia's firs play from scrimmage Nagy was sacked by San Jose's OL/DL Van Brown in the end zone, resulting in a safety and cutting the Force lead to two, 28-26. With 6:28 remaining in the quarter Grieb found Nelson from seven yards out, giving the SaberCats a 33-28 lead. On fourth and goal from the two, Nagy hit Jackson in the corner of the end zone, giving the Force a 35-33 lead.
Georgia's defense stopped Wagner from scoring on fourth and goal, from the two, to begin the fourth quarter. The Force took advantage of the defensive stop when Nagy connected with Lee on a 48-yard touchdown strike, extending the Force lead to 42-33. San Jose battled back as they scored with 23 seconds remaining in the quarter on a one-yard touchdown run by Glover and a successful two-point conversion to Wagner, the score tied the game at 49. Georgia's K Nelson Garner missed a 35-yard field goal at the end of regulation, sending the game to overtime.
San Jose scored first in overtime and where answered immediately by Georgia. The Force elected to go for two and the win, but Nagy's pass intended for Lee fell incomplete, giving the SaberCats a 56-55 win.
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