SaberCats drop Rattlers 58-50 for first win of season
February 12, 2006 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
San Jose SaberCats News Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. (Feb. 12, 2006) - San Jose fullbacks Phil Glover and Brian Johnson each scored a pair of rushing touchdowns and the SaberCats scored five times on the ground in posting their first win of the 2006 season, 58-50, over the Arizona Rattlers in an Arena Football League game Sunday night.
The Rattlers fell to 0-3 for the first time in franchise history while the SaberCats gained a share of first place in the Western Division following losses by Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Utah.
Johnson scored on two short runs, Fred Coleman added a 3-yard scoring run and quarterback Mark Grieb connected with Calvin Schexnayder from 4-yards out and hit Charles Pauley on a 45-yard scoring play to stake the SaberCats to a 34-28 halftime lead.
Grieb threw for 283 yards and three scores on 18-of-31 passing and didn't turn the ball over. Schexnayder was the favorite target for a second straight week catching nine passes for 147 yards and two touchdowns.
San Jose's point total was its largest since putting up a team record 89 at Colorado on April 22, 2005.
Arizona quarterback Sherdrick Bonner returned to the lineup after missing last week's game and completed 24-of-36 attempts for 339 yards and five scores with an interception.
San Jose's defense stepped up again forcing a pair of turnovers, a missed field and stopping the Rattlers twice on downs.
Glover scored both his touchdowns on consecutive possessions at the start of the second half, his second giving San Jose a 48-28 lead midway through the third quarter.
Schexnayder hauled in a 24-yard scoring pass from Grieb at the start of the fourth to give the SaberCats their biggest lead at 58-35.
Arizona closed out the scoring with a 1-yard Bo Kelly run and a 7-yard Bonner to Cosmo DeMatteo pass with 20 seconds left in the game.
NOTES: Rookies Ben Nelson, Julius Gant and Alan Harper made their AFL debuts for San Jose...San Jose posted its 13th win all-time against Arizona in 27 meetings...Glover and Johnson tied their career-high with 2 rush TDs...DS Omarr Smith returned to the lineup almost one year after sustaining a knee injury (Feb. 13, 2005 at New Orleans)...Smith was activated from inured reserve the day before the game taking the place of Terrance Joseph, who sustained an injury Friday...K Brian Schmitz made all seven of this one-point PAT tries, extending his streak to 18 on the year. He failed on a drop-kick PAT attempt following a bad center snap on San Jose's second touchdown...
Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from February 12, 2006
- Rattlers Lose Third-straight, 58-50 - Arizona Rattlers
- SaberCats drop Rattlers 58-50 for first win of season - San Jose SaberCats
- Avengers Turn it over to Rampage, 66-41 - OSC Original by Tim Peterson
- Second half rally lifts Colorado past Las Vegas 65-55 - Las Vegas Gladiators
- Rush earns first victory - Chicago Rush
- Rampage beat Avengers 66-41 - Grand Rapids Rampage
- Rush tops Kats in OT - Nashville Kats
- Brigade lose home opener in front of capacity crowd - Kansas City Brigade
- Dramatic win moves Wranglers to 3-0 - Austin Wranglers
- Blaze fall to Dragons despite scoring 81 points - Utah Blaze
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