Islanders roll by Wichita
By Kyle Sakamoto
Advertiser Staff Writer
 |
| Kohei Satomi had two interceptions for the Islanders against the Wichita Stealth.
Richard Ambo • The Honolulu Advertiser arenafootball2 playoffs National Conference Yesterday Hawaiian Islanders 57, Wichita Stealth 30 Today Bakersfield Blitz (8-7-1) at Arkansas Twisters (9-7) Saturday Hawaiian Islanders (11-6) at Tulsa Talons (14-2) Bakersfield or Arkansas at Quad City Steamwheelers (14-2) American Conference Today No. 6 Mohegan Wolves (10-6) at No. 3 Cape Fear Wildcats (10-6) No. 5 Florida Firecats (10-6) at No. 4 Macon Knights (10-6) Next weekend Lower remaining seed will play at the No. 1 Tennessee Valley Vipers (14-2) Higher remaining seed will play at the No. 2 Albany Conquest (13-3) |
Wichita made things interesting early in the second half, but the Islanders pulled away for a 57-30 victory before 3,744 at Blaisdell Arena.
The Islanders (11-6) will play at the Tulsa Talons (13-3) Saturday in the National Conference semifinals. Wichita's season ends at 8-8-1.
Quarterback Darnell Arceneaux accounted for all of the Islanders' touchdowns last night, throwing for six and rushing for two. He completed 16 of 25 passes for 229 yards.
"He makes plays and that's what you look for in an athlete," Islanders head coach Cal Lee said. "There aren't many people who can do the things he does."
Nian Taylor and Anthony Arceneaux — Darnell's younger brother — each caught two touchdown passes, and Darrick Branch and Darrell Jones each caught one.
"You have to spread the ball around, and he did that," Lee said. "To Darnell's credit he took what they gave him, he hit the open man."
The Islanders scored touchdowns on five of their six first-half possessions and also scored on two safeties to take a 38-17 lead. The point total was the highest by the Islanders in a half this season.
The first safety came on the game's second play from scrimmage when Wichita quarterback Anthony Buich fumbled the snap from the 3-yard line and fell on the ball in the end zone.
"The first safety their nose guard yelled 'go,' which is illegal," Wichita head coach Sean Ponder said. "The center snapped the ball and the quarterback wasn't ready for the ball so it went right through his legs."
The Islanders capitalized following the kickoff by scoring on a five-play, 45-yard drive, culminated by Darnell Arceneaux's 24-yard pass on a slant pattern to Jones five minutes into the game.
The second safety occurred on a kickoff when Wichita's Shomari Buchanan took a huge hit at the 2 and fumbled the ball out of bounds in the end zone to put the Islanders up 18-3.
The Islanders took two plays to score on the ensuing possession. Darnell Arceneaux connected with Anthony Arceneaux, who was uncovered, on a 34-yard pass straight down the right side with 53 seconds left in the first quarter to make it 25-3. The point total was the most scored by the Islanders in a quarter this season.
The Islanders almost fumbled away the victory early in the second half.
On the first play from scrimmage Darnell Arceneaux completed a short pass to Anthony Arceneaux, who took a big hit and fumbled the ball, which was recovered by Wichita.
The Stealth took advantage by scoring on a 2-yard run by Brian Goolsby to cut the deficit to 38-24.
The Islanders' Eddie Klaneski fumbled the ensuing kickoff and kicker Jason Corse recovered the ball at the Islanders' 16.
Goolsby scored four plays later on a 3-yard run as the Stealth pulled to 38-30 with 10:09 left in the third quarter.
"We started the second half, fumbled the ball a couple of times and gave them a chance to come back," Lee said.
The Islanders recovered by scoring the final 19 points on two more Darnell Arceneaux touchdown passes and his 2-yard run.
The final score was set up when the Islanders' Isaac White recovered a kickoff that took an odd bounce off the goal post of the end zone rebound net.
Buich finished 17 of 34 for 223 yards and two touchdowns. After the final play of the game, he punted the ball off the speakers, which hang from the ceiling of the arena.
"The biggest thing in the whole game was the referees," Buich said. "That was the worst crew I've ever seen. I hope they never referee again."
The Islanders will be facing a familiar foe in the next round. They lost a heartbreaker at Tulsa, 48-47, on July 12. In that game the Islanders gave up 13 points over the final 4:16.
"I told the players forget about Tulsa right now," Lee said. "You win a playoff, you should enjoy it, don't think about anything else. Savor the victory and come Monday you can start thinking about Tulsa."
The winner of today's Bakersfield Blitz (8-7-1) at Arkansas Twisters (9-7) game will play at the Quad City Steamwheelers (14-2) in the other conference semifinal Saturday.
