Post by lionsroar on Apr 12, 2009 6:11:30 GMT -5
www.greenvilleonline.com/article/20090412/SPORTS/904120324/1002/SPORTS
Force toppled in seesaw finish
The South Carolina Force were one play away from earning the American Indoor Football Association franchise's first home victory on Saturday night.
However, the Force could not capitalize on a second chance and fell 63-59 to the Florence Phantoms before 2,241 fans at the Bi-Lo Center.
Force quarterback Andrew Webb led a six-play, 45-yard drive to give the Force a 59-56 lead with one minute to play. Seven seconds later, Florence reclaimed the lead, as quarterback Omar Jacobs connected on a 30-yard pass to Reggie Eubanks.
The Force drove to the 9-yard line during the next 39 seconds, but with 21 seconds left, Florence picked off Webb's fourth-down pass in the end zone.
However, the Phantoms gift-wrapped a second chance for the Force.
Three plays into the next drive, Jacobs fumbled the snap, and Force linebacker Titus Curry recovered the ball inside the 10-yard line with six-tenths of a second remaining.
But Webb's next pass fell at the feet of receiver Anthony Young.
The Force slipped to 1-3.
"This hurts," said Force running back Kelvin Session, who plunged in for the 1-yard touchdown that gave the Force the three-point lead with a minute remaining.
"I'd rather you blow me out than to sneak away with one," he said. "I'm torn. We have to take advantage of the opportunities. The offensive production has been picking up. The defense has been playing well. It's just penalties and mistakes that are killing us now."
Webb finished 19-for-43 for 312 yards with five touchdowns and two interceptions. He also rushed for a touchdown.
The Force's offensive efforts were aided by former Clemson University kicker Jad Dean, who scored 17 points. He converted five of seven extra points, went 3-for-4 on field goals with a long of 56 yards and also nailed three unos, a single point awarded in indoor football for splitting the uprights on a kickoff.
Dean had a few more unos lined up for the uprights, but they banged off the various fixtures hanging from the Bi-Lo Center ceiling.
Despite the loss, Dean said the Force is encouraged knowing they have not yet reached their ceiling. The Force has improved their point production each week, making a 41-point improvement from the last time the team played in the Bi-Lo Center.
"It's just takes time," Dean said, "just with it being a new franchise. I still think we should have won this game, but just to see the improvement each week is great. We've gotten better and better each week. It's just great to think about what can happen in the future."
:smileyforce:
Force toppled in seesaw finish
The South Carolina Force were one play away from earning the American Indoor Football Association franchise's first home victory on Saturday night.
However, the Force could not capitalize on a second chance and fell 63-59 to the Florence Phantoms before 2,241 fans at the Bi-Lo Center.
Force quarterback Andrew Webb led a six-play, 45-yard drive to give the Force a 59-56 lead with one minute to play. Seven seconds later, Florence reclaimed the lead, as quarterback Omar Jacobs connected on a 30-yard pass to Reggie Eubanks.
The Force drove to the 9-yard line during the next 39 seconds, but with 21 seconds left, Florence picked off Webb's fourth-down pass in the end zone.
However, the Phantoms gift-wrapped a second chance for the Force.
Three plays into the next drive, Jacobs fumbled the snap, and Force linebacker Titus Curry recovered the ball inside the 10-yard line with six-tenths of a second remaining.
But Webb's next pass fell at the feet of receiver Anthony Young.
The Force slipped to 1-3.
"This hurts," said Force running back Kelvin Session, who plunged in for the 1-yard touchdown that gave the Force the three-point lead with a minute remaining.
"I'd rather you blow me out than to sneak away with one," he said. "I'm torn. We have to take advantage of the opportunities. The offensive production has been picking up. The defense has been playing well. It's just penalties and mistakes that are killing us now."
Webb finished 19-for-43 for 312 yards with five touchdowns and two interceptions. He also rushed for a touchdown.
The Force's offensive efforts were aided by former Clemson University kicker Jad Dean, who scored 17 points. He converted five of seven extra points, went 3-for-4 on field goals with a long of 56 yards and also nailed three unos, a single point awarded in indoor football for splitting the uprights on a kickoff.
Dean had a few more unos lined up for the uprights, but they banged off the various fixtures hanging from the Bi-Lo Center ceiling.
Despite the loss, Dean said the Force is encouraged knowing they have not yet reached their ceiling. The Force has improved their point production each week, making a 41-point improvement from the last time the team played in the Bi-Lo Center.
"It's just takes time," Dean said, "just with it being a new franchise. I still think we should have won this game, but just to see the improvement each week is great. We've gotten better and better each week. It's just great to think about what can happen in the future."
:smileyforce:
