SaberCats Improve To 7-0 With Win At Buffalo
June 1, 2002 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
San Jose SaberCats News Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. (June 1, 2002) -- San Jose quarterback Mark Grieb threw seven touchdown passes to lead the undefeated SaberCats to a 63-35 win over the Buffalo Destroyers in front of 6,714 at HSBC Arena on Saturday night.
San Jose failed to reach the 70-point mark for the first time in four games.
Grieb connected with Jerry Reese, the first of three times the pair struck during the game, on a 12-yard touchdown pass for a 7-0 lead after the first quarter. San Jose has led in after the first period in every game this season.
Barry Wagner caught touchdown passes of 8 and 20 yards and James Hundon hauled in a 23 yard toss from Grieb as the SaberCats built a 28-14 halftime lead.
Reese, the game's Ironman, caught a 25-yard strike from Grieb to cap a 2-play 45-yard drive at the start of the second half to increase San Jose's lead to 35-14. Former SaberCat Derrick Chachere scored the first of his two rushing touchdowns on the night on a 7-yard run with just over four minutes left in the third quarter to close the gap to 35-21.
San Jose's Shalon Baker put on a one-man show at the close of the third quarter and in the fourth. Baker caught a 13-yard touchdown pass from Grieb to give San Jose a 42-21 lead after three quarters. Baker then scored his first career rushing touchdown on a 3-yard scamper and on Buffalo's ensuing possession, Baker intercepted a Jeff Loots pass and returned it 23-yards for his third score of the night.
SaberCats kicker Daron Alcorn failed to attempt a field goal for the second consecutive game but converted all nine of his PATs to run his streak of successful conversions to 26.
Grieb completed 25 of 35 passes for 338 yards and was named game MVP. His seven scoring tosses went to four different receivers. The SaberCats totaled 337 yards of offense.
For the second straight game the San Jose defense forced four turnovers. Rookie DS Clevan Thomas had his second career interception and Baker and Bob McMillen had fumble recoveries.
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