Vipers Unleash on Wardogs for 10th Win
June 14, 2003 - United Indoor Football Association (UIF)
Tennessee Valley Raptors News Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - Like Bo Derek, the Tennessee Valley Vipers are now a perfect 10. The Vipers dominated the visiting Columbus Wardogs on both sides of the ball here Saturday night to secure a 66-20 victory in front of 5,711 fans at the Von Braun Center.
The win was the Vipers' 10th this season, compared to no losses. It is only the second time in af2 history that a team has started 10-0. On the other hand, it was the eighth straight loss for Columbus (2-8). Tennessee Valley's defense swarmed over the Wardogs much of the night, and the offense capitalized on four Columbus turnovers.
Despite a 14-0 start by the Vipers, the game was close early. Fifteen seconds into the second quarter Tennessee Valley held only a 21-14 advantage. But the Vipers exploded for a 38-unanswered-point run that lasted until the four-minute mark of the final quarter.
Vipers quarterback Matt Sauk finished the game 19 of 34 passing for 251 yards no interceptions. He threw five touchdowns en route to being named the Player of the Game. Eight different Vipers caught Sauk's passes. Receiver/linebacker Ronney Daniels was selected Ironman of the Game. On offense, Daniels led the Vipers with 68 yards receiving, and three of his four catches were touchdowns (21, 22 and 18 yards respectively). Jimmy Freeman was the ADT Defensive Player of the Game. From his linebacker position, he forced two fumbles, sacked Wardog quarterback Sherard Poteete three times, hit him another time and deflected one pass.
Tennessee Valley defensive back Ernest Ross set up the first Viper score with his interception and return to his own 24. On the next play, Sauk hit Xavier Patterson for a 26-yard score. On the Wardogs next possession, Kenny Bailey of the Vipers stepped in front of a Poteete pass, picked it off and scampered 16 yards for the 14-0 Viper lead.
The teams then traded scores. Poteete found Mesiah Porter for a 7-yard score, followed by Marvin Strong's 3-yard run for the Vipers. Poteete answered with a 41-yard touchdown bomb to Joe Valencia to cut Tennessee Valley's lead to 21-14.
It would be a long time before the Wardogs would see the end zone again.
The Vipers scored five straight touchdowns - Sauk to Patterson for 6 yards, Sauk to Daniels for 21 yards and 22 yards, Jerrian James to Andy Fuller for 12 yards on the wide receiver pass and a 1-yard run by Reggie Worthy - and added a 32-yard field goal by Mark Lewis to take a 52-14 lead midway through the fourth quarter.
Poteete's 2-yard quarterback sneak with 4:04 left in the game finally put Columbus on the board again. The extra point failed.
Tennessee Valley added an exclamation point with 52 seconds remaining on the final Sauk-to-Daniels strike, this one for 18 yards.
The Vipers travel to archrival Birmingham on Saturday night. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. Columbus will play host to Bossier City in a 7 p.m. game.
United Indoor Football Association Stories from June 14, 2003
- Vipers Unleash on Wardogs for 10th Win - Tennessee Valley Raptors
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