Riptide Fall to Bakersfield, 57-53
June 27, 2004 - arenafootball2 (af2)
San Diego Riptide News Release
SAN DIEGO â Despite an enormous second-half comeback, the San Diego Riptide fell to the Bakersfield Blitz, 57-53, snapping a team-record four-game win streak Saturday night at the Sports Arena.
The Blitz dominated the first half of the game as quarterback Chad Elliot threw for four touchdowns and ran for another, but the âTide would not give up and rallied from a 21-point deficit to pull to within three at the end of the third quarter. Riptide quarterback Kane Claunch threw three third-quarter touchdowns while the Blitz failed to score, but his efforts weren't enough.
Claunch completed 25-of-47 passes overall, including six touchdowns and two interceptions. He was matched nearly pass-for-pass, however, by Elliot, who was 18-for-32 passing, for 243-yards and five touchdowns. Dwight Carter took home Ironman of the Game honors whole becoming the first Riptide player to break the 1,000 yard receiving mark, chipping in with nine catches for 119 yards and three touchdowns. He, too, adding a touchdown on the ground, finding the end zone four times for the second straight game.
The Blitz started the game strong with Elliot throwing a 28-yard pass to Wofford with 12:31 in the first quarter to start the scoring. San Diego struggled on their next possession of the game after Kenney Williamson recovered a Claunch fumble. Bakersfield capitalized on the turnover with Brian Walker kicking an 11-yard field goal, to bring the score to 10-0. The Riptide continued to struggle, but managed to score with 1:18 left when Claunch threw an eight-yard pass to Marty Graham, but Ehmke missed the extra point attempt to leave the âTide down four.
Elliot continued to have his way with the Riptide defense connecting with Reynolds on a 25-yard pass to put Bakersfield up 11. The âTide's first score of the second quarter came off of an Ehmke 48-yard field goal bringing. Elliot then connected with Reynolds again on a 22-yard pass, followed by a 19-yard pass to Eric Mahanke to bring the score to 31-9.
Mahanke followed up his offensive score with one on âD', picking off a Claunch pass and bringing the ball back six-yards for the score. The Riptide scored their first touchdown of the second quarter when Carter ran for a three-yard touchdown to bring the score to 37-16. Bakersfield would respond with Elliot scoring on a one-yard run, but San Diego would have the last laugh when Rico Curtis grabbed an Ehmke missed field goal off the net and ran in the touchdown to send the teams to the locker room with the score 44-23, Bakersfield.
The âTide came out of the locker room smoking, holding the Blitz scoreless and rallying to within three-points after Claunch connected twice with Carter and once with Jesus Reyes for touchdowns. The Blitz bounced back in the fourth, however, when Nick Onaidndia scored on a four-yard run to give Bakersfield some momentum, but San Diego responded with another Claunch touchdown pass.
Bakersfield scored again, however, when Wofford took a 41-yard pass from Elliot to the house. San Diego answered with 15-seconds left on the clock when Carter caught a 21-yard pass from Claunch to bring the Riptide to within four, but it was too little too late and the Riptide lost another heartbreaker to Bakersfield, 57-53.
Baby Ruth Real Deal Offensive Player of the Game: Chad Elliot (BAK)
U.S. Army Ironman of the Game: Carter, Dwight (SDG)
ADT Defensive Player of the Game: Rico Curtis (SDG)
SHARK BITES: The loss snapped a franchise-best four-game win streak for San Diego... The Riptide are now 0-3 against Bakersfield this season, losing by a combined 10 points... Claunch's six touchdown passes give him 59 on the season, just four shy of his career high and the Riptide single-season record of 63...Claunch's 271 yards passing move him past the 10,000 yard-passing mark for his career in af2... Carter became the Riptide's first-ever 1,000-yard receiver with his first catch of the game... In all Carter hauled in nine catches in the game. He has led or tied for the team lead in receptions in every game this season... Carter has eight touchdowns in his last two games... Five Riptide receivers caught passes in the game, including the first career reception for lineman Chris Nugent... Ryan Smith set a new club record with his fifth interception of the season... San Diego lost the battle of the turnovers for the first time since May 15. Coincidentally, that was also their last loss and also to the Blitz... Elliot has now thrown for 16 touchdowns in three games against the Riptide...
NEXT GAME: The Riptide look to bounce back from this week's loss when they take on the Hawaiian Islanders for the final time this season. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 3 and the first 3,000 fans will receive complementary Riptide visors, courtesy of R.I.S.E Chiropractic. Fans can catch all the action for every Riptide game with Mark Rogondino calling the play-by-play, by visiting www.WorldTalkRadio.com.
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