Stealth heartbroken in Tulsa
July 10, 2004 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Wichita Stealth News Release
Tulsa, Okla. - The Stealth came into the Tulsa Convention Center looking for their first ever win in Tulsa and came very close to an upset over the division leading Tulsa Talons but Tulsa would capture the lead with: 48 seconds left to go in the game and defeated the Stealth 41-35 in front of 5,888 fans on Saturday night. The Stealth fall to 7-6 on the season and Tulsa improves to 10-3 and retains possession of first place in the Southwest Division.
The Stealth started out quickly as they took their opening drive 29-yards and capped it off with a 16-yard touchdown pass from Beasley to Thompson putting them up 7-0 over the Talons. On the ensuing drive, Daren Williams would deflect a Bees pass that would be intercepted by Marc Bacote. The Stealth would only need one play to score on the drive, as Beasley found Bacote for a 15-yard touchdown making it a 14-0 Stealth lead.
On the next kickoff, the Stealth would recover the ball after it took a bounce off of the nets. The Stealth could not get the ball in the end zone leaving the score 14-0. The Talons would get their first score at the 2:45 mark of the first quarter on an 18-yard pass from Bob Bees to Robert Reed. The extra point attempt failed leaving the score at the end of the first quarter 14-6 in favor of the Stealth.
The Stealth would open up the second half scoring on a two-yard run by Beasley making it 21-6 at the 13:31 mark of the second quarter. The Stealth would get another favorable bounce off of the nets on the ensuing kickoff and recover the ball at the Tulsa seven-yard line. The Stealth would come out of this drive with no points and turned over the ball to the Talons on downs. The Talons would take their drive and score on a one-yard run by Rashan Hall. The two-point conversion would fail leaving the score 21-12 in favor of Wichita. The Stealth would get back on track on their next drive when Beasley would find Thompson for a four-yard touchdown putting them on top 27-12 after the blocked extra point attempt. The Stealth would hold the Talons on the next series to regain possession of the ball, but they would fumble the snap and Shan Jordan would pick up the fumble and return it nine-yards for a Tulsa score making it 27-20 at the half.
The Talons would pick up the only score of the third quarter on a 21-yard pass from Bees to Rovon Butler tying the game at 27-27 at the end of the third quarter.
The Stealth would recapture the lead at the 8:32 mark of the fourth quarter on a two-yard run by Beasley putting them up 33-27 after a failed extra point attempt. The Talons would tie the game at 33 on a 49-yard pass from Bees to Michael Duncan. On the extra point attempt the hold was bobbled and kicker Jonathan Knott picked up the ball and tried a drop kick which was blocked by the Stealth and returned all the way for two points by Anthony Griffin putting the Stealth back up 35-33 with 7:11 left in the game.
The Talons would get the game winning score on a four yard run by Corky Martin and converted the two-point conversion to make the final score 41-35.
The Stealth had one last shot at the game when they drove down the field in the final minute, but the game was clinched when Rickie Davis intercepted a Beasley pass to ice the game for the Talons.
Stealth offensive specialist Damon Thompson was named the Baby Ruth Real Deal Offensive Player of the Game, Stealth defensive specialist Ty Ardoin was named the ADT Defensive Player of the Game, and Tulsa fullback/linebacker Corky Martin was named the U.S. Army Ironman of the Game.
STEALTH NOTES: The Stealth will return home next weekend to face the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz in another crucial Southwest Division match-up. The Stealth defeated the Yard Dawgz 70-35 on June 12th in Wichita and the Yard Dawgz won the game in Oklahoma City on May 22nd by a score of 53-25.Tickets are available by calling the Stealth office at 316.755.3307.
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