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Shine on Both Sides of the Ball in 61-43 Win Over Oklahoma City

April 24, 2005 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Quad City Steamwheelers News Release


OKLAHOMA CITY — The Quad City Steamwheelers picked up their second straight win of the season on Saturday night with a 61-43 road win over Oklahoma City. The 8,544 fans that showed up to the Ford Center for the first-ever meeting between the two teams got to see Sam Clemons throw for 327 yards and seven touchdowns to lead the Steamwheelers to their first road win of the season. Matt Forbes, the reigning ADT Defensive Player of the Week, set himself up to win the award again as he sealed the victory with a pair of interception returns for touchdowns late in the fourth quarter. The Steamwheelers record now stands at 2-1, moving them into a second place tie with Amarillo in the Midwest Division.

Jeff Hewitt had his first three touchdowns of the season while Travis Burns and Jack Walker, Jr. each had two to pace the Steamwheeler offense that produced its biggest scoring output of the 2005 season.

The Steamwheelers' strong first half play continued against the Yard Dawgz as they got into the end zone on four of their five possessions in the opening 30 minutes to take a 27-18 lead at the break. Jack Walker, Jr., who had his first two touchdowns in a Steamwheeler uniform last weekend against Bossier/Shreveport, had two more while Burns and Hewitt each added a score to give the Steamwheelers the early lead.

The Yard Dawgz were able to keep the score close behind the combination of Craig Strickland and Jarrail Jackson. Strickland, who entered the game as the af2's top passer, found Jackson eight times for 104 yards and three scores in the first half for all 18 of the Yard Dawgz points.

Oklahoma City would twice pull in front in the second half, first at 31-27 and then at 37-34 before the Steamwheelers grabbed the lead for good. With 9:14 left in the fourth quarter, Clemons hit Burns with a five-yard strike to put Quad City up 41-37. Exactly three minutes later the lead was stretched to 11 points as Matt Forbes picked off a Strickland pass and took it 39 yards for a touchdown, making the score 48-37.

Hewitt and the Yard Dawgz Brandon Daniels would trade touchdowns late in the quarter before Forbes killed off any chance of an Oklahoma City comeback with his second return for a touchdown on the night. Forbes picked off a Strickland pass three yards deep in his own end zone and went the distance for the game's final score, putting the ‘Wheelers in front 61-43.

Forbes now has a league-best five interceptions on the season and four in the last two games. This was the third multi-interception of Forbes' af2 career and second in as many weeks while the 53-yard return for the final score sets a new Steamwheeler record for the longest interception return in franchise history. The Steamwheelers return to action next Saturday, April 30, at 7:30 p.m., when they return home to host the Midwest Division leading Memphis Xplorers (4-0) at OS Field at The MARK of the Quad Cities. Tickets for this game and all other Steamwheeler home games on sale now. To purchase season and group tickets or for more information about the Steamwheelers, call the Steamwheelers office at (563) 324-4888 or toll free at 1-866-STEAMTIX. For single game tickets please call or visit The MARK of the Quad Cities box office or any TicketMaster location.



arenafootball2 Stories from April 24, 2005


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