Vipers Move to 13-0 with Win over Memphis
July 5, 2003 - United Indoor Football Association (UIF)
Tennessee Valley Raptors News Release
Southaven, MS â The Tennessee Valley Vipers scored 20 points in the second quarter and held on the second half to beat the Memphis Xplorers 51-36.
"This was an ugly win but we will take it," Vipers head coach Kevin Guy said. "We still made some mistakes that we need to correct before next week. We have to treat the next three games like playoff games and we are going to have to play a little better.
Matt Sauk completed 21-42 passes for 221 yards and five touchdowns for the Vipers. Reggie Worthy caught five passes for 51 yards and two touchdowns. Jerrian James, Ronney Daniels and Ernest Ross all caught one touchdown pass each.
The Vipers held Memphis quarterback Rod Robinson to 14-33 passing for 220 yards and five touchdowns and intercepted one pass.
"Our defense played really good," Guy said. "We did a good job in the secondary and we did not sack them but we got pressure on him all night."
Memphis scored first on a Terrell Adams 22-yd touchdown reception from Rod Robinson. Steven Green missed the extra point and Memphis had a 6-0 lead after the first quarter.
The Vipers got on the scoreboard with 11:34 left in the second quarter on a 21-yard touchdown pass from Sauk to James. The Mark Lewis extra point gave the Vipers a 7-6 lead.
After forcing a turnover on downs, Sauk hit Worthy from five yards out and the Vipers had a 14-6 lead.
Memphis cut the lead to 14-10 on Green's four-point drop kick from 20-yards, but Sauk connected with Worthy for the second time from 15-yards out with :03 left in the half to send Tennessee Valley into the lockerroom with a 20-10 lead.
Marvin Strong opened the second half with a 2-yard run as the Vipers extended their lead to 27-10, however, Memphis responded with a 33-yard touchdown pass from Robinson to Williams two minutes later and cut the lead to 27-16.
Daniels then caught an 8-yard strike from Sauk and the Vipers had a 34-16 lead at the end of the third quarter.
The teams traded scores in the fourth quarter as Adrian Burnette caught a 27-yard touchdown pass from Robinson and Mark Lewis nailed a 43-yard field goal to give the Vipers a 37-24 lead with 10:21 left in the game.
Adams caught his second long touchdown pass this one from 38-yards but the Vipers answered with Ross' first touchdown reception of the season from 23-yards out.
Memphis scored with :25 left on a Williams 11-yd reception and Jimmy Freeman scored from 1-yard out on the last play of the game to seal the win.
Sauk was named Player of the Game, Worthy was named Ironman of the Game and Joe Todd was named ADT Defensive Player of the Game. The Vipers host the Florida Firecats next Saturday night at 7:30 at the Von Braun Center.
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United Indoor Football Association Stories from July 5, 2003
- Vipers Move to 13-0 with Win over Memphis - Tennessee Valley Raptors
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