Post by marinersmedia on Jun 27, 2010 13:27:38 GMT -5
Baltimore Finishes Regular Season 14-0, Boots Reading from Playoff Race
BALTIMORE, MD (June 27, 2010) – Elijah Price, played by Samuel L. Jackson in “Unbreakable,” said “In a comic, you know how you can tell who the arch-villain's going to be? He's the exact opposite of the hero.” Until this season, the roles of the Mariners and their nemesis, the Reading Express, have been pretty cleared defined. Reading wins the titles and Baltimore battles hard. That is until this season.
The Baltimore Mariners put the finishing touches on their perfect 14-0 regular season by defeating the Reading Express 69-35 at 1st Mariner Arena Saturday night and in the process staked their claim to the upper hand in their three season rivalry with the defending American Indoor Football Association (AIFA) champions.
In topping the Express the Mariners became the first team in AIFA history to complete a regular season undefeated. The Mariners win also knocked the Express (8-6) out of playoff contention and secured the third, and final, Eastern Conference playoff spot for the Erie Storm (8-6) who owns the tiebreaker over the Express.
The Mariners entered the game with nothing on the line other than history and the Express needed a win to lock-up their fifth straight playoff appearance. Reading grabbed an early 5-0 lead on a safety and Erik Rockhold 19-yard field goal. The Mariners took a quick 7-5 lead on a Nemeth one-yard run, but the Express quickly countered early in the second period with a Nate Romig 11-yard score from Rob Flowers to give Reading a 12-7 lead with 12:35 left in the half.
Nemeth then had his first two-TD binge of the game hitting Scorpio Brown on a 17-yard scoring connection. After three sacks on the next Reading drive (two by Adam Goloboski and one by Adam Foley and Melik Brown) the Mariners took over on their own 21. After an illegal defense call on Reading Nemeth threw his second touchdown of the night and 49th of the season finding Damon Harrison for a 31-yard score; following a J.R. Cipra uno Baltimore held a 22-12 lead.
The Express who had won four straight regular season titles, taken the league championship in 2009, and booted the Mariners from the playoffs last season trailed the Mariners by only 22-19 with one minute to go in the half following a Rob Flowers to Dan Kelly 14-yard TD pass.
Nemeth quickly put the Express surge at bay. Taking over on the Mariners’ 20 following the kickoff, Nemeth hit Scorpio Brown on a 36-yard scoring strike to boost the Mariners’ margin to 29-19 with 53 seconds to go in the half.
Just two plays later Mariners’ lineman Melik Brown intercepted a Flowers pass providing Baltimore the ball on the Reading 23. After a loss on the first play from scrimmage, Nemeth hit Jamaal Stokes for a 28-yard score to increase the Mariners lead to 36-19 with just three seconds to go in the half and the undefeated Mariners (14-0) never looked back.
Reading cut the margin to 36-27 following a second safety when Nemeth was forced to fall on a fumble in the end zone and a Flowers to Romig 23-yard score. Following a missed extra point by Rockhold the Mariners then went on a 33-8 binge the remainder of the game to wrap-up the historic 14-0 record.
Nemeth and Harrison connected once again, this time on a 19-yard score, and following an extra point and uno from Cipra the Mariners advantage stood at 44-27. After a quiet scoring night through most of the third period, AIFA-leading touchdown maker Isaiah Grier garnered his first score of the night and 28th rushing touchdown of the season, on a one-yard score, to provide the Mariners with a 51-27 lead.
After another defensive stop, just 1:30 into the fourth quarter Grier dashed in from three-yards out to boost the Baltimore edge to 58-27. Following a Cipra 37-yard field goal the Mariners hopes of finishing the season undefeated were well in hand.
Flowers did hit Dan Kelly on a 33-yard score to give the Express their final points of the night and of the 2010 season to cut the lead to 61-35, but Grier added his 30th rushing touchdown of the season and league-leading 37th TD of the season and following a Cipra extra point/uno combo the Mariners had reached the final margin of victory at 69-35.
Nemeth topped off his finest professional season with 12 of 22 passing for 196 yards and five scores. He finished the regular season with 2,333 passing yards and 52 touchdown passes against only ten interceptions.
Grier also completed his greatest pro season with three rushing touchdowns and 68 rushing yards. In the 2010 campaign Grier compiled league high marks in rushing touchdowns (30), total touchdowns (37), rushing yards (565) and points (222).
