Stealth Ousted from Playoffs
August 2, 2003 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Wichita Stealth News Release
Honolulu, Haw. - Another Western Division battle between the Wichita Stealth and the Hawaiian Islanders would again go to the home team as the Islanders defeated the Stealth 57-30 in front of 3,744 rowdy fans at the Neal Blaisdell Arena on Friday night. The Western Division champion Hawaiian Islanders were led by quarterback Darnell Arceneaux as he completed 16-of-25 passes for 229 yards and six touchdowns and rushed for two more scores on his way to Game MVP honors. The Stealth were led by quarterback Anthony Buich, who went 17-of-34 for 223 yards and two touchdowns and fullback/linebacker Brian Goolsby who rushed five times for eight yards and two touchdowns. The Stealth finish the 2003 campaign with an 8-8-1 record.
The Hawaiian Islanders would come out and outscore the Stealth 25-3 in the first quarter. The Stealth could only manage a 37-yard field goal by kicker Jason Corse. The Islanders would score two safeties on the Stealth in addition to three touchdowns. Islanders quarterback Darnell Arceneaux would end the first quarter 7-of-11 for 118 yards and three touchdowns.
The Stealth offense would get it going in the second with a 34-yard pass to Johnny Journey from Anthony Buich bringing the score to 25-10. The Islanders would come back with a 14-yard pass from Darnell Arceneaux to Darrick Branch giving the Islanders a 31-10 lead with 4:55 left in the second quarter. The Stealth would score at the 1:18 mark of the second on an 11-yard pass from Buich to Brian Livingston putting the Stealth back to within two touchdowns at 31-17. With one second left in the first half, the Islanders would increase their lead to 21 points with a one-yard run from Darnell Arceneaux giving them a 38-17 halftime lead.
The Stealth would inch closer to Hawaii in the third by outscoring the Islanders 13-6. The Wichita scores would come on a two-yard and three-yard touchdown run by fullback/linebacker Brian Goolsby. Hawaii would get their only score of the third quarter on a two-yard pass from Darnell Arceneaux to his brother Anthony Arceneaux. The quarter would end with the Islanders leading 44-30.
The fourth quarter saw the Hawaii defense stop Wichita's third quarter momentum and stop any chances of a Stealth comeback as they blanked the Stealth 13-0. "We just couldn't sustain the momentum we had gained in the third quarter," said Stealth head coach Sean Ponder. "We only had two drives in the fourth quarter. One ended in a fumble and the other was ended at the conclusion of the game."
The Stealth committed three turnovers (two fumbles and one interception) on the night to the Islanders two turnovers. The Stealth converted both of the turnovers into scores. "We have had a lot of adversity this season and I am proud of the way the guys have handled it all." said Ponder.
Hawaii will move on to the second round to take on the Tulsa Talons next week in Tulsa. The Stealth will begin to prepare for the 2004 af2 season.
arenafootball2 Stories from August 2, 2003
- Stealth Ousted from Playoffs - Wichita Stealth
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