Vena Leads Comeback Win for Sixth Straight

June 9, 2003 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Albany Firebirds News Release


(GREENSBORO, NC) June 7, 2003 - Albany Quarterback, and Game MVP, Ryan Vena hit newcomer Jim Jones, from 12 yards out, with 13.7 seconds to play, to earn a 48-47 come-from-behind victory over the Greensboro Prowlers, in front of 2,296 fans at the Greensboro Coliseum Saturday night.

Vena, who was named the league's player of the week last week, kept his sharp-shooting in tact, as he completed 35-of-44 passes (79.5%) for 377 yards and six touchdowns. He threw two each to Phil Taylor and Jamie Ware. OS Corey Hill caught 15 passes for 121 yards to lead all receivers, while catching Vena's first touchdown pass of the game, a 29-yard strike on the second play of the game.

Greensboro took their first lead of the game with 8:23 left in the game when QB Caleb Slover found David Hill from 23-yards out for a 38-34 lead. The Conquest then fumbled the ensuing kickoff, but after a defensive stand held the Prowlers to a field goal, extending the lead to 41-34.

Albany took 3:15 seconds to score their next touchdown, Ware's second of the game, and tied the score at 41-41. After Albany kicker Chris Drennan's sneak on-side attempt failed, Greensboro's Bobby Graham ran the ball in from 3-yards away for the go-ahead score. Kicker James Thomas missed trhe extra point and The Conquest still had 52 seconds to score a touchdown and now kick the extra point for the win.

On the final drive, Vena made a miraculous 4th down conversion pass to FB/LB Matt Vittengl, getting the ball inside Prowler territory with under 30 seconds left in the game. On the very next play, Vena rolled left, threw right, and found Jones for the game-winner. Drennan split the uprights with his PAT and the Conquest defense held Greensboro out of the endzone for the win.

Vena has been named Game MVP in seven out of the eight Conquest wins this season. He came into the game as the 3rd rated passer in af2 and completed over 79% of his passes for the second straight week.

The Conquest (8-1) is now riding a six game winning streak, while Greensboro drops to (4-6) and fourth place in the Atlantic Division.



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