Post by marinersmedia on Mar 21, 2010 20:58:54 GMT -5
Baltimore Runs Record to 3-0 with Win over 2009 Playoff Team
BALTIMORE, MD (March 21, 2010) – With a punishing defense that collected six sacks and seven turnovers and held the Fayetteville Guard to only 69 yards of total offense, the Baltimore Mariners became the first team in American Indoor Football Association (AIFA) history to notch a shutout in defeating Fayetteville 59-0. Leading the way for the Mariners defense were Armar Watson with interception and kickoff returns for scores, Adam Goloboski who had 2.5 sacks, 2.5 tackles for a loss, and a safety, Brian Bradford who had two interceptions, and Richard Johnson who totaled three takeaways (two interceptions and one fumble recovery). On the offensive side of the ball, running back Isaiah Grier crossed the goal line with three rushing scores and also had one touchdown reception. “Overall this was our best effort of the season. Offense, defense and special teams all performed well. They were a good team; we came out and were ready to perform in all phases of the game,” said Mariners Head Coach Chris Simpson.
Just one minute and ten seconds into the game Mariners defensive back Armar Watson forced a fumble by Fayetteville’s Ty Pettergru and it was quickly recovered by fellow DB Richard Johnson. Baltimore then took over on its own 14. Quarterback E.J. Nemeth led the Mariners on a nine-play, 36-yard drive capped by a two-yard touchdown dash by Grier. Baltimore kicker J.R. Cipra added the extra point and a uno on the ensuing kickoff to spot Baltimore to an 8-0 lead at the 7:58 mark of the 1st quarter. After another Guard drive was ended by a Mariners takeaway, this time a seven-yard interception return by linebacker Brian Bradford, Nemeth hit wide receiver Scorpio Brown on a 23-yard scoring toss to run the margin to 15-0. A third straight Fayetteville drive was stopped by a Mariner interception, as Johnson reeled in a Nick Gildersleeve pass. The first quarter ended with Baltimore leading 15-0 and driving for another score.
Just ten seconds into the second quarter of play, Nemeth connected with Grier on a seven-yard scoring pass to increase the Mariners lead to 22-0. Fayetteville finally completed a driver without a turnover, but Guard kicker Rob Averitt missed a 31-yard field goal attempt and Baltimore took over possession at its own ten. The Guard held the Mariners offense for the first time, but Cipra booted a 54-yard field goal to move Baltimore’s edge to 25-0. Following another three and out Averitt missed again, this time from 55 yards, and Baltimore started their next drive at its own ten. Once gain provided the ball by his defense, Nemeth then negotiated a nine-play, 29-yard drive, but Cipra missed on a 36-yard field goal attempt. The first half of play ended with Fayetteville mid-drive and Coach Simpson’s club holding a 25-0 advantage.
The Mariners continued to punish the Guard special teams as Armar Watson took the second half kickoff back 48 yards for a touchdown and Baltimore’s margin grew to 32-0. On Fayetteville’s first down of the second half Richard Johnson nabbed his second interception of the night and third takeaway. Cipra then capped a six play drive with a 28-yard field goal. With Fayetteville taking over once again following a Mariners score, Baltimore halted another Guard drive and Johnson returned a missed 50-yard field goal attempt 19 yards to the Baltimore 17. Isaiah Grier finished off another extensive drive with a one-yard touchdown plunge to increase Baltimore’s lead to 42-0; the score at the end of the third period.
Fayetteville continued their drive to open the fourth quarter, but once again the Mariners ball hawking defense flustered the Fayetteville QB as Brian Bradford picked off Gildersleeve and returned the ball to the Guard two. On the very next play Grier waltzed in for another score and a 49-0 Mariners margin. The story remained the same on the next drive as Gildersleeve was forced to fumble by lineman Melik Brown and defensive back Jermaine Thaxton gobbled up the loose ball.
At the end of a three play drive, the Mariners finally committed their first turnover as Mariners back-up QB Matt Folke was intercepted by Fayetteville’s J.R. Hair. Fayetteville’s brief glimpse at fortune did not last long, as Watson picked off another Gildersleeve pass and returned it 17 yards for the score. Following the extra point and a uno on the kickoff by Cipra, Baltimore’s lead mounted to 57-0. With just one minute to go, Fayetteville brought in reserve quarterback Jordan Reisman, who was promptly treated to two Mariners sacks. The second, by Goloboski, resulted in a safety as he brought Reisman down in the end zone giving the Mariners the final 59-0 edge and the AIFA’s first shutout in the league’s four year history.
The list of standouts on the Mariners defensive team was long. Thaxton led all Mariners with four tackles and also added a fumble recovery. Brown totaled 2.5 tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks, and had 1 forced fumble. Goloboski compiled 2.5 sacks, 2.5 tackles for a loss, and recorded a safety. Fearon Wright harassed the Guard offense for two tackles for a loss, two sacks, and also forced a fumble. Watson (one), Bradford (two), and Johnson (two) all grabbed interceptions and Johnson recorded a fumble recovery.
On offense Nemeth completed 13 of 25 passes for 106 yards and two touchdown passes, while Aaron Yarbough led all receivers with seven receptions for 43 yards. In addition to his four touchdowns Grier had 37 yards rushing and seven yards receiving. On special teams, J.R. Cipra totaled 15 points with two field goals (54, 28), six PATs, and two unos.
The Mariners will look to run their record to 4-0 when they take on the Richmond Raiders at 1st Mariner Arena on Sunday, March 28th at 4:00 PM. Baltimore currently holds a half game lead over the Harrisburg Stampede (2-1).
