Gladiators hand SaberCats second straight loss
May 16, 2004 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
San Jose SaberCats News Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. (May 16, 2004) - Quarterback Clint Dolezel tossed five touchdown passes and the Gladiators outscored the San Jose SaberCats 44-14 over the final two-and-a-half quarters to lift Las Vegas (7-7) to a 44-35 win Sunday in an Arena Football League game.
Gladiators OS Marcus Nash caught three scoring passes and had 11 receptions in the game to set a new AFL single season record with 137 catches. His 8-yard touchdown catch late in the third tied the game at 28-28 and his 21-yard scoring reception gave the Gladiators their first lead of the game at 36-28 with just over 12 minutes remaining.
San Jose jumped out to a 21-0 lead on three Barry Wagner scores. He scored on a pair of 1-yard runs in the first quarter and returned an interception 50 yards, the second longest return of a pick in SaberCats history, to give the SaberCats a three touchdown lead halfway through the second quarter.
Wagner also caught five passes for 49 yards to become the AFL's all-time leader in receiving yardage, surpassing the mark set by Eddie Brown.
After Mark Grieb threw his only scoring pass of the game, a 3-yard strike to Fred Coleman with 8:20 remaining to pull San Jose within a point at 36-35, Dolezel put the game away for Las Vegas.
He scored from a yard away on a fourth down play with 39 seconds left then tossed a strike to Coco Blalock for the 2-point conversion and a nine-point lead.
San Jose failed to score 40 points in a game for the first time since May 26, 2001 and suffered their second straight loss. For the first time since the 2001 season the SaberCats played without James Hundon and James Roe in the lineup. Wagner was the team's leading receiver with five receptions for 49 yards
The teams tied a league record for combined penalties with 21 and each club turned the ball over four times.
Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from May 16, 2004
- Nash sets AFL record in Gladiators fourth straight win - Las Vegas Gladiators
- Gladiators hand SaberCats second straight loss - San Jose SaberCats
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- Last-second win clinches playoff berth for Rush - Chicago Rush
- Predators take down Dragons, 43-26 - Austin Wranglers
- Dragons Slip Up Against Avengers - New York Dragons
- Firebirds hold off Crush, 59-56 - Albany/Indiana Firebirds
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