Post by marinersmedia on Jul 11, 2010 11:44:15 GMT -5
Undefeated Baltimore Earns East Conference Championship with 63-15 Win
BALTIMORE, MD (July 10, 2010) – In a city that has seen football championships in three outdoor football leagues the Baltimore Mariners (15-0) now have the opportunity to bring Charm City its first national indoor football title after the Mariners stomped the Harrisburg Stampede 63-15 to win the American Indoor Football Association (AIFA) Eastern Conference Championship. With the win they also guaranteed Baltimore will host AIFA Bowl IV, the indoor football league’s championship game.
The championship game, slated for July 25th at 4:00 PM at 1st Mariner Arena, will be the first professional football championship game held in Baltimore, since the Baltimore Colts, fresh off their win the previous season in “The Greatest Game Ever Played,” defeated the New York Giants 31-16 in the 1959 NFL Championship Game at Memorial Stadium.
To earn their place in Baltimore football lore the Mariners had to overcome several obstacles, but with a potent passing game, excellent special teams, and a dominating defense they were able to clinch the team’s first playoff victory and first conference championship.
The Mariners headed into the game minus starting linebacker/back-up running back Brian Bradford due to an injury, but with added depth this season, Mariners’ Head Coach Chris Simpson was able to move veteran defensive back Jermaine Thaxton to linebacker and Desmond Maul received the start at DB.
Harrisburg started off the scoring on the first play of the game with a uno on the opening kickoff by Stampede kicker Phil Marfuggi to give Harrisburg (12-4) the early 1-0 lead.
In the first four games of the Baltimore-Harrisburg series in 2009 and 2010 the average margin of victory was less then six points in all four contests. After the Stampede halted the Mariners on a third and six from the Harrisburg eight, and the Mariners were forced to go for an early field goal, it looked like this contest might end much the same. Mariners’ kicker J.R. Cipra booted the first of three field goals on the night to give Baltimore a 3-1 advantage.
On the ensuing kickoff Baltimore’s Adam Goloboski forced a fumble by Harrisburg’s Eugene Goodman, which was recovered by the Mariners’ Scorpio Brown for the score and an early Baltimore 10-1 lead with just over six minutes off the clock.
Harrisburg quickly fired back with an Aries Nelson to Keith Stokes 42-yard touchdown pass and following a missed extra point the Baltimore lead stood at 10-7.
On the next drive the Mariners’ Isaiah Grier, who led the AIFA in rushing yards (565), rushing touchdowns (30), and total touchdowns (37) this season was forced out of the game with an injury. With Grier and Bradford sidelined defensive back Richard Johnson, the Mariners’ leading career tackler, was forced into ironman duty at running back.
With Johnson in the backfield Baltimore quarterback E.J. Nemeth led the Mariners on their first touchdown drive of the night and topped it off with a toss to Aaron Yarbough for a 12-yard score. Following the Cipra extra point the first quarter of play ended with the Mariners leading 17-7.
On the opening drive of the second quarter Harrisburg assembled a short 4-play, 20-yard drive, but Marfuggi misconnected on a 38-yard field goal attempt and the ball was handed over to the Mariners. On the next play Nemeth connected for his second of five touchdowns on the night, hitting Jamaal Stokes on 40-yard TD strike.
Following a uno by Cipra on the subsequent kickoff Baltimore led 25-7 and suddenly it looked like this match-up of I-83 rivals may progress more like Baltimore’s 51-17 win over Harrisburg on May 2nd than the first four battles in the series.
With the Mariners up comfortably their ball-hawking defense, which had compiled a league-leading 44 interceptions, 57 takeaways, and an AIFA best +43 turnover ratio, took over to begin to seal the win for the Mariners.
After several completions by Nelson guided Harrisburg to the Baltimore 14, defensive back David Smith picked-off Nelson in the end zone for one of six takeaways on the night by the Mariners.
Nemeth then got to work on a five-play, 45-yard drive capped off by a Nemeth 3-yard run. Cipra again connected on the extra point/uno combo and Baltimore held a 33-7 lead with 2:00 remaining in the half.
A 15-yard run by Eugene Goodman and two Nelson to Kevin Marion completions drove the Stampede to the Baltimore 21. With efficient use of his timeouts by Coach Simpson and a fourth and one stop by the Mariners, Baltimore took over with 38 seconds to go. In just three plays Nemeth led Baltimore to another score on a 23-yard pass to Scorpio Brown. Harrisburg took possession, but on their second play from scrimmage Richard Johnson intercepted Nelson and a long return ran out the clock and the Mariners’ went to halftime with a commanding 40-7 lead.
Following an injury to Nelson on the final play of the half, Stampede receiver Silas Daniels took over passing duties. On his first toss Richard Johnson pulled in another interception and Baltimore took over again following a Harrisburg turnover.
After a rare drive, in which Nemeth had three straight incompletions, Cipra kicked a 55-yard field goal through the ten-foot wide indoor football uprights and Baltimore’s advantage expanded to 43-7.
