Sports stats

af2 arenafootball2

Week 11 af2 game recaps

June 13, 2006 - arenafootball2 (af2) News Release


SATURDAY, JUNE 10

LOUISVILLE FIRE 79, Spokane Shock 69 (8,058)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Louisville Fire shocked No.1-ranked Spokane, 79-69, Saturday night at Freedom Hall. The Fire improved to 5-5 on the season, while the Shock slipped to 8-2. The first quarter saw an aggressive Fire offense jump out to an early lead with QB Brett Dietz scoring on two different rushing touchdowns and a 15-yard pass to WR/DB Lance Taylor. The Shock scored just once in the quarter on a 19-yard passing touchdown from QB Alex Neist to WR/DB Charles Frederick as Louisville recorded a key stop on Spokane's first possession. The second quarter was action packed as the two team's combined for 55 total points (28-27 Louisville). Two scores by Mager and Frederick highlighted the period. At the half, the Fire held a 15-point lead, 48-33. The third quarter picked up right where the second quarter shootout left off. The air attack of both teams began in the second half with a 10-yard Shock pass from Neist to Antwone Savage. The Fire answered back with a Dietz passing touchdown to Taylor continuing the offensive bombardment by both teams. The third quarter ended with another Dietz to Mager touchdown and a Neist to Frederick tightening up the score for a furious finish in the fourth. To open the fourth quarter, Dietz connected with Taylor on a 5-yard scoring pass. The Shock fought back with a 6-yard rushing touchdown by Frederick. With 6:58 left in the game, Fire K Dave Hendrix connected on a 25-yard field goal to increase the Fire's lead to 10, 72-62. The game ended after two scores each from both sides including a 2-yard Shock rushing touchdown by Frederick and a game-clinching scoring strike from Dietz to Mager. Dietz earned Schutt Offensive Player of the Game honors as he had a hand in 10 of the Fire's 11 touchdowns. He threw for 259 yards on 25-of-34 passing with eight touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns. Taylor (10 catches, 106 yards, 3 TDs) and Mager (6 catches, 86 yards, 4 TDs) also played big parts in the win. Spokane's Alex Neist (324 yards passing, 8 TDs) and Charles Frederick (14 catches, 192 yards, 5 TDs, 2 rushing TDs) stood out for the Shock in defeat.

ALBANY CONQUEST 73, W-B/Scranton Pioneers 70 (5,556)

ALBANY, N.Y. - Conquest K Vinny Cirrincione drilled a 16-yard field goal as time expired to give Albany a come-from-behind 73-70 victory over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers at Pepsi Arena's U.S. Army Field. The winning field goal was set up by a fumble recovery with 11.7 seconds remaining from Albany native and Conquest rookie DLS Agean Robinson. The win over first place Wilkes-Barre/Scranton snapped a three-game losing streak for the Conquest and evened their record at 5-5. The Conquest trailed 70-56 with 2:50 remaining in the game but would score the game's final 17 points to snap a five-game losing streak to Wilkes-Barre. Pioneers OS J.R. Thomas caught his fourth touchdown of the game to extend the Pioneers lead by 14 but Albany fought back with consecutive touchdown receptions by rookie WR/DB Thomas Anthony, who set a new franchise record with six receiving touchdowns. The crucial play that went in the Conquest's favor was when FB/LB Jose Harris recovered an onside kick to keep the ball with under a minute remaining. Then, after Anthony's sixth TD tied the game at 70, Albany kicked the ball into the hands of Thomas. The Pioneers' veteran OS fielded the ball but soon lost control at his own five yard line where Robinson recovered. Anthony, seeing action in just his second af2 game, had 10 receptions for 172 yards in his home debut. The fumble spoiled a great night for Thomas, who grabbed ten passes for 192 yards with four touchdowns to lead the Pioneers. Conquest QB Ryan Vena threw for 325 yards with seven touchdowns and added his 16th rushing touchdown, a 14-yard scamper that took him over 500 yards in his af2 career. The Conquest played from behind as the game developed following two first half turnovers. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton recovered a fumble on the opening kick off and the teams traded touchdowns until WR/DB Yardon Brantley picked off Vena in the red zone during the second quarter, which led to a score and a 28-14 Pioneers advantage. Anthony helped to keep Albany close with three first half touchdowns. Brantley caught three touchdowns to pace the Pioneers' first half offense. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton QB Mike Granieri threw for 370 yards and eight touchdowns, both game-highs and season-highs for the rookie signal caller. The Pioneers lead the East Division at 7-3.

