af2 arenafootball2

Week 16 af2 game recaps

July 18, 2005 - arenafootball2 (af2) News Release


FRIDAY, JULY 15

ALBANY CONQUEST 88, Green Bay Blizzard 82 OT (Attendance: 5,796)

ALBANY, N.Y. - In a game that could only be described as wild, the Albany Conquest (4-10) defeated the Green Bay Blizzard (8-6) 88-82 at Pepsi Arena in the highest scoring game in Arena Football history. The contest featured four kickoff returns for touchdowns, two net recoveries for touchdowns and two interception returns for scores. Green Bay's Johnny Turman threw seven touchdown passes. His counterpart D Bryant tossed eight and ran for another. Jeremiah Pope caught 12 passes for 160 yards and five touchdowns for Albany. Albany's Vinny Cirrincione missed a 23-yard field goal wide left that could have won the game at the buzzer in the fourth quarter. In overtime, Ryan Bowers forced a fumble to give the Blizzard a chance to win. But Travis Coleman intercepted Turman's first pass and gave the possession back to Albany. One play later Bryant found Pope for a 40-yard touchdown to win the game.

BAKERSFIELD BLITZ 56, Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings 33 (Attendance: 4,829)

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - The Bakersfield Blitz (5-9) defeated the Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings (3-11) for the second time this season with a 56-33 victory at Rabobank Arena. Nick Onaindia had a true Ironman game. He scored a touchdown, blocked two kicks, recorded 2.5 sacks and forced three-safeties. Bakersfield's Jason Thomas completed 15-of-19 passes for 201 yards and five touchdowns with one interception. Thomas also rushed for 35 yards and one touchdown. Bossier-Shreveport's Brent Rawls threw for two touchdowns and rushed for two more. Bakersfield held a 38-21 lead at halftime. In the third quarter Bossier-Shreveport out scored Bakersfield 12-0. Bakersfield took control in the final quarter, shutting out the Battle Wings 18-0.

SATURDAY, JULY 16

FLORIDA FIRECATS 48, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers 47 OT (Attendance: 6,018)

ESTERO, Fla. - In overtime, the Florida Firecats (12-2) beat the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers (7-7) 48-47 at Germain Arena. Florida's Chris Wallace completed 24-of-31 passes for 282 yards and six touchdowns. He also rushed for one touchdown. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's Bryan Snyder threw for 276 yards and five touchdowns on 27-of-47 passing with no interceptions. David Davis connected on a 24-yard field goal with two seconds left in regulation to send the game in to the extra session. Cainon Lamb caught a six-yard touchdown pass for Florida's score in overtime. Ufuoma Pela caught a three-yard touchdown for the Pioneers' score. The Pioneers went for the win but Bryan Snyder's pass was incomplete on the two-point conversion try. In his return, J.R. Thomas caught nine passes for 105 yards and two touchdowns.

Birmingham Steeldogs 23, SOUTH GEORGIA WILDCATS 20 (Attendance: 6,283)

ALBANY, Ga. - The Birmingham Steeldogs (2-12) earned their first road win of the season in a 23-20 victory over the South Georgia Wildcats at the Albany Civic Center. With under a minute remaining Birmingham recovered an onside kick attempt by the Wildcats to take possession at the 12-yard line. On first down the Wildcats forced a fumble and took over at their 10-yard line. However on South Georgia's first play George Williams intercepted Brian Zbydniewski's deep pass to give the Steeldogs the possession and the game. For Birmingham, in Thomas Rick's first start completed 10-of-22 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns. For South Georgia, Antwone Savage caught eight passes for 133 yards and one touchdown. Birmingham kicker Alex Walls was three-of-four field goal attempts and both extra point tries, totaling 11 of Birmingham's 23 points.

TULSA TALONS 58, Rio Grande Valley Dorados 49 (Attendance 5,980)

TULSA, Okla. - The Tulsa Talons (10-4) took over first place in the West Division with a 85-49 win over the Rio Grande Valley Dorados (9-5) at the Tulsa Convention Center. A win next week and Tulsa would clinch the West Division. The Talons' Donovan Morgan caught ten passes for 125 yards and five touchdowns. His five scores gave him the league record for touchdown receptions in a season (46) and scoring (296). Passing Jack Walker Jr. and Shon King respectively. Morgan's quarterback Josh Blankenship threw seven touchdown passes and rushed for one score as well. Tulsa jumped out to a 27-0 lead but the Dorados fought back, getting within three at 44-41 in the fourth quarter. But the Talons held on for the win. The Dorados' Marquis Floyd caught ten passes for 158 yards and three touchdowns.

