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Philadelphia holds off Sabercats for first Arena League crown
By Daniel Dullum July 27, 2008 |
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Philadelphia quarterback Matt D’Orazio tossed seven touchdown passes and ran for another, leading the Soul to a 59-56 victory over defending champion San Jose for the Arena Football League championship. D’Orazio was selected as most valuable player for Arena Bowl XXII, played at the New Orleans Arena. He threw for 302 yards, including 146 by wide receiver Chris Jackson. Jackson hauled in 11 passes from D’Orazio, three for touchdowns. San Jose was trying to become the first repeat champion in the AFL since Tampa Bay turned the trick in 1995-96. It was the Sabercats’ first loss in four Arena Bowl appearances. The Soul cashed in on all six of their first-half possessions and surged ahead to stay when they scored on their first three possessions of the second half. Philadelphia had built a 19-point lead in the fourth quarter, but the Sabercats put together a furious rally and closed the gap to three points with 45 seconds to play. Utilizing a pair of onside kick recoveries, San Jose scored two quick touchdowns in the final minutes. But on the Sabercats’ last onside attempt, Philadelphia linebacker Rod Davis recovered, and D’Orazio ran out the clock with three high-arcing passes into the stands. Earlier, Soul defensive back Eddie Moten’s first-half interception gave Philadelphia the first defensive stop in what was, to that point, a back-and-forth contest. The Soul went ahead in the second quarter, took a 37-27 halftime edge, and never trailed for the remainder of the game. Sabercats quarterback Mark Grieb threw for eight touchdowns and 299 yards, and wide receiver Rodney Wright hauled in 13 passes to set an Arena Bowl record. In a league that has many celebrity owners, the Soul are owned by rock star Jon Bon Jovi. |
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