AFL Week 1 in review

Article by Linda Lane

April 1st saw the return of the AFL season in 2016, with each team having high hopes on doing whatever it takes to get their team to the championship and to get their rings.

Friday night saw 6 of 8 teams in play and play is what they did. With all 3 match ups being a blow out of sorts. We also saw a number of other high points as well. 

We saw the league open with their 3000th game, one WR get his 250th career TD and 1 team celebrating the beginning of their 25th anniversary.  All in all, all teams hope it will be their season to shine and bring home the big prize at the end of the season.

The Orlando Predators vs. Tampa Bay Storm game had a little bit of everything in it and it also marked Orlando's 25th anniversary in the league.

This face off is usually billed as "The War On Highway 4" with Orlando winning convincingly in a blow out with the score of 76-25 that had announcers saying it looked like Orlando was scoring 3000 points,  blowing the game wide open for Orlando by the 3rd quarter 55 - 19 and never looking back, finishing up 76- 25.

Orlando’s QB Randy Hippeard was 20 for 30 attempts, 214 yrds, and 6TD's.  WR Greg Carr had 4 TD's, 7 carries & 113 yrds. Defense saw Varmah Sonie get 8 tackles & 2 interceptions.

Tampa’s QB Kennedy, got 12 of 25 attempts,150yrds & 3 TD's. WR TT Toliver had 3 carries, 56 yrds, 2 TD's. WR Gerald Young, had 6 carries, 81 yrds, 1 TD.

In the next game, the Philadelphia Soul vs the Cleveland Gladiators, Soul got off to a quick lead in front of a reported 12,944 fans in Cleveland.

Coach Dolezel said "It was a great way to start of our season. We are Arena Bowl Bound or Bust and we will be looking to fix errors this week before our home opener with Jacksonville".

QB Dan Raudabaugh completed 21 of 33 passing for 233 yrds, 7 TD's.  WR Shaun Kauleinamoku had 3 TD's in 7 carries in 95 yrds. WR D.Reynolds had 8 catches & 3 TD's too.

Defense saw Tracy Belton have 8 tackles, D. Hollis had 1 tackle, 1 TD, & 2 interceptions & J. Goosby had 1 interception for 18 yrds.

Cleveland's QB went 19-35 196 yrds, 2 TD's & 4 Interceptions, in a final of 69-41.

In the Arizona Rattlers vs Portland Steel game, Portland the newly league formed team had many early problems including losing Nick Turesdal with what appears to be an ankle injury in the 1st quarter and was out the rest of the game. Arizona capitalized on many errors, Interceptions, and fumbles.  Southwick, the QB,for Portland, also appeared to get hurt, hurting his right arm (elbow) after being sacked in the 2nd quarter and displaying problems, rubbing the arm before the end of the 1st half and Arizona already having a good lead at the half, 46- 21. 

2nd half Southwick came back better but it was too little, too late with the game ending as biggest of all blowouts, 80-28 before a crowd of 6,782 fans. Southwick ended the night, 4 out of 15 attempts, 52yrds and 1TD.

Rattlers QB Nick Davila & WR Rod Winsor, never missed a beat with Winsor getting 7 carries, 84 yrds, & 4 TD's. Davila was 9 out of 10 drives, 10 out of 16 attempts, 245 yrds, 7 TD's.

DB Arkeith Brown & Kenny Reed both had interceptions & DL Damien Borel had a return fumble and followed it up with it with a TD.

Saturday night saw the remaining 2 teams, the Jacksonville Sharks come to visit the LA Kiss.

When playing any football game, it is very important to manage the clock properly. All too often games are decided by the last possession before the end of the 1st half and with that said, this was a perfect example of just that. This was a game which had both the LA Kiss and Jacksonville Sharks, trading score for score, it was nowhere near as easy as the final score would appear to be.

Everything was set up perfectly for the Sharks, right up to the last 37 seconds of the 1st half. With the game tied 27-27 and the ball on the 1 yard line, new Offensive Coordinator Ray Philyaw, told his team NOT TO SCORE and Derrick Ross appropriately fell down on the ball, forcing Kiss to use their time out.  When play resumed, Ross was given the ball again and in fairness to Ross he was hit in the back and shoved over the goal by Marcus Pittman, sending Ross into the end zone with 7 secs to go.  Kiss gets the ball and Nathan Stanley sends the ball down field on the 1st down and into the end zone to Brandon Collins, to even the score at the half.

Kiss came out 2nd half, scoring on the opening drive, to take the lead and never gave it back.

Tommy Grady who was great for 3 out of 4 Quarters saw only 1 of 7,2nd half pass attempts completed, 1 interception on the goal line, and the Sharks never regained the lead and looked as if things started to fall apart with the score of 40-39, and  by the end Kiss had won 64-39. 

Others scoring for Jacksonville were Joe Hills 9 catches for 151 yrds and 2 TD, Derrick Ross 9 carries 18 yrds 2TDs, DJ Stevens 9 carries 101 yrds.

LA Kiss's Nathan Stanley was 27 for 36 attempts, 283 yrds & 5 TD's. Donovan Morgan, scored his 1st of 3 TD's,making his 250th career TD & is the 8th all-time leader league's history & gave the TD Ball to Paul Stanley. Rory Nixon had 3 carries for 7 yrds & 2 TD's.