Stealth Stumble---Eventually Fall
Published on April 21, 2002 under arenafootball2 (af2)
Wichita Stealth News Release
Little Rock, Ark--It started off bad-and then got worse. After winning the coin toss and deferring to the second half the Stealth fell apart, losing to the Arkansas Twisters 60-13, Saturday Night in Little Rock, Arkansas. The opening drive shows evidence of Arkansas's game plan as over seven thousand Twister fans watched the Arkansas offense demolish the normally stable Stealth defense. Wichita's offense has averaged only 17-points a game. Saturday night they fell four points short of their normal dismal output. From the start the Stealth found themselves playing catch-up.
Arkansas started clicking early as the first drive took only two plays before Arkansas Quarterback Ricky Herbert connected with Lennie Johnson for a 31-yard-touchdown pass and moved the Twisters on top 7-0. Hebert was named MVP, and it was evident why. Hebert connected on three more deep passes that all resulted in touchdowns, and 27 unanswered points. Wichita would not be able to climb back into the game.
Wichita scored only twice in the contest. The first coming as Matt Hicks found Pascal Volz for a 19-yard touchdown pass, which was Volz's first touchdown of the season. The other score would come from Xavier Patterson on a quick screen from Hicks that would ramble for 27-yard touchdown pass and the only points of the game for the Stealth. All 13 of the Wichita's points would come in the second quarter.
Hebert was awesome for the Twisters, completing 14 of 19 passes, ending with 267 yards and 7 touchdowns. Hebert spread the wealth around to six different receivers, including two touchdown passes to both Anthony Eubanks and Lennie Johnson. Eubanks ended the game with 95 yards receiving and Johnson ended with 72 yards receiving.
Wichita starter Matt Hicks finished the game 18 of 34, with 182 yards and both touchdown passes. Rookie Mike Burton attempted 11 passes and completed only 4 before being knocked out of the game with only 50 yards, two sacks, and 1 interception. Burton was taken to a local hospital where he was treated and released for a slight concussion. His status for week 4 is unknown at this time. Wichita's offense struggled again, usually inside the red-zone. Both Wichita and Arkansas had 10 first downs, but a 47-point lesson was the end result of a contest that was finished well before it began.
An ugly kicking performance reared its ugly head again for the Stealth as Stephen Green missed all 4 field goal attempts and connected on only one of two extra point conversions. Two of those attempts were from over 40 yards which Green is 0-4 on the season. Arkansas kicker Mark Norris was 1-2 on field goals hitting a 44-yard field goal and missing 2 of 6 extra point conversions.
Possibly the most frustrating part of the game was the time of possession and first down statistics. Wichita and Arkansas both moved the chains 12 times and Wichita dominated the possession with over 40 minutes of unproductive work. Arkansas only possessed the ball 15 minutes, but in that time struck very fast and very often.
Wichita fell to 0-3 on the season, while Arkansas moves forward to 2-1. Next up for the Stealth are the expansion Hawaiian Islanders Saturday April 27th, at 7:30 p.m. in the Kansas Coliseum. There will be a free Hawaiian Tailgate party at 6:00 p.m. in front of the Coliseum. One lucky fan will win a free trip to Hawaii courtesy of Reflection travel. For tickets call 755-SEAT.
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