Posted on: Sunday, June 22, 2003
Islanders hold off Riptide to win, 39-38
Advertiser Staff
| National West Division
W L PF PA Streak Hawaiian Islanders 9 3 559 544 W2 Wichita Stealth 8 4 566 537 W2 Bakersfield Blitz 5 7 514 519 L1 San Diego Riptide 4 8 535 568 L5 Yesterday's results Hawaiian Islanders 39, San Diego Riptide 38 Wichita Stealth 57, Arkansas Twisters 35 Tulsa Talons 62, Bakersfield Blitz 49 Islanders' Stats ISLANDERS (x-x) 14 6 6 13—39 RIPTIDE (x-x) 10 12 7 9—38 First Quarter SDG—FG Ryan Geisler 31 Haw—Josh White 4 run (Kimo Naehu kick) SDG—Lamont Webb 34 pass from Kane Claunch (Geisler kick) Haw—Nian Taylor 5 pass from Mike Tillis (Naehu kick) Second Quarter SDG—FG Geisler 26 SDG—FG Geisler 18 Haw—Taylor 8 pass from Tillis (kick failed) SDG—Dwight Carter 4 pass from Claunch (kick failed) Third Quarter Haw—J. White 1 run (pass failed) SDG—Webb 8 pass from Claunch (Geisler kick) Fourth Quarter SDG—FG Geisler 28 Haw—J. White 3 run (Naehu kick) SDG—Carter 20 pass from Claunch (pass failed) Haw—Anthony Arceneaux 9 pass from Tillis (run failed) RUSHING—Islanders, J. White 9-52, Tillis 2-5. Riptide, Webb 1-1, Claunch 2-1. PASSING—Islanders, Tillis 14-26-0—157. Riptide, Claunch 27-38-0—269. RECEIVING—Taylor 5-35, Darrick Branch 3-58, Isaac White 2-29, A. Arceneaux 2-21, Darrell Jones 1-10, Taulia Lave 1-4. Riptide, Carter 9-81, Webb 7-94, Eddie Miller 5-44, Ryan Smith 3-23, Altie Parker 2-27, Tiki Sagapolutele 1-0. |
A little bit of luck at the end of last night's arenafootball2 game against the host San Diego Riptide didn't hurt either.
The Islanders scored the winning points on a 9-yard pass from Mike Tillis to Anthony Arceneaux with 45 seconds remaining, and San Diego's Ryan Geisler missed a 33-yard field-goal attempt on the final play as the Islanders prevailed, 39-38.
The Islanders began their final possession at their 18 with a little more than a minute remaining, trailing 38-33. Tillis hit Isaac White for an 18-yard completion and a 5-yard offsides penalty moved the ball to the 9. Tillis hit Arceneaux in the end zone on the next play, but a two-point conversion run failed.
San Diego started its final drive at its 5 following a touchback. Kane Claunch completed two short passes followed by two incompletions. He completed a 19-yard pass to Lamont Webb at the Islanders' 18 with three seconds remaining.
Geisler, who made his previous four attempts, booted the ball wide left. The Islanders' Eddie Klaneski retrieved the ball as time expired.
"That's the way it happens sometimes," Islanders head coach Cal Lee said. "We missed a couple PATs and field goals. It's not easy anytime you line up for field goals because the goal posts are narrow. He makes it, we lose; he misses it, we win."
The Islanders (9-3) remained one game up on the Wichita Stealth (8-4) in the National West Division. Wichita won at the Arkansas Twisters, 57-35, earlier yesterday. San Diego (4-8) has dropped five in a row.
There were 11 lead changes last night. San Diego's largest lead was six points. The Islanders' biggest lead was four.
The Riptide had scored four touchdowns and four field goals on their first eight possessions last night, but couldn't come up with points when they needed them the most.
"It's to the credit of the team," Lee said. "I'm real fortunate in a sense these guys worked hard. If not for them we wouldn't be 9-3."
Islanders fullback/linebacker Josh "Zeus" White rushed nine times for 52 yards and three touchdowns. He also had six solo tackles, two sacks and two forced fumbles.
"He gave us that running game to keep them off-balance a little bit," Lee said. "(On defense), he put great pressure on the quarterback."
The Islanders will play the Quad City Steamwheelers (9-2) Saturday at Blaisdell Arena.
"We're going to enjoy this win," Lee said. "Tomorrow, we come back to Hawai'i, look at film and get the game plan ready."
NOTES: Last week, the Islanders rallied from a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat the defending af2 champion Peoria Pirates, 44-43. ... Last week, San Diego's Ryan Geisler missed a potential game-winning 36-yard field-goal attempt on the final play of a 54-53 loss to the Wichita Stealth.