MACON KNIGHTS 62, Arkansas Twisters 35 (2,154)

MACON, Ga. - The Macon Knights scored an impressive victory over the Arkansas Twisters, 62-35, Saturday night at Macon Coliseum. The Knights offense corrected its red-zone offense by scoring five out of five times in the red-zone. The scoring was led by newcomer Chavis McCollister, who scored two touchdowns on nine catches for 136 yards. McCollister was awarded the Schutt Offensive Player of the Game award for his efforts. He also received the Cutters Catch of the Game for his one-handed touchdown grab late in the fourth quarter on a fourth down pass play. The Knights defense was led by ADT Defensive Player of the Game Courtney Young, who had one sack and one quarterback hurry. Matt Jackson was named the U.S. Army Ironman of the Game as he led the defensive backfield with 8.5 tackles and one interception return for a touchdown. Jackson also had two missed field goal returns for 74 yards, including one he returned 47 yards for a score. Macon saw steady play once again from James Hickenbotham and Chad Elliott. Hickenbotham recorded eight catches for 57 yards and one touchdown while Elliott completed 23-of-32 passes for 244 yards and three touchdowns. The Knights offensive line stepped up as well as the unit only allowed one sack to the best pass rush in the league. The Twisters had good play from OS Robert Kilow and QB Walter Church. Kilow caught eight passes for 84 yards and two touchdowns. Church completed 25-of-40 passes for 235 yards and four touchdowns. Macon improved to 4-6 with the win while Arkansas slipped to 6-4.

TULSA TALONS 59, Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz 58 (4,215)

TULSA, Okla. - Tulsa and Oklahoma City played the most memorable game of their sooner state af2 rivalry on Saturday night at the Tulsa Convention Center. The Talons prevailed, 59-58, on a Hail Mary touchdown catch by Don McGee as time expired. Talons OS Andre Forde had a career night in the win. He got things started early with three touchdown receptions in the 1st quarter. The Yard Dawgz countered with two scores in the first to enter the 2nd quarter down six, 20-14. Oklahoma City's first score came on an Al Hunt 17-yard touchdown catch. FB/LB Michael Tolbert scored on a 3-yard run for the last score of the quarter. The teams traded scores throughout the second quarter as Tulsa maintained its lead going into halftime, 40-35. Yard Dawgz QB Craig Strickland began the 3rd quarter by throwing two TD passes; one to Jarrail Jackson and one to Tacoma Fontaine. The two scores put the Yard Dawgz ahead, 49-40. Tulsa cut Oklahoma City's lead to three, 49-46, on another Forde scoring grab. The fourth quarter began with Yard Dawgz K A.J. Haglund connecting on a 43-yard field goal to increase the lead to six, 52-46. On the ensuing possession, Radlinski hit McGee in the end zone to put Tulsa back on top, 53-52. With just nine seconds remaining, the Yard Dawgz scored on a 4-yard pass from Strickland to Jackson that seemed to clinch the game with Oklahoma City ahead, 58-53. The Talons, however, still had time to respond. Nine seconds was enough to get off two short pass plays to set up the Hail Mary with just one second left. Forde earned Schutt Offensive Player of the Game honors with a game-high 14 catches for 135 yards and five touchdowns. McGee earned US Army Ironman of the Game with five catches, 56 yards and three touchdowns. He also recorded 88 kick return yards, four tackles and two pass breakups. Strickland led Oklahoma City with 326 yards passing and seven touchdowns. Both teams are now 7-3 and tied for the top spot in the Midwest Division. Oklahoma City owns the tiebreaker over Tulsa.

BIRMINGHAM STEELDOGS 42, South Georgia Wildcats 35 (5,803)

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Ryan Hawk completed 4-of-6 for 43 yards, including a game-winning, 23-yard touchdown to Allyn Sheffield as the Birmingham Steeldogs defeated South Georgia, 42-35, at the BJCC Arena. Hawk, relegated to a back-up role for the first time since the season began, came off the bench late in the fourth quarter to spark the Steeldogs rally. Birmingham, who had led by as many as 17 points in the second half, became mired in a disastrous series of events in the fourth quarter. After a Dan Burnett field goal, Steeldogs QB Robert Kent was sacked in the end zone for a safety, pulling the Wildcats to within five (34-29) early in the final period. Later, Wildcats QB Julian Reese fired an 18-yard scoring pass to OS Chris McKinney to put South Georgia on top, 35-34, with one minute to play. That's when Hawk led a two-play, 30-yard drive, culminating in the Sheffield touchdown reception to put Birmingham on top for good. The win evens the Steeldogs' record at 5-5. South Georgia falls to 1-9. Steve Sills, a first-time offensive specialist, earned Schutt Offensive Player of the Game Award honors for leading Birmingham with eight catches for 95 yards and a touchdown. Sheffield caught three passes for 34 yards, while collecting 4.5 tackles defensively. He was named the U.S. Army Ironman of the Game. His game-winning reception was voted the Cutter's Catch of the Game. Deon Deboise rounded out the Steeldogs' award sweep, taking home the ADT Defensive Player of the Game Award. His sack on South Georgia's final drive all but sealed the Steeldogs' fifth victory of the season. Kent started his first game at quarterback for the Steeldogs and finished 14-of-25 for 152 yards and three touchdowns. Reese was 24-of-38 for 210 yards and three scores for the Wildcats, while McKinney led all receivers with 13 catches for 110 yards and three touchdowns.

