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Road Warriors; Soul Down Destroyers, 43 - 41

March 13, 2004 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Philadelphia Soul News Release


COLUMBUS, OH -- With 23 seconds left in the game, Soul quarterback Nick Browder threw a 25-yard dart to Ricky Ross, who was wide-open downfield, for the game-winning touchdown, as Philadelphia (3-3) defeated Columbus (1-5), 43 – 41. On the ensuing kickoff, Army Ironman of the Game Sean Scott forced a fumble and the Soul recovered the ball to seal the victory. The win was the first road victory in franchise history.

Browder continued to display his maturity against Columbus, as he completed 16-of-34 for 168 yards and two touchdowns, as well as two interceptions.

Also starring for Philadelphia on offense was Ross (3 receptions for 61 yards and a touchdowns; 1 rush for 3 yards and a touchdown), Sean Scott (4 receptions for 42 yards and a touchdown), and Chris "Soul Train" Ryan (7 rushes for 24 yards and a touchdown; 2 receptions for 15 yards and a touchdown). Ross was named Baby Ruth Player of the Game.

Defensively for the Soul, Joseph Todd continued his solid play in the secondary, as he led the team with seven tackles. For his efforts, Todd was named ADT Defensive Player of the Game. Eric Gohlstin recorded his first sack of the season in the win.

Turnovers were the story from the start for Philadelphia. On their first offensive series of the game, Browder was sacked and lost the ball, and Columbus recovered it on the Soul 19-yard line. Subsequently, on the very next play, Destroyers quarterback Ryan Vena, who finished the game 18-of-34 for 186 yards and two touchdowns, connected with Cornelius White for a 19-yard touchdown - giving Columbus the early 7 – 0 advantage.

Philadelphia bounced back later in the opening frame, as Ken Hinsley booted a 25-yard field goal, narrowing the Destroyers lead to 7 – 3. With 1:03 remaining in the first quarter, Browder found Scott streaking in the end zone for a 20-yard touchdown strike, putting the Soul on top 10 – 7.

Columbus took possession to start the second quarter. However, Steve Videtich missed a 48-yard field goal, giving Philadelphia possession on their own 12-yard line. Once again turnovers plagued the Soul, as Destroyers' linebacker Titcus Pettigrew picked off Browder at the Philadelphia 25-yard line, and returned it for a touchdown - giving Columbus a 13 – 10 lead after Videtich missed the extra-point.

The Soul looked to get their offense back on track, but on the next offensive series, Browder threw another interception, this time to Columbus' defensive specialist Lavar Glover. On the ensuing drive, Vena found White for his second touchdown of the game, this time from nine-yards out, giving Columbus a controlling 20 – 10 lead. The Soul got on the board with 48 seconds remaining in the half, when "Soul Train" rushed one in from three-yards out, tapering Columbus' lead to 20 – 17.

The Destroyers received a major blow at the end of the second quarter, as White was ejected from the game after a committing an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Before his ejection, White had 5 receptions for 56 yards and two touchdowns.

To start the third quarter, Columbus had a chance to extend their three-point lead, but Soul defensive specialist DeAuntae Brown (3 tackles) stopped Pettigrew on a key third down, short of a first down. On fourth down, Videtich missed from 22-yards out, giving Soul their first possession of the second half. After taking nearly six minutes off the clock, Ross took a pitch from Browder into the end zone from three-yards out, giving Philadelphia its first lead of the game, 24 – 20, to end the third quarter.

The fourth quarter was a shootout between the two teams. It started with Vena, who dove in from one-yard out to put the Destroyers ahead, 27 – 24. After a dazzling 38-yard kick return by Ross, Browder spotted "Soul Train" over the middle for the go-ahead score. However, Hinsley missed the extra-point, putting the Soul up 30 – 27. On the ensuing drive for Columbus, they used a little trickery to recapture the lead. Vena pitched the ball back to Robinson, and then Robinson found LaKendrick Jones in the end zone, to put the Destroyers on top, 34 – 30.

With 3:30 left in the fourth, Derin Graham took a pitch from Browder around the left end, scoring from two-yards out to give the Soul a 37 – 34 lead. Less than a minute remaining in the game, Vena took one in from two-yards out to give the Destroyers 41 – 37 lead, after a converted two-point conversion.

However, Philadelphia toughed this one out in the end, on the Browder to Ross 25-yard connection, and catapulted the Soul to a 3 – 3 record.

The Soul return home next Sunday, March 21st at the Wachovia Center when they host the Colorado Crush. Kick-off is set for 12:00 p.m. and can be seen live on NBC-10. Tickets for the game are still available.

Soul Stat: Philadelphia's defense has outscored the opposition 60 – 43 this season in the third quarter.

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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from March 13, 2004


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