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Lightning use big run to down Fever

July 20, 2008 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Stockton Lightning News Release


STOCKTON, Calif. - The Stockton Lightning (5-11) used a 34-0 run in the first and second quarters to end their 2008 season on a 3-1 finish in the last 4 games, defeating the Tri-Cities Fever in a 66-40 rout before a crowd of 5,073 at Stockton Arena on Saturday, in Week 17 of arenafootball2 play.

The Lightning who have a Week 18 bye and posted a season-high in scoring with San Jose SaberCats (who play in ArenaBowl XXII on Sunday, July 27) head coach Darren Arbet in attendance, took the three-game season series at a 2-1 clip over Tri-Cities. Stockton took sole possession of fourth place in the West Division by a half-game and can end the season there if Tri-Cities loses in Week 18.

Lightning QB Andy Collins garnered Schutt Offensive Player of the Game honors, throwing for 196 passing yards (18-of-29) and matching a career-high 7 touchdown passes. He found WR Justin Taplin as his most frequent target for 8 receptions, 112 receiving yards and 2 touchdown catches. Additionally, Collins rushed for a game-high 59 yards and added two rushing scores.

Stockton started the game by scoring on their first four possessions when Collins threw two touchdown passes to Ruben Jackson and Taplin in the first quarter, sandwiching a two-yard touchdown run by Tri-Cities starting QB John Pierce to end the first 15 minutes with a 20-7 lead.

The Lightning run continued in the second quarter on a Manase Hopoi safety, which was followed by Collins'14-yard scoring pass to Troy McBroom and a 13-yard touchdown strike to Taplin. Collins ended the half with a one-yard keeper at the buzzer to lift the Lightning to a 41-7 halftime advantage, who capitalized off two interceptions in the first 30 minutes.

Tri-Cities mounted a 13-point rally in the third quarter on newly-inserted QB Tali Ena's 27-yard and 9-yard strikes to LaMonte Jones and J.R. Thomas, respectively, but the Lightning answered with two more touchdown passes by Collins to McBroom, who hauled in two leaping grabs from 6 and 11 yards out respectively.

Tali Ena threw a 35-yard bomb to Thomas just eight seconds into the fourth quarter, but the Lightning immediately answered with 10:28 left in the game when Collins scrambled for a 36 yard-touchdown rush, shedding two tackles down the left side of the field to hike the Lightning lead to 60-26.

Tri-Cities responded with Ena's 31-yard bomb to Thomas with 9:07 left but the Lightning responded by securing their final scoring play of the season with Jason Hunt's 12-yard touchdown fumble recovery, increasing the lead to 66-33 with 4:03 remaining. Emery Beckles ran-in a one-yard scramble for Tri-Cities with 1:33 left to post the final scoring play of the game.

J.R. Thomas led all Tri-Cities receivers with 106 yards and 3 touchdowns in the air while posting 7 catches. Former Lightning receiver Atnas Makeo was held to 2 catches and 13 receiving yards.



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