VooDoo Pick up Action, Travel to Jacksonville
May 3, 2012 - Arena Football League (AFL)
New Orleans VooDoo News Release
NEW ORLEANS (May 3, 2012) - The New Orleans VooDoo (3-3) will travel to play the Jacksonville Sharks (2-4) this Friday, May 4, at the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. with the game serving as the NET10 NFL Network Game of the Week, the VooDoo's third such game this season.
Before the team's second and final off week, the VooDoo defeated the Pittsburgh Power in The Graveyard on April 20. VooDoo Quarterback Kurt Rocco continued his impressive sophomore season by passing for 276 yards and five touchdowns. Rocco shared the wealth against Pittsburgh, as Quorey Payne, Carlese Franklin, and Greg Ellingson each caught at least one touchdown. Ellingson hauled in two scores while racking up 107 yards on 8 catches.
"We made progress against Pittsburgh by pulling together as a team to win an ugly game," said VooDoo Head Coach Pat O'Hara. "The off week was good for us to get healthy and refocus, and this week we have a tough division opponent."
Rocco was able to hit Carlese Franklin for what proved to be the game-winning touchdown with just 34 seconds remaining in the game. The clutch pass, catch, and run came on 4th and 4, with the VooDoo trailing 48-44. Power kicker Collin Wagner's 32-yard field goal try missed as time expired, a kick that would have sent the game to overtime if successful.
The VooDoo have had an extra week to prepare for the defending ArenaBowl Champion Sharks, who have fallen on tougher times this season. The Sharks sit at 2-4, just one game behind the VooDoo and the Tampa Bay Storm in the South Division standings. Slowing down Terrance Smith will be the biggest test for the VooDoo, as he leads the league in all-purpose yards with a staggering average of 216.2 yards per game.
"We are aware that they have very good personnel and their record is deceiving," added O'Hara. "As long as we play sound and mistake free, we should be able to position ourselves to have a chance to win in a hostile environment."
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. in Jacksonville, broadcast live on NFL Network.
VooDoo on Television: NFL Network
VooDoo on the Radio: 99.5 FM WRNO "Rush Radio"
VooDoo Broadcast Team: Ken Trahan (play-by-play), Jon Norris (color), Brandon Rizzuto (sideline)
VooDoo on the Internet: www.wrno.com
VooDoo live game feed: Not available for NFL Network games
VooDoo live statistics: http://livestats.prestosports.com/neworleansvoodoo
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