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Newcomer helps Lightning snap skid

May 18, 2008 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Stockton Lightning News Release


STOCKTON, Calif. - Receiver Justin Taplin posted a game-high 145 receiving yards in his arenafootball2 debut to help the Stockton Lightning (2-6) snap a six-game losing streak in a 40-31 victory over the Amarillo Dusters before a crowd of 4,091 at Stockton Arena on Saturday, in week 8 of arenafootball2 play.

The Lightning successfully avenged a 66-53 loss to Amarillo from last season and gained their first home victory since June 30, 2007 (54-41 win vs. Everett). Lightning QB Chad Elliott continued his ascension up the af2 all-time passing yards chart with a 254-yard effort, throwing for three touchdowns on a 19-for-35 passing night to help lead a 21-point rally for the Lightning in the fourth quarter.

Amarillo receiver Brian Murph's 16-yard touchdown grab opened the scoring and the Lightning answered on a Chad Elliott pass to receiver Clarence Cunningham on a four-yard strike, tying the game at 7-7 with 7:10 left in the opening quarter.

The Lightning were hampered by penalties early on, but got the ball rolling early in the second quarter. Elliott scored on a diving touchdown run from six-yards out at the 8:29 mark in the second quarter to put the Lightning ahead 14-7 for his first rushing touchdown of the game.

The Lightning ended the half on a high note, with defensive back Muhammad Shamsid-Deen picking off Dusters quarterback Joel Steele on a long pass to the left corner of the end-zone.

Murph secured his second touchdown grab of the game for Amarillo, a 21-yard strike with 6:22 left in the third quarter to reclaim the lead at 21-17. The Stockton defense answered with Manase Hopoi's sack and safety, cutting the deficit to 21-19 with 3:56 left.

A 21-3 run in the fourth quarter helped the Lightning overcome a 28-19 deficit, with Elliott connecting on a 15-yard strike to Cunningham and following with an eight-yard lob to Taplin, who shook off one-on-one coverage in the left corner of the end-zone to push the Lightning out to a 33-28 cushion.

Amarillo cut the lead to three on Jacob Felton's 31-yard field goal with 2:54 left but FB Peter Tuialuuluu's one-yard blast up the middle sealed the victory for Stockton with 1:19 left in the game.

WR Jim Lukowiak, who entered the game with an af2-high 18 touchdown catches, led the Dusters with 110 receiving yards on 12 catches, but was held without a touchdown catch for the first time this season.



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