QUAD CITY STEAMWHEELERS 62, Manchester Wolves 59 (3,745)

MOLINE, Ill. - The Quad City Steamwheelers outlasted the Manchester Wolves, 62-59, stifling a last ditch effort by the Wolves with just five seconds remaining in the game. Manchester took the ball within 26 yards of the end zone on their final drive. Instead of opting for a game-tying field goal, though, the Wolves decided to throw for the win in regulation. The pass from Manchester QB D. Bryant to WR David Bailey was good for a first down, but Bailey was swarmed by four Steamwheeler defensive players, bringing the exciting game to an end. Bryant finished with 393 yards and seven touchdown passes. The Steamwheelers took the lead for the last time on the play of WR/DB Tim Dodge, who finished as both the Schutt Offensive Player of the Game and the U.S. Army Ironman of the game. Dodge ran the ball in for the Steamwheelers with 20 seconds remaining in the game. The Quad City Steamwheelers were led by Dodge, who rushed for a touchdown and paced the team with 143 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Dodge scored three of the first four Quad City touchdowns. With 11:04 left in the half Jeff Macrea was injured after he caught a pass near midfield and ran toward the sideboards and had his knee taken out by a Manchester player. Macrea had to be carted off the field and taken to a local hospital. The first half ended in a wild frenzy of plays with tempers flaring following a blocked field goal by OL/DL Kika Kalaululaau who went on to fill in for the injured Macrea through the rest of the game. The second half saw 10 lead changes between the two squads. OS Steve Gonzalez gave Manchester the lead heading into the fourth quarter, 39-35. Play came to an abrupt end as the third quarter wound down as Hicks, who finished the game with 186 yards and three touchdowns on 23 attempts, suffered a helmet-on-helmet collision on the final play of the quarter. He did not return to the game. With the game on the line, backup QB Matt Pike came in to finish the game for the Steamwheelers. Pike finished the game with 104 yards and two touchdowns. Troy Graham, who was playing with a broken hand, led the Quad City defense with 9.5 tackles.

Bakersfield Blitz 55, TENNESSEE VALLEY VIPERS 35 (3,748)

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - Bakersfield QB Bobby Pesavento threw for seven touchdowns to lead the Blitz to a 55-32 road win against the Tennessee Valley Vipers. The Blitz improved to 7-3 while the Vipers fell to 2-8. Pesavento completed 23-of-39 passes for 270 yards with no interceptions. He also had a 1-yard touchdown run. OS Rennard Reynolds had eight catches for 110 yards and five touchdowns while Eric Mahanke had seven catches for 93 yards and two touchdowns. Tennessee Valley QB Chris Gunn completed 10-of-18 passes for 112 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions. He also had a 2-yard touchdown run. Torrey Day and Ron Monteilh each caught a touchdown pass; and Keith Turner had a 5-yard touchdown run. The Vipers kept things close in the first half before Bakersfield pulled away in the third quarter. Leading 28-17 at halftime, Pesavento scored on a 1-yard sneak to put the Blitz up 35-17 at 6:25 in the third, capping a six-play, 45-yard drive. After a Vipers' turnover, Pesavento threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to Reynolds for a 42-17 lead. The Vipers answered with Gunn's 18-yard touchdown pass to Monteilh, but they trailed 42-24 after three quarters. Mahanke caught a 15-yarder from Pesavento to end a six-play, 47-yard drive; and Bakersfield led 48-24 early in the final quarter. Tennessee Valley climbed within 48-32 when Turner had a 5-yard touchdown run and Gunn passed to Day for two points. But the Blitz got another Pesavento-to-Reynolds touchdown pass, this time from 10 yards, for a 55-32 advantage. Reynolds was named the Schutt Offensive Player of the Game while Mahanke was named the U.S. Army Ironman of the Game. Jerry Turner (3 sacks) was named ADT Defensive Player of the Game.

