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AFL I Arena Football League (1987-2008)

Week Seven Game Recaps

June 3, 2002 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I) News Release


ORLANDO 33, Carolina 30 (11,599)

ORLANDO, Fla. (Ticker) - NATHAN TROUT kicked the game-winning field goal as time expired to help the Orlando Predators slip past the Carolina Cobras, 33-30.

Trout, who had been 1-for-2 on extra-point attempts on the night, smacked a 23-yard field goal to give Orlando (3-4) its second straight victory. JAY GRUDEN finished 18-for-32 for 174 yards with three TDs and was intercepted twice. Gruden connected with ANDRE COOPER for two TDs.

Cooper, who earned game MVP honors, hauled in a 15-yard pass as time expired in the first half to pull the Predators within one. He then caught an 11 yard score to open the fourth quarter and supply Orlando with a 30-23 lead.

JOHN FITZGERALD, in his second start of the season, completed 25-of-38 passes for 223 yards and two TDs for Carolina (4-3). He escaped without throwing an interception against the league's top rated passing defense.

AARON BAILEY hauled in a game-high 11 catches for 133 yards and two scores for the Cobras, who failed to gain a three-game lead in the Southern Division with the loss.

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Tampa Bay 53, INDIANA 52 (10,023)

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (Ticker) - MIKE BLACK kicked the game-winning field goal as time expired to lift the Tampa Bay Storm over the Indiana Firebirds, 53-52.

Former Cincinnati Bengal COREY SAWYER intercepted RAYMOND PHILYAW late in the fourth quarter, which set up the game-winning drive for Tampa Bay (2-5). With three seconds remaining, Black connected on a 21-yard field goal to hand Indiana the loss.

SCOTT MILANOVICH completed 24-of-38 passes for 321 yards and five TDs. CALVIN SCHEXNAYDER hauled in eight catches for 100 yards and two TDs for the Storm, who snapped a two-game losing streak.

TERENCE DAVIS caught 10 passes for 189 yards and four TDs, earning game MVP honors for his performance for the Firebirds (3-4). Philyaw finished 15-for-25 with six TDs, but threw the late interception, which was the difference.

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Grand Rapids 71, ARIZONA 53 (13,716)

Phoenix, Ariz. (Team Reports) - CLINT DOLEZEL threw eight TD passes to lead the defending ArenaBowl champion Grand Rapids Rampage to a 71-53 victory over the Arizona Rattlers.

Dolezel completed 22-of-31 passes for 305 yards and no interceptions to earn game MVP honors for the first time this season. STEVE SMITH led all Rampage receivers with nine catches for 117 yards and four TDs. Game Ironman WILLIS MARSHALL had five receptions for 118 yards and a score, while veteran GARY COMPTON added six catches for 51 yards and three TDs on offense and an interception for Grand Rapids (5-2).

SHERDRICK BONNER completed 23-of-41 passes for 210 yards and six TDs (one interception) in Rattlers' loss, which snapped a five-game winning streak. CHRIS HORN pulled in 13 receptions for 126 yards and four TDs; he also returned ten kicks for 250 yards for Arizona (5-2).

CAREER MARKS: On a first-half pass from Bonner, Arizona's HUNKIE COOPER scored his 1,000th career point. Bonner, in his ninth AFL season, claimed the top spot on the AFL's career passing TD list with 419. Close behind is Dallas Desperados QB ANDY KELLY (417).

Dolezel edged TODD HAMMEL (353), who is also on Grand Rapids roster, for the fourth spot among the career TD passers with 355.

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San Jose 63, BUFFALO 35 (6,714)

BUFFALO, N.Y. (Ticker) -- MARK GRIEB threw seven TDs to help the San Jose Sabercats remain the only undefeated team in the league with a 63-35 win at Buffalo.

Grieb completed 25-of-35 passes for 338 yards and found four different receivers for scores to earn game MVP honors for San Jose (7-0). The UC-Davis product posted an early 7-0 lead with a 12-yard strike to JERRY REESE in the first quarter. Reese connected with Grieb two more times to finish with 8 catches for 111 yards for the Sabercats, who have led after the first quarter in every game this season.

SHALON BAKER caught a 13-yard TD pass to end the third stanza with a 42-21 lead for San Jose. He then recorded his first career rushing TD on a three-yard run in the fourth and on the next possession for Buffalo (3-4), intercepted a JEFF LOOTS pass for a 23-yard score.

Loots, who got the starting nod in place of an injured FRED McNAIR (hamstring), finished 23-for-38 for 271 yards with two TDs and was intercepted twice. BRET COOPER hauled in six catches for 76 yards and a score and LAMONT COOPER extended his TD streak to 16 games with a one-yard run to open the fourth quarter.

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Toronto 63, NEW YORK 38 (9,734)

UNIONDALE, N.Y. (Ticker) -- CHAD SALISBURY threw for 310 yards and four TDs to lead the Toronto Phantoms to a 63-38 rout of the New York Dragons.

Salisbury completed 25-of-32 passes and connected with LUKE LEVERSON for two fourth-quarter TDs for Toronto (4-3), which posted 21-points in the second and fourth quarters. Leverson earned Ironman honors for the second straight week, finishing with seven catches for 102 yards.

ANTHONY HICKS led the ground attack with six rushes for 20 yards and two TDs and PHIL GLOVER and JERMAINE YOUNGER each had a rushing score for the Phantoms, who snapped a two-game losing streak.

In his AFL debut, DANNY KANELL finished 21-for-41 for 217 yards, five TDs and four interceptions for New York (2-5). MIKE FURREY caught three TD passes and STEVE PAPIN recorded a team-high eight catches for 89 yards and a score for New York.