Scorpio Brown and Damon Harrison both had two touchdown receptions on the night and Jamaal Stokes had one. Brown finished the season with a Mariners’ record 22 receiving touchdowns. For the second straight season Stokes led the Mariners in receptions (65) and receiving yards (699).
On the defensive side of the ball linebacker Adam Goloboski had perhaps his best night as a Mariner leading the team with six tackles, three sacks, and three tackles for a loss. Defensive back Armar Watson also had 4.5 tackles, .5 tackles for a loss, and an interception. Melik Brown contributed 2.5 tackles, .5 sacks, and an interception. Daniel Orlebar (one) and Adam Foley (.5) also added sacks.
Defensive back/linebacker Jermaine Thaxton, a Mariners’ newcomer in 2010, led the team with 46.5 tackles. He also added six interceptions. A number of defenders completed the regular season with stellar stats. Armar Watson, the AIFA’s leading interception grabber last season leads the AIFA with 12 interceptions. Richard Johnson (seven) and Desmond Maul (six) also were among the league’s interception leaders.
A number of Mariners also racked up impressive sack numbers, led by Melik Brown who set a new Baltimore single season standard with 12.5. With his three sack burst in the regular season-finale Goloboski finished second on the team with 9.5 sacks. Rookie Daniel Orlebar also stacked up nine sacks and the Mariners all-time sack leader, Fearon Wright, finished the season with 7.5 sacks and now has 14 with Baltimore.
Cipra booted a remarkable 100 extra points this season, to lead his nearest challenger by 38, led the league in field goals (17) and also kicking points with 172.
The Mariners now have a well-deserved bye week and will watch as the Harrisburg Stampede (11-3) take on the Erie Storm (8-6) in Harrisburg this weekend. In the Western Conference the Wyoming Cavalry (12-1) and the San Jose Wolves (9-4) have already wrapped up the two Western Conference playoff spots, but with one week still remaining on the Western Conference regular season schedule, the Cavalry and San Jose will square off the second weekend in May for the AIFA Western Conference championship.
Following their bye, the Mariners will host either Harrisburg or Erie for the Eastern Conference Championship on July 10th at 7:00 PM at 1st Mariner Arena. Tickets are on sale through the 1st Mariner Arena Box Office, Ticketmaster outlets, and www.ticketmaster.com. Ticketmaster fees apply when using those purchasing options.
- John Wolfe
For more information about the Baltimore Mariners go to www.baltimoremariners.com.
BALTIMORE, MD (June 27, 2010) – Elijah Price, played by Samuel L. Jackson in “Unbreakable,” said “In a comic, you know how you can tell who the arch-villain's going to be? He's the exact opposite of the hero.” Until this season, the roles of the Mariners and their nemesis, the Reading Express, have been pretty cleared defined. Reading wins the titles and Baltimore battles hard. That is until this season.
The Baltimore Mariners put the finishing touches on their perfect 14-0 regular season by defeating the Reading Express 69-35 at 1st Mariner Arena Saturday night and in the process staked their claim to the upper hand in their three season rivalry with the defending American Indoor Football Association (AIFA) champions.
In topping the Express the Mariners became the first team in AIFA history to complete a regular season undefeated. The Mariners win also knocked the Express (8-6) out of playoff contention and secured the third, and final, Eastern Conference playoff spot for the Erie Storm (8-6) who owns the tiebreaker over the Express.
The Mariners entered the game with nothing on the line other than history and the Express needed a win to lock-up their fifth straight playoff appearance. Reading grabbed an early 5-0 lead on a safety and Erik Rockhold 19-yard field goal. The Mariners took a quick 7-5 lead on a Nemeth one-yard run, but the Express quickly countered early in the second period with a Nate Romig 11-yard score from Rob Flowers to give Reading a 12-7 lead with 12:35 left in the half.
Nemeth then had his first two-TD binge of the game hitting Scorpio Brown on a 17-yard scoring connection. After three sacks on the next Reading drive (two by Adam Goloboski and one by Adam Foley and Melik Brown) the Mariners took over on their own 21. After an illegal defense call on Reading Nemeth threw his second touchdown of the night and 49th of the season finding Damon Harrison for a 31-yard score; following a J.R. Cipra uno Baltimore held a 22-12 lead.
The Express who had won four straight regular season titles, taken the league championship in 2009, and booted the Mariners from the playoffs last season trailed the Mariners by only 22-19 with one minute to go in the half following a Rob Flowers to Dan Kelly 14-yard TD pass.
