Sharks Outshoot Force For ArenaBowl Berth
August 8, 2011 - Arena Football League (AFL)
Georgia Force News Release
Jacksonville, FL (August 8, 2011) - An exhibition of offensive opulence was the story of Monday night's American Conference Championship Game. The final result found the Jacksonville Sharks on the winning end of a 64-55 final score at Veterans Memorial Arena.
The win was Jacksonville's third over South Division foe Georgia this season, and clinches their first trip to the ArenaBowl in just their second season as a franchise. They did it by lighting up the scoreboard to the tune of 64 points, having scored each time they touched the football. Their final trip down field, while the least-productive from a scoring standpoint, put the nail in Georgia's coffin as Sharks kicker Marc Capozzoli drilled a career-long 36-yard field goal with a shade under a minute remaining.
Until then, just once in the course of the entire night had either team turned the ball over before reaching the end zone. It came on the opening drive of the third quarter after the two teams had traded aerial theatrics throughout the first half and with Jacksonville leading 40-34. The Shark defense forced a turnover on downs, and put the ball in the end zone shortly thereafter. Though the Force held the lead on five separate occasions in the first half, they could not claim one such time in the second.
Quarterback play was the story on either offense, as Georgia's Darnell Kennedy and Jacksonville's Aaron Garcia posted shockingly similar statistical lines of 313 yards and eight touchdown passes apiece. The one blemish on Kennedy's ledger was an interception that came during Georgia's last-ditch comeback attempt in the final minute. Kennedy completed 29 of 48 attempts, while Garcia connected on a tidy 22 of 28.
Each quarterback had a clear favorite in the receiving corps. Kennedy found Maurice Purify 13 times for 153 yards and three scores, while Jacksonville wideout Jeff Hughley caught seven passes for a game-high 168 yards and three touchdowns.
The Force finish their first season back in Georgia with a 12-8 mark. Jacksonville, now 16-4, has to make a speedy turnaround as they prepare to take on the 18-2 National Conference champion Arizona Rattlers on Friday night in ArenaBowl XXIV in Phoenix.
About The GEORGIA FORCE...
The Force are preparing a host of improvements, both on the field and off, that will make Georgia Force football the premier sports entertainment option in the entire Southeast. For more information on how you can become involved with the Force in 2012, call the front office at (770) 609-1300.
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