Stockton Lightning 68, GREEN BAY BLIZZARD 62 OT (4,832)

GREEN BAY, Wisc. - Clyde Surrell returned an onside kick 44 yards for a game-winning touchdown in overtime as the Stockton Lightning (4-6) edged the Green Bay Blizzard (5-5), 68-62, at the Resch Center on Saturday night. The scoring flurry capped off a frenzied fourth quarter that featured a combined 17 points between both teams in the last 1:59, while the Lightning outscored Green Bay 12-6 in overtime. The Lightning jumped out to a 29-25 lead through halftime, courtesy of three scoring passes from Stockton QB Josh Blankenship. Both teams exchanged a touchdown and extra point each in the third quarter which allowed the Lightning to assume a 36-32 lead through three frames. The fourth quarter featured a combined 44 points between both teams, beginning with a 1-yard blast from Green Bay FB/LB Peter Lazare for a 39-36 Blizzard lead with 14:15 left. The Lightning answered with a 13-0 run on two Phil Goodman touchdown catches, helping Stockton assume a 49-39 lead. After Green Bay's Brent Holmes cashed in a 49-yard strike with 6:48 to go, the Lightning began the late scoring flurry with Goodman converting a two-yard touchdown lob from Blankenship, hiking Stockton's lead to 10. Gerald Harris helped the Blizzard retaliate with an 11-yard touchdown catch with 55 seconds remaining, followed by a 22-yard Dallas Pelz field goal as time expired to tie the game at 56-56, forcing the extra session. Lazare converted a two-yard run 10 seconds into overtime for a 62-56 Green Bay lead, followed by a botched point-after attempt by Pelz. Goodman answered with his fifth touchdown reception on a one-yard lob to tie the game, yet Green Bay stayed alive by blocking Lightning K Marc Hickok's point-after try. Hickok followed by squirting an onside kick to the left sideline, where Surrell pounced on the ball in mid-air and sprinted back the length of the field, giving the Lightning their first overtime win in franchise history. Blankenship completed 31-of-50 passes for 370 yards and a career-high tying eight touchdown passes, while Goodman lead Lightning receivers with 15 receptions, 178 receiving yards and five touchdown receptions (all career-highs). Holmes led Green Bay with nine catches for 184 yards and two touchdowns. QB James McPherson also enjoyed a tremendous outing, throwing for 386 yards and six touchdowns.

RIO GRANDE VALLEY DORADOS 49, Amarillo Dusters 45 (4,267)

HIDALGO, Texas - The Rio Grande Valley Dorados snapped a three-game losing streak with a 49-45 victory over the Amarillo Dusters Saturday night at Obra Homes Field at Dodge Arena. Chris Canty caught the game-winning 37-yard touchdown pass to clinch the win for the Dorados with 53 seconds to play. Amarillo led 35-14 with 10:15 remaining in the second quarter, but Rio Grande Valley would go on a 35-10 scoring run to finish the game. Dorados QB J.R. Davies played his best game since assuming the starting role, completing 27-of-37 passes for 248 yards and seven touchdowns. Dwight Counter led the Dorados with 10 receptions for 78 yards with two touchdowns to earn Schutt Offensive Player of the Game accolades. Mel Long also contributed with three scores. Travis McAlpine (7 catches, 61 yards) had the other touchdown reception and also had three tackles to earn US Army Ironman of the Game honors. Amarillo's Terrell Mingo was recognized as the ADT Defensive Player of the Game for his six tackles and two pass breakups. The win brought Rio Grande Valley's record up to 5-5. The Dusters slipped to 4-6 in defeat.

CENTRAL VALLEY COYOTES 54, Everett Hawks 48 (2,043)

FRESNO, Calif. - Central Valley had all it could handle from the Everett Hawks on Saturday night, but the Coyotes prevailed, 54-48, at Selland Arena. Coyotes WR/DB James Lewis was having a career night for receptions in the first half, but neither team really showed enough on either side of the ball to give them an edge as the first half ended in a tie at 27 all. A series of turnovers launched the third quarter with the Coyotes turning the ball over on downs, followed by back-to-back interceptions - one by each team. As they traded defensive jabs, Everett seemed to wear down the Coyotes as they took their first lead with slightly more than eight minutes left in the game, 48-47. The drive didn't take long as Hawks QB Brian Baker hooked up with WR/DB Milton Myers on a 28-yard touchdown on first down. Central Valley, however, would respond on its next possession. QB Scott Rislov scored on a 1-yard run to give the lead back to the Coyotes, 54-48. Central Valley's defense then came up with a big defensive stand to end Everett's hopes at securing its third straight win. Rislov had another strong showing for the Coyotes with seven touchdown passes and one rushing score. He collected honors as the Schutt Offensive Player of the Game. Wes Borba led the Central Valley receiving corps with three touchdowns on six catches for 64 yards. Lamonte Jones had two receiving scores while Lewis and Marvin Brown contributed with one apiece. Doug Langenfeld led the defense with 2.5 tackles and one sack. Central Valley improved to 6-4 with the win, while Everett fell to 2-8.



arenafootball2 Stories from June 13, 2006


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central