Raptors fall at Tupelo
May 8, 2005 - United Indoor Football Association (UIF)
Tennessee Valley Raptors News Release
TUPELO, Miss. - The road woes continue for the Tennessee Valley Raptors.
Raptors quarterback Mike Scipione threw a pair of interceptions early in the first quarter that led to 13 points for the Fireants and the Raptors defense couldn't come up with a timely stop the rest of the way in a 43-24 loss before 1,358 fans Friday night at the BancorpSouth Center.
The Raptors fell to 2-4 in United Indoor Football's South Division and to 0-4 on the road. Last-place Tupelo improved to 2-5 and made amends for a 36-20 early-season loss at Tennessee Valley.
"It was another game where we dug ourselves an early hole and couldn't bounce back,'' said Raptors coach Dick Adams, whose team will try to rebound Saturday night at Evansville. "Our defense spent entirely too much time on the field and our offense didn't execute when it had the chance."
Scipione completed 7 of 14 passes for 84 yards and a pair of touchdowns, with two of those going to Luke McArdle. Raptors backup quarterback Chris Gunn was 4 of 8 for 27 yards and one interception, including a 5-yard touchdown pass to Durocher Miller.
Tennessee Valley found itself behind 13-0 at the eight-minute mark of the first quarter following Tyson Patterson's 32-yard interception return for a touchdown and Tupelo quarterback Tommy Miller's 1-yard dive that was set up by Scipione's second errant pass.
Gunn came on to lead the Raptors on a 43-yard drive capped by his 5-yard pass to Durocher Miller. Tupelo, however, rolled to a 27-7 advantage late in the second quarter on Tommy Miller's 4-yard pass to Chris Edwards and a 22-yard strike to Kenny Causey.
Steven Lee's 37-yard field goal made it a 27-10 game at the break and Tennessee Valley would pull within 37-24 in the third following 10 and 12-yard passes from Scipione to McArdle. But 20 and 17-yard field goals from John Michael Marlin padded Tupelo's lead in the fourth and the Raptors couldn't answer.
Tommy Miller threw for 142 yards and three touchdowns despite being sacked four times by the Tennessee Valley defense, which had sacked him nine times in the first meeting.
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United Indoor Football Association Stories from May 8, 2005
- Freedom improve to 6-0 - Fort Wayne Freedom
- Raptors fall at Tupelo - Tennessee Valley Raptors
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