Riptide Roll Past Hawaii, 91-77
May 29, 2004 - arenafootball2 (af2)
San Diego Riptide News Release
HONOLULU, Hawaii â The Riptide followed up their surprising victory over the top-ranked Steamwheelers in Week 8 with their biggest scoring outburst in team history, torching the division-leading Hawaiian Islanders, 91-77. Quarterback Kane Claunch threw for seven touchdowns and ran in one more, leading the âTide to the fifth-highest point total in af2 history.
Claunch finished the game completing 27-of-37 passes for a team record 379 yards, despite two interceptions. He completed passes to six different receivers, five of whom found the end zone. Nakoa McElrath followed up his record-setting five-touchdown game last week with three more this week, adding 93 yards receiving, while Ryan Cuthbert led the ground attack, scoring twice. The Riptide (3-5) have now won two straight and are just one-and-a-half games behind Bakersfield, who plays in Central Valley on Saturday.
Hawaii (5-3) got a standout game from both Arceneaux brothers, but it wasn't enough to overcome the potent Riptide offense. Quarterback Darnell Arceneaux completed 18-of-30 passes for four touchdowns and ran for three more scores, while his brother, wideout Anthony Arceneaux, added seven catches for 92 yards and a touchdown, then killed the Riptide on special teams by racking up 254 return yards and scoring an af2-record three kick return touchdowns. Hawaii holds on to a slim half-game lead over the Blitz.
The game started off eerily similar to the teams' first meeting, with each team scoring on their first two offensive drives. Claunch got the âTide on the board with a one-yard run, but Darnell Arceneaux answered with a six-yard run for a score as well. Aaron Smith turned things in Hawaii's favor on the third San Diego possession, however, intercepting Claunch to set up a 10-yard touchdown reception by Randyn Akiona, but Coach Mouse Davis wasn't about to let Hawaii gain the momentum.
After Ryan Cuthbert found the end zone on a two-yard run on the Riptide's next possession, Davis called for an on-side kick which was executed perfectly by kicker Rich Ehmke, who then recovered his own kick. The trickery continued when Claunch tossed the ball to Jesus Reyes, who then launched a 24-yard touchdown pass to Brad Greetis to give San Diego the lead, 28-21.
The âTide continued to move the ball, scoring twice more in the half, but Anthony Arceneaux returned two kickoffs â one for 54 yards and one for 57 yards â in the final minute of the first half to send the two teams to the locker room tied at 42 apiece.
The second half belonged almost entirely to the Riptide. Three third-quarter fumbles, two of which were forced by McElrath, the ADT Defensive Player of the Game, gave San Diego numerous scoring chances, as the âTide used two Marty Graham touchdown catches to pull away.
McElrath ended the third quarter scoring with a fumble recovery in the end zone, then started off the fourth by hauling in a 22-yard touchdown catch to put San Diego up 77-48. Hawaii kept it close, however, when Anthony Arceneaux returned his third kickoff of the game for a touchdown, this time on a 56-yard run.
The Islanders then scored on consecutive touchdown throws by Darnell Arceneaux to pull to within eight, but Claunch connected with Jesus Reyes with just 90 seconds left in the game, effectively handing the Riptide their third win of the season.
Baby Ruth Real Deal Offensive Player of the Game: Kane Claunch (SDG)
U.S. Army Ironman of the Game: Anthony Arceneaux (HAW)
ADT Defensive Player of the Game: Nakoa McElrath (SDG)
SHARK BITES: The 91 points are a new team record for scoring for the Riptide, overtaking the previous record of 68, scored against Louisville on May 4, 2002... The âTide's scoring output is also the fifth highest single game output in af2 history... The 168 combined points is a new af2 record, surpassing the old record of 165, set on June 22, 2002 when the Arkansas Twisters defeated the Tulsa Talons, 102-63... Claunch threw for 300+ yards and seven or more touchdowns for the second straight game and his 379 yards passing against Hawaii marks a new team record... Anthony Arceneaux's three kick returns for scores tied an af2 record... Dwight Carter's first-half touchdown tied him briefly with teammate Marty Graham for the Riptide record for career touchdown receptions, but Graham's two second-half scores moved him back ahead... This was San Diego's first win on the road in 2004 and Hawaii's first home loss... The âTide's last two victories have come against teams whose records were a combined 11-3 coming into play... Chris Nugent was assigned to the Riptide by the league office before the game... Ashley Burrows was placed on long-term injured reserve this week and quarterback Tony Corbin was moved from the short-term to the long-term IR...
NEXT GAME: The Riptide remain on the road for the next two games, traveling to Fresno for the first time in nearly two years, to take on the Fresno Falcons next Saturday before turning around and heading back to Hawaii to take on the Islanders once again on June 19. They return home on June 26 to take on the Bakersfield Blitz for the first time this season at the Sports Arena. The first 3,000 fans will receive complementary Riptide ball caps, courtesy of Sportsbook.com. 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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