Week Two Game Recaps
Published on April 29, 2002 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I) News Release
ORLANDO 49, Chicago 38 (Friday, April 26)
ORLANDO, Fla. (Ticker) -- JAY GRUDEN threw five TD passes to help the Orlando Predators down the Chicago Rush, 49-38.
Gruden went 22-for-28 for 243 yards and no interceptions for Orlando (1-1) one week after throwing for 331 yards and four scores in a loss. CLIFF DELL ran for a first-quarter TD and caught two third-quarter scores from Gruden. SIAHA BURLEY added nine catches for 76 yards and two more scores for the Predators, who got three field goals from DAVID COOL.
BILLY DICKEN was 15-for-35 for 145 yards and three scores for Chicago (1-1), a winner over Indiana last week. DAMEON PORTER caught five passes for 57 yards and a TD for the Rush, who held an opposing quarterback to under 250 yards passing for the 14th time in 19 overall contests.
Carolina 55, GEORGIA 54 (Friday, April 26)
ATLANTA, Ga. (Ticker) -- KEVIN GAINES intercepted the potential game-winning two-point conversion, trying to help the Carolina Cobras hold on for a 55-54 win over the Georgia Force.
Gaines picked off a KEVIN MCDOUGAL pass attempt with 30 seconds left after a JARRICK HILLERY two yard run pulled Georgia within one. The Carolina (1-1) special teams returned two kickoffs for TDs and the defense chipped in a sack, as well.
MARRIO GRIER ran for two TDs, CONNELL MAYNOR threw for three more and CORY FLEMING added six catches for the Cobras.
MARKEITH COOPER had eight catches for 122 yards and a TD, and he added a rushing TD in the first quarter for the Force. McDougal went 18-for-31 for 196 yards and was sacked once. TRAVIS REECE chipped in a pair of short fourth-quarter rushing TDs for Georgia (1-1), which scored 26 points in the fourth to rally from 13 down after three quarters.
San Jose 61, TAMPA BAY 54 (Saturday, April 27)
TAMPA, Fla. (Ticker) -- MARK GRIEB threw for seven TDs to power the San Jose Sabercats past the Tampa Bay Storm, 61-54.
Grieb, who passed former San Jose (2-0) quarterback TONY KIMBROUGH for the team record for most career completions (417) last week, went 17-for-24 for 334 yards, combining with three different receivers for TDs.
JAMES HUNDON caught six passes for 132 yards and two scores; BARRY WAGNER pulled in three TDs; and JERRY REESE caught two more for the Sabercats, who needed BOB MCMILLEN's 46-yard interception return for a TD with 30 seconds left in regulation to seal the win.
Rookie CLEVAN THOMAS tied an AFL record with a 58-yard kickoff return for a TD.
LAWRENCE SAMUELS caught 11 passes for 102 yards and two TDs for Tampa Bay, which doubled San Jose on time of possession (40:02 to 20:16) and first downs (23-11) but still dropped their second straight to start the season.
DERYL LANE rushed for a pair of TDs and SHANE STAFFORD, starting in place of injured quarterback JOHN KALEO, threw three scoring passes and ran for a fourth for the Storm.
Indiana 49, GRAND RAPIDS 43 (Saturday, April 27)
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (Ticker) -- RAYMOND PHILYAW threw for 290 yards and four TDs in a 49-43 victory as the Indiana Firebirds ended ArenaBowl Champ Grand Rapids' seven-game winning streak.
Philyaw, looking to overcome a three-interception performance in last week's loss to Chicago, came out firing with a nine and a 17-yard TD pass to Jay Jones in the first quarter.
EDDIE BROWN finished with nine receptions for 160 yards, rushed for 17 yards and scored twice and LEROY THOMPSON collected two rushing TDs for the Firebirds, who avenged their 83-70 playoff loss to the Rampage last season.
CLINT DOLEZEL completed 29-of-41 passes, with three TDs and three interceptions and TERRILL SHAW caught eight passes for 94 yards and three scores for Grand Rapids, which outscored Indiana, 14-0, in the fourth quarter but came up short.
ARIZONA 63, Los Angeles 59 (Saturday, April 27)
PHOENIX, Ariz. (Ticker) -- SHERDRICK BONNER capped-off an eight TD night with a two-yard scoring pass with two seconds left in regulation to lift the Arizona Rattlers past the Los Angeles Avengers, 63-59.
