Georgia Force clinch Southern Division Championship with 54-33 victory over Columbus

Published on June 2, 2007 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Georgia Force News Release


Georgia Force (11-2) clinched the Southern Division Title with a 54-33 victory over the Columbus Destroyers (6-7). The Division championship marks the second in three years under the leadership of owner Arthur Blank and head coach Doug Plank. Georgia's 11th win of the season ties a single-season franchise-high that the team set in 2005 when they won the Southern Division and appeared in ArenaBowl XIX. QB Chris Greisen completed 20 of 27 pass attempts for 207 yards with six touchdowns earned Offensive Player of the Game for his efforts in the win. The win marked the 30th of Planks three-year coaching career, which ties John Gregory (30-10) for the most wins by a head coach in his first three seasons. Georgia will travel to Austin next week to take on the Wranglers on Saturday, June 9.

Georgia and Columbus finished the first quarter with the Destroyers leading the Force, 7-6. Greisen led the Force to a score on opening possession of the game when he connected with WR Troy Bergeron from 18 yards out. Columbus responded with a 12-play drive that consumed over eight minutes (8:24) and resulted in a two-yard touchdown pass to WR David Saunders from QB Matt Nagy.

The Force rebounded in the second quarter to outscore the Destroyers 13-6 and took a 19-13 lead at the end of the first half. Force WR Matt Thomas hauled in his first touchdown pass of the season when Greisen threw a dart to Thomas on a slant pattern from 13 yards out. Nagy found WR Marcus Night in the back corner of the endzone after scrambling away from several Georgia defenders. On their ensuing drive, Force WR/DB Jarrick Hillery took a direct-snap from center and rushed four yards for a touchdown. In Georgia's 13 contests, Hillery has played wide receiver, defensive back, running back, line backer and quarterback. On the same drive, FB/LB Matt Huebner rushed for 16 yards, which gives him 106 rushing yards on the year and marking the first 100-yard rushing season of his career. The Force defense created the first defensive stop of the game when Nagy's pass intended for WR Damien Groce fell to the ground incomplete. With eight seconds remaining in the half and Georgia at the five-yard line, the quarterback-center exchange was fumbled and recovered by Columbus to end the half.

Columbus was shutout in the third quarter as the Georgia's defensive and special teams units produced big plays in the quarter. The Force defense started the second half in the same manner they ended the first half, with a defensive stop. Greisen and the Force capitalized with a 14-yard touchdown pass to WR Chris Jackson. On the following kickoff, DB David Crocker forced Groce to fumble and DB Hamin Milligan recovered the fumble in the endzone for the Georgia score. Georgia's special teams created a second turnover as LB Eric Johnson forced Groce to fumble a second time on the ensuing kickoff. The Force were unable to capitalize on the turnover as Greisen was intercepted by WR/LB Jason Shelley in the endzone.

Greisen and the Force offense added three touchdowns in the final quarter of play as they defeated Columbus, 54-33. The trio of Bergeron, Jackson and Thomas accounted for the three touchdowns and Hillery picked-off a Nagy pass in the middle of the quarter to secure the victory.

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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from June 2, 2007


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