On the next Harrisburg possession Daniels threw another interception, this time to the Mariners’ Armar Watson, the league’s leading interception man and Nemeth again went to work. Just two plays into the drive Nemeth hit Stokes for a 32-yard score and Baltimore was well on their way to the team’s first conference championship with a 50-7 lead.
Travis Johnson relieved Daniels at quarterback, but produced the same results as Johnson was intercepted by Desmond Maul on Harrisburg’s second play of the drive. In what had become a frustrating pattern for Harrisburg, Nemeth again made the most of the opportunity and finished another Baltimore drive with a four-yard touchdown toss to Richard Johnson; the Mariners now held a 57-7 advantage as the third period ended.
After a six-play drive to start the quarter Keith Stokes rushed for 14-yards and a touchdown to provide the Stampede its final points of the night and of the season; a season which saw the Pennsylvania club rebound from a 4-10 expansion season in 2009 to a second place 11-3 regular season finish and the team’s first playoff win in the first round of the 2010 playoffs.
Baltimore would close out the scoring on the night with a Cipra 38-yard field goal and another uno and the defense added a safety on a Jermaine Thaxton sack of Keith Stokes, one of four Harrisburg quarterbacks on the night.
With Grier out for most of the game Nemeth and the passing offense dominated Harrisburg. Nemeth completed 16 of 26 passes for 228 yards and five touchdown passes. Jamaal Stokes totaled 98 yards on four receptions and had two scores. Aaron Yarbough tallied eight catches, 95 yards, and a score, while Scorpio Brown added two receptions, including a touchdown. Johnson also had two receptions and a touchdown. Grier still led the Mariners with 18 rushing yards and Johnson had eight.
Johnson also dominated on the defensive side of the ball leading the Mariners’ with five tackles and two interceptions. Jermaine Thaxton totaled 3.5 tackles, one forced fumble and a sack for a safety. Davis Smith, Desmond Maul, and Armar Watson all pulled in interceptions and Daniel Orlebar contributed a sack.
Cipra, the AIFA’s leading scoring kicker during the regular season booted 19 points on the night, including three field goals.
With the win the Mariners ran their record to 15-0 and now have the opportunity to become the first team in league history to finish a season as undefeated champions. They can also bring another football championship to a city which has already earned NFL (Colts, Ravens), Canadian Football League (Baltimore Stallions), and United States Football League (Baltimore Stars) titles.
The Mariners will face either the Wyoming Cavalry (13-1) or the San Jose Wolves (9-5) in the national championship game which is scheduled for July 25th at 4:00 PM at 1st Mariner Arena.
- John Wolfe
For more information about the Baltimore Mariners go to www.baltimoremariners.com.
BALTIMORE, MD (July 10, 2010) – In a city that has seen football championships in three outdoor football leagues the Baltimore Mariners (15-0) now have the opportunity to bring Charm City its first national indoor football title after the Mariners stomped the Harrisburg Stampede 63-15 to win the American Indoor Football Association (AIFA) Eastern Conference Championship. With the win they also guaranteed Baltimore will host AIFA Bowl IV, the indoor football league’s championship game.
The championship game, slated for July 25th at 4:00 PM at 1st Mariner Arena, will be the first professional football championship game held in Baltimore, since the Baltimore Colts, fresh off their win the previous season in “The Greatest Game Ever Played,” defeated the New York Giants 31-16 in the 1959 NFL Championship Game at Memorial Stadium.
To earn their place in Baltimore football lore the Mariners had to overcome several obstacles, but with a potent passing game, excellent special teams, and a dominating defense they were able to clinch the team’s first playoff victory and first conference championship.
The Mariners headed into the game minus starting linebacker/back-up running back Brian Bradford due to an injury, but with added depth this season, Mariners’ Head Coach Chris Simpson was able to move veteran defensive back Jermaine Thaxton to linebacker and Desmond Maul received the start at DB.
Harrisburg started off the scoring on the first play of the game with a uno on the opening kickoff by Stampede kicker Phil Marfuggi to give Harrisburg (12-4) the early 1-0 lead.
In the first four games of the Baltimore-Harrisburg series in 2009 and 2010 the average margin of victory was less then six points in all four contests. After the Stampede halted the Mariners on a third and six from the Harrisburg eight, and the Mariners were forced to go for an early field goal, it looked like this contest might end much the same. Mariners’ kicker J.R. Cipra booted the first of three field goals on the night to give Baltimore a 3-1 advantage.
On the ensuing kickoff Baltimore’s Adam Goloboski forced a fumble by Harrisburg’s Eugene Goodman, which was recovered by the Mariners’ Scorpio Brown for the score and an early Baltimore 10-1 lead with just over six minutes off the clock.
Harrisburg quickly fired back with an Aries Nelson to Keith Stokes 42-yard touchdown pass and following a missed extra point the Baltimore lead stood at 10-7.
On the next drive the Mariners’ Isaiah Grier, who led the AIFA in rushing yards (565), rushing touchdowns (30), and total touchdowns (37) this season was forced out of the game with an injury. With Grier and Bradford sidelined defensive back Richard Johnson, the Mariners’ leading career tackler, was forced into ironman duty at running back.