Macon Knights 48, ARKANSAS TWISTERS 44 (Attendance: 6,432)

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - The Macon Knights (7-7) clinched their fourth playoff berth in five seasons with a 48-44 victory over the Arkansas Twisters (3-11) at Alltel Arena. Lionel Hayes threw his seventh touchdown of the game to Chris Johnson to give the Knights the lead with just 12 seconds remaining in the contest. It was Johnson's third touchdown of the night. Arkansas' Robert Kilow caught 11 passes for 130 yards. Shakorr Bryant forced and recovered two fumbles and had one sack on the night. He also scored on an eight-yard run for the Twisters. The Macon Knights defense registered four sacks on the evening. Hosea Laney had a game high 9.5 tackles (8UA-3AT), a forced fumble and a sack. Matt Jackson caught a 44-yard touchdown pass, totaled 118 kick return yards and broke up one pass.

MEMPHIS XPLORERS 83, Manchester Wolves 26 (Attendance: 2,712)

SOUTHAVEN, Miss. - In a matchup of two of the top three teams on the af2 Coaches Poll, the Manchester Wolves (11-3) suffered their first road loss of the season, 83-26 to the Memphis Xplorers (11-3) at the DeSoto Civic Center. Memphis took control of the game, scoring the final 22 points of the first half. Brian Jones completed 15-of-22 passes for 194 yards and six touchdowns with no interceptions for the Xplorers. Kevin Prentiss caught seven passes for 103 yards and four touchdowns. Prentiss also returned two kickoffs for 97 yards. Terrell Adams rushed for two touchdowns and caught two touchdowns. Memphis' defense had a strong game. Khreem Smith forced three fumbles, recovered two fumbles (one for a touchdown) and recorded two sacks. Dahnel Singfield recovered a fumble, intercepted a pass and broke up nine passes. Marc Bacote for Manchester caught eight passes for 75 yards and one touchdown.

QUAD CITY STEAMWHEELERS 52, Amarillo Dusters 46 (Attendance: 6,468)

MOLINE. Ill. - The Quad City Steamwheelers (8-6) avenged a loss earlier in the season to the Amarillo Dusters (8-6) with a 52-46 win at The Mark of the Quad Cities. The 'Wheelers took control of the game late in the first half. Tim Dodge caught a nine-yard touchdown pass with 40 seconds left in the first half. Quad City forced an Amarillo field goal attempt from their endzone and Pat Hughes came through and blocked it and forced a safety. Tim Dodge then caught his second touchdown pass of the game on their first possession of the second half to put the 'Wheelers up 38-27. Amarillo's Chavis McCollister caught 12 passes for 213 yards and two touchdowns. Julian Reese rushed for two touchdowns and is one shy of the af2 record for rushing touchdowns in a season. Quad City's Travis Burns caught nine passes for 95 yards and two touchdowns. He also returned four kickoffs for 109 yards and one touchdown.

Louisville Fire 47, OLAHOMA CITY YARD DAWGZ 45 (Attendance: 7,633)

OKLAHOMA CITY - The Louisville Fire (9-5) took sole possession of the third seed in the American Conference with their 47-45 win over the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz (8-6) at the Ford Center. Louisville is still alive for the East division championship. The Fire fought back from a 24-7 deficit. The Yard Dawgz had a chance late in the game, but Dennis Fryzel intercepted a Craig Strickland pass at the Louisville two-yard line on a third and three for Oklahoma City. Matt Sauk completed 30-of-44 passes for 252 yards and seven touchdowns with one interception. Rob Mager returned after an injury to catch 17 passes for 122 yards and five touchdowns. Oklahoma City's Jarrail Jackson had eight receptions for 128 yards and three touchdowns. He also returned five kicks for 131 yards.

SAN DIEGO RIPTIDE 51, Central Valley Coyotes 50 (Attendance: 3,468)

SAN DIEGO - The San Diego Riptide (5-9) defeated the Central Valley Coyotes (7-7) for the second time this season 51-50, on a last second touchdown at the ipayOne Center. Kane Claunch found Steve Gonzalez from one-yard out with one-second left to give the Riptide the win. Gonzalez caught seven passes for 72 yards and five touchdowns on the night. He also returned five kickoffs for 127 yards and one touchdown. It was the fourth straight week Gonzalez had returned a kickoff for a touchdown. For Central Valley, George Williams caught 13 passes for 148 yards and four touchdowns. The loss, which puts Central Valley one game out in the playoff race, was a measure of revenge for the Riptide. Last season all the Riptide had to do was win their final game of the season, against the Coyotes, to qualify for the playoffs. The Coyotes defeated the Riptide and San Diego was left out.



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