Bonner found HUNKIE COOPER in the end zone to erase a 59-56 deficit. Bonner, who went 25-for-32 for 344 yards, passed for seven TDs and ran for another just 11 seconds before halftime for a 35-28 lead for Arizona (1-1).
CHRIS HORN caught nine passes for 151 yards and two scores and RANDY GATEWOOD and ORSHAWANTE BRYANT had five catches apiece for the Rattlers.
TONY GRAZIANI was 16-for-34 with 329 passing yards and seven TDs for Los Angeles (1-1). CHAD DUKES added a third-quarter TD run and CHRIS JACKSON caught 11 passes for 242 yards and five scores, including two in the second and fourth quarters.
NEW YORK 69, Buffalo 54 (Sunday, April 28)
UNIONDALE, N.Y. (Ticker) -- MATT NAGY threw for 300 yards and seven TDs, including three in the fourth quarter, and MIKE FURREY and STEVE PAPIN caught eight passes apiece to lead the New York Dragons to a 69-54 victory over the Buffalo Destroyers.
Nagy, who went 27-for-37 through the air, connected with Papin on a 19-yard TD pass to open the scoring and then tossed an 11-yard pass to TODD DOXZON with 2:45 remaining in the first half to pull New York within four points at 31-27 entering the intermission.
Furrey got New York on the board in the second half with a 13-yard TD reception at 11:32 of the third quarter.
RODNEY FILER scampered for a 13-yard score to tie the score at 47-47, and Furrey caught back-to-back scores from Nagy. With 9:20 remaining, Furrey pulled down a seven-yard toss from Nagy to tie the score at 54-54, and with under three minutes to go he hauled in his third TD pass of the game, a 13-yard toss from Nagy that put New York up for good.
GEOFF TURNER capped the scoring with a 21-yard TD reception for the Dragons, who outscored Buffalo, 29-7, in the final period.
FRED MCNAIR was 26-for-46 for 326 yards and three TDs in the loss for the Destroyers, who fell to 1-1. LAMONT COOPER caught a team-high seven balls for 70 yards and a TD and EDDIE BROWN pulled down six passes for 133 yards in the defeat.
NEW JERSEY 45, Dallas 44 (Sunday April 28)
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (Ticker) -- JAY MCDONAGH threw six TDs, including the game-winning score within the final seven minutes of the contest, to lead the New Jersey Gladiators to a 45-44 victory over the Dallas Desperados in their home opener.
McDonagh tossed a 39-yard TD pass to GEORGE WILLIAMS less than five minutes into the fourth to move New Jersey (1-1) to within five points at 44-39, but failed on a two-point attempt when he fumbled. McDonagh then completed an 18-yard strike to ALVIN ASHLEY with 6:28 remaining in the contest to give the Gladiators its first lead since late in the second quarter. An incomplete pass on a two-point attempt stopped New Jersey from adding to its slim lead.
Overall, McDonagh finished 31-for-43 with 350 yards and MIKE HORACEK caught a game-high 10 passes for 83 yards and two TDs. DENNISON ROBINSON contributed seven catches for 76 yards, a TD and an interception for the Gladiators, who limited Dallas (1-1) to a season-low 228 yards of total offense.
ANDY KELLY finished 21-for-37 with five TDs and two interceptions for the Desperados. Kelly threw back-to-back TD strikes to ADRIAN LUNSFORD within the first 3:06 of the fourth to give Dallas a 44-31 advantage.
JAKE HOFFART finished with five catches for 93 yards and a score and DIALLEO BURKS added seven for 58 yards and a TD for the Desperados, who lost their only fumble of the game and was limited to just 23:43 minutes of possession.
THIS WEEK IN AFL HISTORY
April 29, 2000. Grand Rapids 39, Iowa 37. Rampage's BRIAN GOWINS hits four field goals, the last as time expires to give Grand Rapids a win over Iowa, marking the team's first-ever 3-0 start.
May 4, 1996. Arizona 61, San Jose 59. The Rattlers recover two onside kicks in the final minute and RICHARD ASHE returns a TONY KIMBROUGH interception 31 yards for a TD to lead Arizona to a win over the SaberCats.
May 5, 2001. With a 73-17 win over Oklahoma, San Jose set an AFL record with 15 consecutive regular season victories, surpassing the Storm's 14 straight wins in 1996.
Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from April 29, 2002
- Rampage Game Notes - Grand Rapids Rampage
- Cobras Game Notes - Carolina Cobras
- Week Two Game Recaps - AFL I
- Dragons upend Destroyers 69-54 - Buffalo Destroyers
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.
