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Islanders Edge 'Tide in Overtime, 55-54

May 9, 2004 - arenafootball2 (af2)
San Diego Riptide News Release


SAN DIEGO – The Riptide played perhaps their best game of the season, scoring on their first seven possessions, but in the end Hawaii prevailed, cashing in on a two-point conversion on a Darnell Arceneaux run after an overtime touchdown to win the game, 55-54.

Arceneaux, who was leading the af2 in rushing coming into the game, was the difference maker. The Islander QB threw six touchdown passes before winning the game with his legs in overtime. In all, Arceneaux completed 21-of-38 attempts for 282 yards. Riptide signal caller Kane Claunch nearly equaled Arceneaux pass-for-pass, completing 21-of-34 for 263 yards and five touchdowns, including three to Dwight Carter, as well as a sixth score on the ground, but it wasn't enough. Nian Taylor chipped in with three scores of his own for Hawaii (4-2) as the Islanders regained the division lead by half-a-game over the idle Bakersfield Blitz. San Diego (1-4) remains in third in the National West, now two-and-a-half games behind the Islanders.

Both teams scored on every possession in the first half, with the exception of Hawaii's final drive of the half. The back-and-forth game began with the Riptide drawing first blood, converting on a six-yard Claunch-to-Marty Graham touchdown to grab the early lead, 7-0. Hawaii shot back with a score of their own – a two-yard run by Vai Natoa.

The two teams continued to battle, with San Diego's lead fluctuating between one and eight points after the Islanders missed the extra point after their first touchdown. The ‘Tide got touchdowns catches from Carter and Jesus Reyes and punched one in on the ground when Claunch converted on a two-yard QB keeper. Hawaii countered with two touchdown catches from Taylor and another from Randyn Akiona.

With under a minute left to play, San Diego found the end zone once again on their final drive of the first half. After Claunch led the ‘Tide downfield, Ryan Cuthbert barreled in from the one-yard line for his first touchdown of the season, giving San Diego a seven-point lead with just 39 seconds left to play in the first half. After converting several quick scores early on, Hawaii ran out of time and went to the locker rooms down by a touchdown.

Both teams continued to light up the scoreboard in the second half, both scoring on their first two possessions of the second half. The ‘Tide finally gained some breathing room, however, stopping Hawaii on their third drive of the half and taking possession inside Islander territory with just over five minutes to play. Unfortunately, San Diego couldn't convert either, failing to score for the first time in the game after Chris Arnce missed a field goal.

Hawaii turned around and scored on their first play of the ensuing possession, a 25-yard Arceneaux-to-Channon Harris bomb, and with the extra point pulled even. The Islanders defense continued to stymie Claunch and the ‘Tide, as the San Diego QB threw his first pick of the game, giving Hawaii the ball at their own five-yard line with under a minute to play and a chanced to win the game. The Islanders couldn't move the ball either, however, and narrowly missed a field goal as time expired, sending the game into overtime.

Both teams found the end zone in overtime, with the Riptide adding seven points when Claunch connected with Carter for the third time in the game, and Hawaii scored on another TD catch by Harris. The Islanders gambled, choosing to go for the win on a two-point conversion after the touchdown, and Arceneaux finally used his legs, running it in for the game-winner.

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