Milwaukee Downs Birds 66-63

May 30, 2009 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Albany Firebirds News Release


ALBANY, NY - Firebirds quarterback Stephen Wasil took the field at his own five-yard line with 40.6 seconds to play, down by three points, but Albany's final drive came up short as the Milwaukee Iron earned a 66-63 decision Saturday night at the Times Union Center.

With under one minute to play in the game Firebirds wide receiver Alvin Ray Jackson caught his third touchdown of the night to give his team a 63-59 lead, but Milwaukee's Bryan Pray quickly responded with his fifth touchdown of the night for what turned out to be the game's deciding tally.

After a 79-point first half in which both sides scored at will, the third quarter saw just one touchdown as the visitors took a 44-42 lead. The shootout resumed in the fourth quarter with a play-action touchdown pass to Jon Leible for the big tight end's first of the season. Next Milwaukee made it 51-49 on a pass to receiver Antoine Burns. Albany's Christian Wise nearly returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown, but the ball was knocked loose and rolled out of the endzone for a devastating Albany turnover. Fifteen-year AFL veteran Todd Hammel, in his first professional game in four years, took-over after the touchback eyeing a two-possession lead, but the Firebirds defense came up with a forced fumble to stay within striking distance. With 3:18 to play Wise collected his third touchdown of the night, but Hammel quickly responded with a touchdown to Antoine Burns.

The Firebirds notched the first defensive hold of the game late in the second quarter on a goal-line stand and forced fumble. On the very next play Wasil made it a two possession game with an end-zone to end-zone bomb to Wise, who made a phenomenal full-extension grab that made it 35-21. The Iron battled back with another Burns touchdown and a defensive stop of their own, a safety that brought them to within five points. In the final minute of the first half Hammel gave his team a 37-35 lead, but Albany responded with ten to go with a strike to Jackson that made 42-37 Firebirds at halftime.

Albany led 21-14 after one quarter with touchdowns from Jackson, Jared Jones and a Wasil QB-keeper. Milwaukee kept pace with Pray's first and second touchdowns of the night.

The Firebirds hit the road next week to take on their division-rival, the Manchester Wolves, at Verizon Wireless Arena on Friday, June 5th at 7:30 p.m. There next home game is scheduled for Saturday, June 13th against the Mahoning Valley Thunder in a 7:00 p.m. kickoff.

Partial season ticket packages and single game tickets are now on sale; for more information please contact the Firebirds at (518) 487-2244 or online at www.albanyfirebirds.com.



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