SaberCats Win Over Soul, 48-36
May 23, 2004 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
San Jose SaberCats News Release
SAN JOSE, Calif. (May 22, 2004) - Quarterback Mark Grieb threw five touchdown passes to lead the San Jose SaberCats (11-4) to a 48-36 win over the Philadelphia Soul (5-10) Saturday to secure a top-4 seed in the Arena Football League playoffs.
The SaberCats, who broke a two-game losing streak, will finish the regular season in HP Pavilion next Sunday (May 30) against the Arizona Rattlers (10-5).
Fred Coleman's 26-yard reception from Grieb put San Jose ahead for good, 41-36, with 11:02 left in the game.
San Jose finally built a lead after Shalon Baker's interception with 8:13 left in the game. A tipped pass by linebacker Tupo Tuupo from Philadelphia rookie quarterback Tim Levcik saw Baker return it 14 yards to the Soul 10.
Johnson, filling in at fullback, then carried the ball twice, the second time scoring from two yards out with 6:51 remaining. Dan Frantz kicked the extra point and the SaberCats led 48-36.
Rookie Charles Pauley intercepted Levcik in the end zone with 55 seconds left to insure the win for San Jose.
Grieb, the game's offensive player of the game, was 22 of 29 for 289 yards and sustained an outstanding pass rush from the Soul which sacked the all-AFL quarterback four times. Lineman Dwayne Missouri collected two of those sacks to gain the game's defensive standout.
Baker, in his seventh SaberCat season, was recently activated for the game from the practice squad and caught five passes for 58 yards, scoring once on a 7-yard pass from Grieb to start the second quarter. With his interception that turned the game around, he was named the contest's ironman.
It was Coleman who Grieb targeted all night and he found the former NFL standout nine times for 130 yards and three touchdowns. With Philly leading 36-34 to open the fourth period on a Ken Hinsley 22-yard field goal, Coleman ran a crossing pattern at the 15 and caught a pass from Grieb.
The play covered 26 yards and it put the SaberCats ahead 41-36 at the 11:02 mark of the 4th quarter. Coleman's totals were season high's in yards and TDs.
San Jose played without most of its notable players including receivers James Hundon and James Roe. Also sidelined were the team's top fullback-linebackers Matt Kinsinger and Keala Keanaaina along with all-Star lineman Sam Hernandez.
Levcik, in his first AFL start, was 13 of 30 for 161 yards and one touchdown. Offensive specialist Tyronne Jones had a team-record 54-yard missed field goal return for a score and three catches for 60 yards and the only receiving score. Terrill Shaw, who the Soul acquired this week after he was released by the Las Vegas Gladiators, ironically played against the SaberCats for the second consecutive week. In Las Vegas' win last week against San Jose at home, Shaw caught four passes for 17 yards but did not score. He four grabs for the Soul for 31 yards.
• Discuss this story on the Arena Football League (1987-2008) message board...
Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from May 23, 2004
- Avengers Fend off the Gladiators - OSC Original by Tim Peterson
- Dragons Stopped in Orlando - New York Dragons
- Rush clinches Central Division title with 53-37 win - Chicago Rush
- Crush Stun Fury 45-42 - Detroit Fury
- Firebirds Can't Keep up with Rush, fall 53-37 - Albany/Indiana Firebirds
- Storm win fifth straight, pull into tie for eighth playoff seed - Tampa Bay Storm
- Soul fall to SaberCats, 48-36 - Philadelphia Soul
- Gladiators fall short against Avengers, 54-51 - Las Vegas Gladiators
- Destroyers outlast Desperados in Texas shootout - Columbus Destroyers
- SaberCats Win Over Soul, 48-36 - San Jose SaberCats
- Desperados Drop Sixth Consecutive Game - Dallas Desperados
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
