Post by Banana Cat on Mar 19, 2011 7:24:52 GMT -5
fayobserver.com/articles/2011/03/19/1079841?sac=Sports
Force win inaugural game
Mar 19, 2011
By Sammy Batten / Staff writer
Preston Hines was ready to sacrifice a limb to ensure the Fayetteville Force's debut was a success Friday.
With seconds to play and the visiting Carolina Speed just three yards away from a winning touchdown, quarterback Antonio Miller saw an opening on third down and took off for the end zone.
But one yard into the run, he was met by Hines and Armar Watson.
"He wasn't getting past me,'' Hines said later. "In the last seconds with the game on the line ... He's got to break my leg to get past me.''
The big stop forced the Speed to attempt a desperation fourth-down pass on the next play. But Miller's throw was well high of its mark as time expired, giving the Force a 44-39 Southern Indoor Football League victory.
No official attendance or statistics were available after the game. But a crowd estimated at about 2,000 came to the Crown Coliseum to watch the latest arena football entry to call the city home.
The Force was created by NFL agent and New Jersey attorney Andrew Bondarowicz after the city's previous franchise, the Fayetteville Guard, folded after the 2010 season.
Fayetteville's defense produced interceptions on Carolina's first two offensive possessions - one each by linebacker Marcus Hicks and Watson. Those plays set up scoring runs of 6 and 1 yards by quarterback Lamar Little that gave the Force an early 14-0 margin. They would eventually increase that advantage to 38-13 midway through the third period when things began to unravel.
Carolina scored the next 26 points, thanks in part to miscues by the Force. Carolina took a 39-38 lead when Bruce Reinecker's kickoff split the goal posts for a single point.
"We kind of folded a bit and let them get back in the game,'' Force coach Marquette Smith said. "My hat's off to Carolina. They made the game super close, and we had to kind of dig into our back pocket and pull out the win.''
A 32-yard kick return by Fayetteville's Walter Ford set up the go-ahead points. Ford's play gave Fayetteville the ball on the Speed 17-yard line.
Running back Chris Johnson needed just two plays from there to reach the end zone, covering the final 12 on second down with 3:32 to play.
"I think we kind of surprised them by running the ball there,'' Johnson said. "The line did an awesome job blocking on that one.''
From there, it was up to the Fayetteville defense.
"We wanted to make a statement tonight,'' said Hines, a former Norfolk State player. "I think tonight was the start of something special here in Fayetteville.''
The Force will be idle next week before returning to action March 27 at the Crown against the Harrisburg Stampede.
Mar 19, 2011
By Sammy Batten / Staff writer
Preston Hines was ready to sacrifice a limb to ensure the Fayetteville Force's debut was a success Friday.
With seconds to play and the visiting Carolina Speed just three yards away from a winning touchdown, quarterback Antonio Miller saw an opening on third down and took off for the end zone.
But one yard into the run, he was met by Hines and Armar Watson.
"He wasn't getting past me,'' Hines said later. "In the last seconds with the game on the line ... He's got to break my leg to get past me.''
The big stop forced the Speed to attempt a desperation fourth-down pass on the next play. But Miller's throw was well high of its mark as time expired, giving the Force a 44-39 Southern Indoor Football League victory.
No official attendance or statistics were available after the game. But a crowd estimated at about 2,000 came to the Crown Coliseum to watch the latest arena football entry to call the city home.
The Force was created by NFL agent and New Jersey attorney Andrew Bondarowicz after the city's previous franchise, the Fayetteville Guard, folded after the 2010 season.
Fayetteville's defense produced interceptions on Carolina's first two offensive possessions - one each by linebacker Marcus Hicks and Watson. Those plays set up scoring runs of 6 and 1 yards by quarterback Lamar Little that gave the Force an early 14-0 margin. They would eventually increase that advantage to 38-13 midway through the third period when things began to unravel.
Carolina scored the next 26 points, thanks in part to miscues by the Force. Carolina took a 39-38 lead when Bruce Reinecker's kickoff split the goal posts for a single point.
"We kind of folded a bit and let them get back in the game,'' Force coach Marquette Smith said. "My hat's off to Carolina. They made the game super close, and we had to kind of dig into our back pocket and pull out the win.''
A 32-yard kick return by Fayetteville's Walter Ford set up the go-ahead points. Ford's play gave Fayetteville the ball on the Speed 17-yard line.
Running back Chris Johnson needed just two plays from there to reach the end zone, covering the final 12 on second down with 3:32 to play.
"I think we kind of surprised them by running the ball there,'' Johnson said. "The line did an awesome job blocking on that one.''
From there, it was up to the Fayetteville defense.
"We wanted to make a statement tonight,'' said Hines, a former Norfolk State player. "I think tonight was the start of something special here in Fayetteville.''
The Force will be idle next week before returning to action March 27 at the Crown against the Harrisburg Stampede.