SaberCats top Avengers, 70-42
Published on April 27, 2008 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
San Jose SaberCats News Release
SAN JOSE, Calif. (Apr. 26, 2008) - San Jose quarterback Mark Grieb threw seven touchdown passes and the SaberCats defense forced five Los Angeles turnovers to propel the Western Division leaders to a 70-42 win over the Avengers in an Arena Football League game Saturday night.
Grieb completed 22-of-31 attempts for 238 yards, including a 15-yard scoring strike to Cleannord Saintil on the game's opening possession less than three minutes into the game, and the SaberCats never trailed in winning their fourth straight over Los Angeles and their 14th straight regular season game over a division opponent.
Los Angeles' J.R. Tolver led all receivers with 11 catches and 122 yards but was held without a touchdown. Tim Hicks completed 20-of-39 pass attempts for 260 yards and four scores, but was intercepted twice and sacked twice.
Rodney Wright led all San Jose receivers with 9 catches for 110 yards and returned a kickoff 56 yards for a touchdown early in the third quarter. Wright amassed 230 all-purpose yards one week after collecting a career-high 267.
A.J. Haglund booted a 35-yard field goal midway through the second quarter to increase San Jose's lead to 30-14. It was his 25th career made field goal giving him the team's career lead over Billy Stoyanovich. Haglund went on to convert two more attempts and has made 17-of-18 on the season.
Clevan Thomas led the SaberCats defense with a 48-yard interception return score and Omarr Smith tallied a pick, three pass breakups and 9.5 tackles for Defensive Player of the Game honors. Alan Harper and George Williams tallied sacks and for the second straight game Jason Geathers tied a team record with 2 fumble recoveries.
NOTES:
The SaberCats tied an AFL record by winning their 14th straight game over a division opponent...San Jose improved to 27-1 all-time when scoring 70 or more points in a regular season game...For the first time all season the SaberCats did not commit a turnover...James Roe caught 3 TD passes to move into 8th place all-time with 215. He passed Randy Gatewood (214) on the all-time list...Clevan Thomas moved into a tie with Mark Ricks for 4th place all-time with 44 interceptions and had his 100th career pass breakup...Cleannord Saintil had his 20th career TD reception...Los Angeles had the first defensive PAT against San Jose when Damen Wheeler returned a blocked extra point attempt for 2 points...Garrett McIntyre had the first rush attempt of his career...Alan Harper had his league-leading 5th forced fumble and 4th sack of the year...Jason Geathers tied a game record with 2 fumble recoveries and has 4 in two games...Rodney Wright had a 56-yard KO return for a TD, the first for San Jose this season, and totaled 230 all-purpose yards, his 7th career 200-yard game...Los Angeles DB David Richardson, in his first AFL game, sustained a fractured left ankle during the third quarter and was taken off the field on a stretcher.
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