Posted on: Sunday, April 21, 2002

Steamwheelers roll over Islanders, 69-39

Advertiser Staff

The Quad City Steamwheelers showed why they are the defending arenafootball2 champions last night against the Hawaiian Islanders at Moline, Ill.

Tony Zimmerman threw seven touchdown passes and rushed for two more as Quad City routed the Islanders, 69-39.

Quad City (3-0) has won 16 consecutive games dating to last season.

Zimmerman completed 25-of-36 passes for 298 yards.

Ira Gooch caught 10 passes for 127 yards and four touchdowns.

"Gooch is a good receiver," Islanders head coach Guy Benjamin said. "There are some great players in the league. The quality of Arena 2 is getting better every year and there are some good throwers and catchers out there."

Quad City scored touchdowns on its first seven possession with Zimmerman accounting for six through the air and one on the ground.

"We don't have a lot of great pass defenders so if there is a receiver with any amount of skills, that man can have a good game," Benjamin said.

The Islanders' Darnell Arceneaux completed 16-of-32 passes for 184 yards and three touchdowns, but he tossed three interceptions.

"I think we're a good physical football team that can match up with anyone but we're a young team and we made some mistakes tonight," said Benjamin, whose team fell to 1-2.

Phil Austin led the Islanders' defense with five solo tackles and one assist. William Lackey had four solo stops, two assists and an interception.

The Islanders' Darrell Jones had six kickoff returns for 153 yards.

HAWAI'I (1-2) 10  7 13  9—39

QUAD CITY (3-0) 28 19  9 13—69

First Quarter

QC—Tony Zimmerman 1 run (Brian Hegnauer kick)

HI—FG Jake Huggins 44

QC—Jeff Hewitt 13 pass from Zimmerman (Hegnauer kick)

HI—Robert Kemfort 39 pass from Darnell Arceneaux (Huggins kick)

QC—Ira Gooch 16 pass from Zimmerman (Hegnauer kick)

QC—Gooch 5 pass from Zimmerman (Hegnauer kick)

Second Quarter

QC—Chris Anthony 9 pass from Zimmerman (Hegnauer kick)

QC—Gooch 40 pass from Zimmerman (pass failed)

HI—Danny Katoa 1 run (Huggins kick)

QC—Gooch 6 pass from Zimmerman (kick failed)

Third Quarter

HI—Darrell Jones 3 pass from Arceneaux (Huggins kick)

HI—Isaac White 1 run (kick failed)

QC—FG Hegnauer 20

QC—Dan McMullen 7 interception return (kick failed)

Fourth Quarter

HI—Morrie Row 17 pass from Arceneaux (pass failed)

QC—Josh Fourdyce 13 pass from Zimmerman (Hegnauer kick)

HI—FG Huggins 43

QC—Zimmerman 3 run (kick failed)

RUSHING—Hawai'i: White 2-9, Katoa 2-5, Derek Zoller 1-0, Arceneaux 4-(-5). Quad City: Zimmerman 2-4, Fran Trentadue 1-4, Fourdyce 1-2.

PASSING—Hawai'i: Arceneaux 16-32-3—184, Chris Paogofie 0-1-0—0, Team 0-0-0—(-10). Quad City: Zimmerman 25-36-1—298.

RECEIVING—Hawai'i: Jones 6-43, White 4-43, Kemfort 2-46, Roe 2-29, Paogofie 1-13, Zoller 1-10. Quad City: Gooch 10-127, Anthony 8-85, Hiawatha Phifer 3-33, Hewitt 2-23, McMullen 1-17, Fourdyce 1-13.