Nemeth quickly put the Express surge at bay. Taking over on the Mariners’ 20 following the kickoff, Nemeth hit Scorpio Brown on a 36-yard scoring strike to boost the Mariners’ margin to 29-19 with 53 seconds to go in the half.
Just two plays later Mariners’ lineman Melik Brown intercepted a Flowers pass providing Baltimore the ball on the Reading 23. After a loss on the first play from scrimmage, Nemeth hit Jamaal Stokes for a 28-yard score to increase the Mariners lead to 36-19 with just three seconds to go in the half and the undefeated Mariners (14-0) never looked back.
Reading cut the margin to 36-27 following a second safety when Nemeth was forced to fall on a fumble in the end zone and a Flowers to Romig 23-yard score. Following a missed extra point by Rockhold the Mariners then went on a 33-8 binge the remainder of the game to wrap-up the historic 14-0 record.
Nemeth and Harrison connected once again, this time on a 19-yard score, and following an extra point and uno from Cipra the Mariners advantage stood at 44-27. After a quiet scoring night through most of the third period, AIFA-leading touchdown maker Isaiah Grier garnered his first score of the night and 28th rushing touchdown of the season, on a one-yard score, to provide the Mariners with a 51-27 lead.
After another defensive stop, just 1:30 into the fourth quarter Grier dashed in from three-yards out to boost the Baltimore edge to 58-27. Following a Cipra 37-yard field goal the Mariners hopes of finishing the season undefeated were well in hand.
Flowers did hit Dan Kelly on a 33-yard score to give the Express their final points of the night and of the 2010 season to cut the lead to 61-35, but Grier added his 30th rushing touchdown of the season and league-leading 37th TD of the season and following a Cipra extra point/uno combo the Mariners had reached the final margin of victory at 69-35.
Nemeth topped off his finest professional season with 12 of 22 passing for 196 yards and five scores. He finished the regular season with 2,333 passing yards and 52 touchdown passes against only ten interceptions.
Grier also completed his greatest pro season with three rushing touchdowns and 68 rushing yards. In the 2010 campaign Grier compiled league high marks in rushing touchdowns (30), total touchdowns (37), rushing yards (565) and points (222).
Scorpio Brown and Damon Harrison both had two touchdown receptions on the night and Jamaal Stokes had one. Brown finished the season with a Mariners’ record 22 receiving touchdowns. For the second straight season Stokes led the Mariners in receptions (65) and receiving yards (699).
On the defensive side of the ball linebacker Adam Goloboski had perhaps his best night as a Mariner leading the team with six tackles, three sacks, and three tackles for a loss. Defensive back Armar Watson also had 4.5 tackles, .5 tackles for a loss, and an interception. Melik Brown contributed 2.5 tackles, .5 sacks, and an interception. Daniel Orlebar (one) and Adam Foley (.5) also added sacks.
Defensive back/linebacker Jermaine Thaxton, a Mariners’ newcomer in 2010, led the team with 46.5 tackles. He also added six interceptions. A number of defenders completed the regular season with stellar stats. Armar Watson, the AIFA’s leading interception grabber last season leads the AIFA with 12 interceptions. Richard Johnson (seven) and Desmond Maul (six) also were among the league’s interception leaders.
A number of Mariners also racked up impressive sack numbers, led by Melik Brown who set a new Baltimore single season standard with 12.5. With his three sack burst in the regular season-finale Goloboski finished second on the team with 9.5 sacks. Rookie Daniel Orlebar also stacked up nine sacks and the Mariners all-time sack leader, Fearon Wright, finished the season with 7.5 sacks and now has 14 with Baltimore.
Cipra booted a remarkable 100 extra points this season, to lead his nearest challenger by 38, led the league in field goals (17) and also kicking points with 172.
The Mariners now have a well-deserved bye week and will watch as the Harrisburg Stampede (11-3) take on the Erie Storm (8-6) in Harrisburg this weekend. In the Western Conference the Wyoming Cavalry (12-1) and the San Jose Wolves (9-4) have already wrapped up the two Western Conference playoff spots, but with one week still remaining on the Western Conference regular season schedule, the Cavalry and San Jose will square off the second weekend in May for the AIFA Western Conference championship.
Following their bye, the Mariners will host either Harrisburg or Erie for the Eastern Conference Championship on July 10th at 7:00 PM at 1st Mariner Arena. Tickets are on sale through the 1st Mariner Arena Box Office, Ticketmaster outlets, and www.ticketmaster.com. Ticketmaster fees apply when using those purchasing options.
- John Wolfe
For more information about the Baltimore Mariners go to www.baltimoremariners.com.