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Georgia 49, DETROIT 34 (5,498)

DETROIT, Mich. (Ticker) -- DONNIE DAVIS threw for 204 yards and a pair of TDs to help the Georgia Force outlast the Detroit Fury, 49-34.

Davis, who was sacked four times in the game, completed 22-of-33 passes, found JARRICK HILLERY seven times for 66 yards and a score and hooked up with TYRONNE JONES for three catches and a TD. TRAVIS REECE racked up 21 yards and a TD on six rushes for Georgia (2-5), which snapped a five-game losing skid.

CHARLES PULERI replaced starter DREW MILLER early in the first quarter for the Fury and converted 16-of-35 passes for 266 yards and three scores. He connected with TY GROVESTEEN six times for 117 yards and two TDs for Detroit (1-6), which suffered its fourth consecutive loss.

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Dallas 62, LOS ANGELES 55 (12,309)

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (Ticker) -- PATRISE ALEXANDER rushed for a six-yard TD with 48 seconds left to help the expansion Dallas Desperados produce a 24-point fourth quarter and edge the Los Angeles Avengers, 62-55.

Alexander rushed in a score from two yards out to open the second quarter and began the fourth with a three-yard rushing TD before his late-game heroics for Dallas (3-4).

ANDY KELLY completed 21-of-36 passes for 275 yards and four TDs. He found ANDY MCCULLOUGH five times for 89 yards and three TDs for the Desperados.

TONY GRAZIANI threw 20 passes for 275 yards and seven TDs, including a 14-yard strike to GREG HOPKINS to knot the score at 55-55 for Los Angeles (3-4) with 56 seconds remaining in the game. Hopkins finished with eight catches for 98 yards and four scores for the Avengers, who dropped their first home game this season.

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CHICAGO 44, New Jersey 14 (7,094)

ROSEMONT, Ill. (Ticker) -- BILLY DICKEN threw four TDs and the Chicago Rush defense forced four turnovers to help defeat the New Jersey Gladiators, 44-14.

Dicken completed 19-of-32 passes for 224 yards for Chicago (4-3), which won its sixth straight game at Allstate Arena dating back to last season. The Rush defense forced turnovers on the first three New Jersey (4-3) possessions. DAMEON PORTER intercepted a JAY MCDONAGH pass in the first quarter, and CORNELIUS BONNER recovered a fumble late in the opening stanza. Both turnovers lead to scores for the Rush.

Rookie ANTONIO CHATMAN caught a game-high 10 catches for 141 yards and a TD. With his performance, Chatman became only the second player in Chicago history to top the 1,000-yard mark in a season (JOE DOUGLASS, 2001).

McDonagh finished 17-for-26 with 164 yards and one TD for the Gladiators; SEDRICK ROBINSON hauled in eight catches for 93 yards and one score.

Despite boasting the league's top-rated defense heading into the game, New Jersey was held to a league season-low 14 points. Chicago's defense posted three shutout quarters, marking the first time this season they held an opponent scoreless in a stanza.

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THIS WEEK IN AFL HISTORY

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June 3, 2000: Tampa Bay head coach TIM MARCUM becomes first coach to win 100 regular season games as the Storm defeat the Bobcats. During the game, the Storm's JAMES BOWDEN shatters his own team-record with 345 all-purpose yards.

June 4, 1991: The Columbus Thunderbolts sign MAJOR HARRIS, former West Virgina QB and Heisman trophy candidate in both 1988 and 1989.

June 4, 1992: In Orlando's 58-47 win at Sacramento, the Predators' BARRY WAGNER scores two TDs in less than four seconds, the fastest two scores by one man in pro football history. With 24.7 left in the game, he catches a 32-yard TD pass from BEN BENNETT for the winning score. On the ensuing kickoff, and 20.8 seconds remaining, Wagner recovered a loose ball and scored on an 11-yard run, putting the game out of reach.

June 6, 1992: New Orleans Night GREG FREEMAN becomes the only AFL QB since WHIT TAYLOR (Denver) in 1987 to pass for more than 350 yards in one game. Freeman connected on 351 yards and six TDs in the Night's 64-60 loss to Tampa Bay.

June 6, 1998: Milwaukee Mustangs QB TODD HAMMEL surpasses JAY GRUDEN as the league's all-time leader in yardage with 325 against the Portland Forest Dragons.

June 7, 1991: The evening's six TD, 36-point performance by Detroit OS GEORGE LAFRANCE ties a league record set in 1987 by RUSSELL HAIRSTON. The Drive defeated the Orlando Predators 56-27.

June 7, 1997: Tampa Bay's LES BARLEY became the league's all-time leading rushing with 23 yards against Albany. He moved ahead of MAJOR HARRIS.

June 8, 2000: Iowa's AARON GARCIA surpasses the 15,000-yard mark for his career, becoming the seventh player in league annals to do so, against Houston.

June 9, 2000: In San Jose's win over New England, SAM HERNANDEZ becomes the league's all-time career sack leader with 44.5, surpassing SYLVESTER BEMBERY.

June 9, 2000: San Jose 85, New England 76. The SaberCats and Sea Wolves combine to score 161 points, the most in history. In that game, New England rookie ANTHONY DERRICKS re-writes the record book with 11 kickoff returns for 336 yards and four TDs.

June 10, 2000: Arizona's HUNKIE COOPER returns his 17th career kick return for a score, a league record at Los Angeles ("The Hunk" also scored the game winning TD on a kick return as the buzzer sounded).

June 10, 2001: In a game against Orlando, Tampa Bay's JAMES BOWDEN logged his fifth game of 300 or more all-purpose yards, the most in league history for a career.

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