Rhinos Rally To Beat Columbus 42-36
Published on July 6, 2002 under arenafootball2 (af2)
Carolina Rhinos News Release
GREENVILLE, SC â The arenafootball2's Carolina Rhinos scored 34 unanswered points to erase a 28-8 halftime deficit and beat the Columbus Wardogs 42-36 at home Saturday. The win snapped a franchise-record, seven-game losing streak and also avenged a 56-28 road loss suffered in Columbus last Saturday. The teams are now tied for third place in the Eastern Division with identical 3-10 records.
Ramone Robinson relieved starting quarterback Caleb Slover and led the Rhinos to victory rushing for 38 yards and three touchdowns including what turned out to be the game-winning score with :10 left in the fourth quarter. Robinson also completed 13 passes for 162 yards and two touchdowns to be named the game's most valuable player.
Columbus built the 20-point lead as Jeff Welsh threw touchdown passes of 16 yards and 18 yards to Shamari Buchanan and 17 yards to Clifton Robinson. Welsh also ran for a score with two seconds left in the first half.
Robinson started the Rhinos' rally with the first of his scoring runs late in the third quarter. He then threw a 35-yard scoring pass to Mal Lawyer with two seconds left in the period closing the gap to 28-20.
Robinson and Jermaine Derricott hooked up for a ten-yard touchdown pass and another completion for a two-point conversion to tie the game at 28-28 early in the fourth quarter. Robinson then ran for a nine-yard touchdown with 5:10 to play and a 13-yard score with ten seconds left before Welsh completed a 26-yard scoring pass to Buchanan with one second left in the game.
Welsh posted game highs of 20 completions, 237 yards and four touchdowns. Buchanan also caught six passes for 82 yards.
Derricott caught three passes for 26 yards and had one solo tackle and one assisted tackle to earn Ironman Player of the Game while teammate Arkee Thompson had four solo tackles, five assisted tackles and two interceptions to earn ADT Defensive Player of the Game.
The Rhinos will visit the Cape Fear Wildcats in Fayetteville, North Carolina next Saturday July the 13th at 7:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on 1070 "The Sportszone" WCSZ-AM and at rhinosfootball.com beginning at 7:15 p.m. 1070 "The Sportszone" also broadcasts "Rhino Talk" featuring head coach Rod Miller and special player guests every Monday from 6 p.m. until 7 p.m. live from Wild Wing Café on West Washington Street in downtown Greenville.
The Rhinos will return for their last two games of the season hosting the Charleston Swamp Foxes Saturday July the 20th and the Richmond Speed Saturday July the 27th. Both home games will begin at 7:30 p.m.
Rhinos tickets are on sale at the BI-LO Center box office, by calling 864-233-2525 or 864-576-1550 and by logging on to ticketmaster.com. Additional information is also available by calling 864-467-4777 or logging on to rhinosfootball.com.
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