Posted on: Sunday, July 13, 2003

Islanders tumble to Tulsa, 48-47

Advertiser Staff

The Hawaiian Islanders came agonizingly close to ending the longest regular-season home winning streak in arenafootball2 last night, but a late stumble cost them against the Tulsa Talons.

Tulsa (11-3) scored the winning points on a 35-yard pass from Craig Strickland to Mitch Allner with 36 seconds remaining to rally past the Islanders, 48-47, and win its 26th consecutive regular-season game at the Tulsa Convention Center.

The Islanders (9-5) took a 47-35 lead on a 16-yard pass from backup quarterback Darnell Arceneaux to Darrick Branch with 8:55 remaining.

But Tulsa scored on an 8-yard pass from Strickland to Allner on its next possession to make it 47-42 with 4:16 left.

The Islanders' Kimo Naehu missed a long field-goal attempt on the ensuing possession to set up Tulsa's final drive, which took two plays and covered 45 yards.

Arceneaux threw an interception on the first play of the Islanders' final possession, which started at their 12.

"They didn't want to hear too much (after the game); they were really down," Islanders head coach Cal Lee said. "The coaching staff was proud of their effort and performance."

The Islanders outgained the Talons in total yards, 265-178.

"The defense played well thinking about the good field position they (the Talons) had all the time," Lee said.

Arceneaux, who missed the previous five games with a broken bone in his right hand, replaced Mike Tillis, who was injured after a long run on the Islanders' first possession.

"Mike got dinged on his head; he's fine," Lee said. "He could have come back, but we played Darnell the rest of the way."

Arceneaux finished 11 of 25 for 184 yards and five touchdowns.