With Johnson in the backfield Baltimore quarterback E.J. Nemeth led the Mariners on their first touchdown drive of the night and topped it off with a toss to Aaron Yarbough for a 12-yard score. Following the Cipra extra point the first quarter of play ended with the Mariners leading 17-7.
On the opening drive of the second quarter Harrisburg assembled a short 4-play, 20-yard drive, but Marfuggi misconnected on a 38-yard field goal attempt and the ball was handed over to the Mariners. On the next play Nemeth connected for his second of five touchdowns on the night, hitting Jamaal Stokes on 40-yard TD strike.
Following a uno by Cipra on the subsequent kickoff Baltimore led 25-7 and suddenly it looked like this match-up of I-83 rivals may progress more like Baltimore’s 51-17 win over Harrisburg on May 2nd than the first four battles in the series.
With the Mariners up comfortably their ball-hawking defense, which had compiled a league-leading 44 interceptions, 57 takeaways, and an AIFA best +43 turnover ratio, took over to begin to seal the win for the Mariners.
After several completions by Nelson guided Harrisburg to the Baltimore 14, defensive back David Smith picked-off Nelson in the end zone for one of six takeaways on the night by the Mariners.
Nemeth then got to work on a five-play, 45-yard drive capped off by a Nemeth 3-yard run. Cipra again connected on the extra point/uno combo and Baltimore held a 33-7 lead with 2:00 remaining in the half.
A 15-yard run by Eugene Goodman and two Nelson to Kevin Marion completions drove the Stampede to the Baltimore 21. With efficient use of his timeouts by Coach Simpson and a fourth and one stop by the Mariners, Baltimore took over with 38 seconds to go. In just three plays Nemeth led Baltimore to another score on a 23-yard pass to Scorpio Brown. Harrisburg took possession, but on their second play from scrimmage Richard Johnson intercepted Nelson and a long return ran out the clock and the Mariners’ went to halftime with a commanding 40-7 lead.
Following an injury to Nelson on the final play of the half, Stampede receiver Silas Daniels took over passing duties. On his first toss Richard Johnson pulled in another interception and Baltimore took over again following a Harrisburg turnover.
After a rare drive, in which Nemeth had three straight incompletions, Cipra kicked a 55-yard field goal through the ten-foot wide indoor football uprights and Baltimore’s advantage expanded to 43-7.
On the next Harrisburg possession Daniels threw another interception, this time to the Mariners’ Armar Watson, the league’s leading interception man and Nemeth again went to work. Just two plays into the drive Nemeth hit Stokes for a 32-yard score and Baltimore was well on their way to the team’s first conference championship with a 50-7 lead.
Travis Johnson relieved Daniels at quarterback, but produced the same results as Johnson was intercepted by Desmond Maul on Harrisburg’s second play of the drive. In what had become a frustrating pattern for Harrisburg, Nemeth again made the most of the opportunity and finished another Baltimore drive with a four-yard touchdown toss to Richard Johnson; the Mariners now held a 57-7 advantage as the third period ended.
After a six-play drive to start the quarter Keith Stokes rushed for 14-yards and a touchdown to provide the Stampede its final points of the night and of the season; a season which saw the Pennsylvania club rebound from a 4-10 expansion season in 2009 to a second place 11-3 regular season finish and the team’s first playoff win in the first round of the 2010 playoffs.
Baltimore would close out the scoring on the night with a Cipra 38-yard field goal and another uno and the defense added a safety on a Jermaine Thaxton sack of Keith Stokes, one of four Harrisburg quarterbacks on the night.
With Grier out for most of the game Nemeth and the passing offense dominated Harrisburg. Nemeth completed 16 of 26 passes for 228 yards and five touchdown passes. Jamaal Stokes totaled 98 yards on four receptions and had two scores. Aaron Yarbough tallied eight catches, 95 yards, and a score, while Scorpio Brown added two receptions, including a touchdown. Johnson also had two receptions and a touchdown. Grier still led the Mariners with 18 rushing yards and Johnson had eight.
Johnson also dominated on the defensive side of the ball leading the Mariners’ with five tackles and two interceptions. Jermaine Thaxton totaled 3.5 tackles, one forced fumble and a sack for a safety. Davis Smith, Desmond Maul, and Armar Watson all pulled in interceptions and Daniel Orlebar contributed a sack.
Cipra, the AIFA’s leading scoring kicker during the regular season booted 19 points on the night, including three field goals.
With the win the Mariners ran their record to 15-0 and now have the opportunity to become the first team in league history to finish a season as undefeated champions. They can also bring another football championship to a city which has already earned NFL (Colts, Ravens), Canadian Football League (Baltimore Stallions), and United States Football League (Baltimore Stars) titles.
The Mariners will face either the Wyoming Cavalry (13-1) or the San Jose Wolves (9-5) in the national championship game which is scheduled for July 25th at 4:00 PM at 1st Mariner Arena.
- John Wolfe
For more information about the Baltimore Mariners go to www.baltimoremariners.com.
We don't have a good track record in this game. 
