Nashville Venom Host Columbus Lions for 2014 PIFL Playoffs
Published on June 30, 2014 under Professional Indoor Football League (PIFL)
Nashville Venom News Release
NASHVILLE (June 28, 2014) - WRs Jordan Jolly (1,107 yards) and Phillip Barnett (1,047) both went over 1,000 receiving yards for the season, the defense pitched a shutout in the first quarter and Kicker Christian Reed had another stellar night as the Nashville Venom (10-2) closed out the regular season with a 64-48 victory over the Trenton Freedom (8-3) in front of a raucous crowd of 3,001 fans at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium. The game had home field implications for the Professional Indoor Football League's Champions Cup.
The Venom jumped out to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter and it looked like they would cruise to victory but Freedom QB Warren Smith and the rest of his team had other plans. The dual-threat Smith ran for three TDs and passed for three more to keep his team in the game until close to the very end. A Corry Stewart 39 yard interception return for a TD with 8:21 left in regulation virtually closed the door on a Freedom comeback, pushing the Venom lead to 64-42. Before that both teams answered each other's TDs throughout the second half. Stewart's interception was the first stop on defense by either team. The time before that was when Trenton stopped Nashville on a goal line stand right before the intermission.
"That is a great team over there and Warren gave us fits all night," said Head Coach Billy Back. "I really like how he plays. He is even more athletic in person than he is on film. They wouldn't give up. We left some points on the field. Our offense was rolling and so was theirs. This was another team victory for us. One of our mottos is next man up. A.J. McKenna stepped in and played great for us. We had some guys come back tonight from injury. Christian (three Unos and 7-8 extra points) was phenomenal again. The guy gets disappointed when he doesn't get an Uno. This is not about 20 guys. We've had almost 40 guys contribute to this on the field and the staff here is great. I will enjoy this for a couple of hours, but tomorrow it is on to watching tape of the Columbus-Georgia game. Our goal has been the same all year. Win our conference, get the best record, win our first playoff game and then win the whole thing. We are only half way to our goal. We are full of joy to finish the season like this but we still have some work to do."
With QB Charles McCullum out do to personal reasons, the Venom turned to McKenna (17-26 296 yards and 6 TDs), a fourth year pro out of Albany State. He became the fifth player under center for Nashville on the season. The 6'5 235 pound McKenna picked up where the previous four left out, engineering a TD drive on his first five possessions. Then, after having their last possession of the first half stall at the Trenton one yard line, went on to get TDs in the next three drives, two going to Jolly (8 receptions 129 yards and 3 TDs). Barnett (5 receptions 91 yards and 2 TDs) was hot early in the game scoring on the Venom's first two possessions giving him a league lead 28 TDs on the season.
"Charles helped me out this week. He told me that all of these guys get open," said McKenna of the Venom WR group. This was the most fun I've had playing arena ball. The crowd here is awesome. I am the new guy but they showed me love throughout the game. Jordan and Phil can play on the next level. Then you add George (Murray) to the mix and it makes it exciting here. The offensive line is a solid group. Then you have Mack (Ogletree) and Stanlee (Bradley) to run the ball when needed. I was glad to get this team a win. The first thing Coach Back said to me was this team is a family. Now I see what he meant. Everybody helped me, including the guys that didn't dress. The keys to the team belong to Charles and I am handing them back to him."
Jolly and Barnett praised McKenna for stepping in and winning a vital game.
"All of the QBs here are awesome. McKenna picked up the system in less than a week and we didn't miss a beat," said Jolly. Getting 1,000 yards is a huge accomplishment. I tease Phil because I missed a game and still got there. I love playing here. We won this for everybody. Ten wins is awesome. Now it is time to continue working."
"We wanted this win bad," said Barnett who was serenaded by the Venom fans with chants of MVP. "To be the best you have to beat the best. Well, whoever the best is in this league we beat them. I played against A.J. so I kind of knew what to expect. The guy had command of the huddle and we all rallied around him. He can make every throw. I am glad Jordan and I have 1,000 yards this season. I heard the fans chanting MVP tonight. That really felt good."
Nashville will now take on the Columbus Lions (7-5) for the third time this season, this Saturday at home. If the Venom wins then they will be hosting the winner of the Lehigh Valley-Trenton game also played on Saturday.
Snake Bites:
DB Jaime Graham left the game in the fourth quarter with a lower body injury. His status for this Saturday is day-to-day.
Both games this season versus Columbus have gone to the very end.
Graham, Corry Stewart and Will Johnson all contributed in their return to the line-up. Graham picked off a Warren Smith pass after A.J. McKenna threw an interception. Stewart returned an interception for a TD and Johnson was all over the field being credited for two tackles and six assists.
Stanlee Bradley contributed on a rarity in football. Recording a half sack on defense and scoring a TD on offense.
Trenton's explosive WR Roger Jackson was held to zero TDs for the first time this season.
Professional Indoor Football League Stories from June 30, 2014
- PIFL Names Players of the Week - PIFL
- Nashville Venom Host Columbus Lions for 2014 PIFL Playoffs - Nashville Venom
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