For more information about the Baltimore Mariners go to www.baltimoremariners.com.
BALTIMORE, MD (March 21, 2010) – With a punishing defense that collected six sacks and seven turnovers and held the Fayetteville Guard to only 69 yards of total offense, the Baltimore Mariners became the first team in American Indoor Football Association (AIFA) history to notch a shutout in defeating Fayetteville 59-0. Leading the way for the Mariners defense were Armar Watson with interception and kickoff returns for scores, Adam Goloboski who had 2.5 sacks, 2.5 tackles for a loss, and a safety, Brian Bradford who had two interceptions, and Richard Johnson who totaled three takeaways (two interceptions and one fumble recovery). On the offensive side of the ball, running back Isaiah Grier crossed the goal line with three rushing scores and also had one touchdown reception. “Overall this was our best effort of the season. Offense, defense and special teams all performed well. They were a good team; we came out and were ready to perform in all phases of the game,” said Mariners Head Coach Chris Simpson.
Just one minute and ten seconds into the game Mariners defensive back Armar Watson forced a fumble by Fayetteville’s Ty Pettergru and it was quickly recovered by fellow DB Richard Johnson. Baltimore then took over on its own 14. Quarterback E.J. Nemeth led the Mariners on a nine-play, 36-yard drive capped by a two-yard touchdown dash by Grier. Baltimore kicker J.R. Cipra added the extra point and a uno on the ensuing kickoff to spot Baltimore to an 8-0 lead at the 7:58 mark of the 1st quarter. After another Guard drive was ended by a Mariners takeaway, this time a seven-yard interception return by linebacker Brian Bradford, Nemeth hit wide receiver Scorpio Brown on a 23-yard scoring toss to run the margin to 15-0. A third straight Fayetteville drive was stopped by a Mariner interception, as Johnson reeled in a Nick Gildersleeve pass. The first quarter ended with Baltimore leading 15-0 and driving for another score.
Just ten seconds into the second quarter of play, Nemeth connected with Grier on a seven-yard scoring pass to increase the Mariners lead to 22-0. Fayetteville finally completed a driver without a turnover, but Guard kicker Rob Averitt missed a 31-yard field goal attempt and Baltimore took over possession at its own ten. The Guard held the Mariners offense for the first time, but Cipra booted a 54-yard field goal to move Baltimore’s edge to 25-0. Following another three and out Averitt missed again, this time from 55 yards, and Baltimore started their next drive at its own ten. Once gain provided the ball by his defense, Nemeth then negotiated a nine-play, 29-yard drive, but Cipra missed on a 36-yard field goal attempt. The first half of play ended with Fayetteville mid-drive and Coach Simpson’s club holding a 25-0 advantage.
The Mariners continued to punish the Guard special teams as Armar Watson took the second half kickoff back 48 yards for a touchdown and Baltimore’s margin grew to 32-0. On Fayetteville’s first down of the second half Richard Johnson nabbed his second interception of the night and third takeaway. Cipra then capped a six play drive with a 28-yard field goal. With Fayetteville taking over once again following a Mariners score, Baltimore halted another Guard drive and Johnson returned a missed 50-yard field goal attempt 19 yards to the Baltimore 17. Isaiah Grier finished off another extensive drive with a one-yard touchdown plunge to increase Baltimore’s lead to 42-0; the score at the end of the third period.
Fayetteville continued their drive to open the fourth quarter, but once again the Mariners ball hawking defense flustered the Fayetteville QB as Brian Bradford picked off Gildersleeve and returned the ball to the Guard two. On the very next play Grier waltzed in for another score and a 49-0 Mariners margin. The story remained the same on the next drive as Gildersleeve was forced to fumble by lineman Melik Brown and defensive back Jermaine Thaxton gobbled up the loose ball.
At the end of a three play drive, the Mariners finally committed their first turnover as Mariners back-up QB Matt Folke was intercepted by Fayetteville’s J.R. Hair. Fayetteville’s brief glimpse at fortune did not last long, as Watson picked off another Gildersleeve pass and returned it 17 yards for the score. Following the extra point and a uno on the kickoff by Cipra, Baltimore’s lead mounted to 57-0. With just one minute to go, Fayetteville brought in reserve quarterback Jordan Reisman, who was promptly treated to two Mariners sacks. The second, by Goloboski, resulted in a safety as he brought Reisman down in the end zone giving the Mariners the final 59-0 edge and the AIFA’s first shutout in the league’s four year history.
The list of standouts on the Mariners defensive team was long. Thaxton led all Mariners with four tackles and also added a fumble recovery. Brown totaled 2.5 tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks, and had 1 forced fumble. Goloboski compiled 2.5 sacks, 2.5 tackles for a loss, and recorded a safety. Fearon Wright harassed the Guard offense for two tackles for a loss, two sacks, and also forced a fumble. Watson (one), Bradford (two), and Johnson (two) all grabbed interceptions and Johnson recorded a fumble recovery.
On offense Nemeth completed 13 of 25 passes for 106 yards and two touchdown passes, while Aaron Yarbough led all receivers with seven receptions for 43 yards. In addition to his four touchdowns Grier had 37 yards rushing and seven yards receiving. On special teams, J.R. Cipra totaled 15 points with two field goals (54, 28), six PATs, and two unos.
The Mariners will look to run their record to 4-0 when they take on the Richmond Raiders at 1st Mariner Arena on Sunday, March 28th at 4:00 PM. Baltimore currently holds a half game lead over the Harrisburg Stampede (2-1).
For more information about the Baltimore Mariners go to www.baltimoremariners.com.