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Albany 59, Orlando 48
Albany finally wins ArenaBowl
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) -- One of the Arena Football League's oldest franchises finally won a championship.
The Albany Firebirds, in their 10th season in the league, defeated the Orlando Predators 59-48 Saturday in the ArenaBowl.
The Firebirds, 11-3 during the regular season, attributed the victory to hard work and discipline.
"I studied my opponent and I did my homework and we won the ballgame," Firebirds offensive specialist Eddie Brown, the game's most valuable player, said.
Brown had 12 catches, including four of Mike Pawlawski's seven touchdown passes, for 185 yards.
"All year long, we worked and practiced," said Pawlawski, 27-of-41 for 347 yards, as he signed footballs for fans in a hallway after the game. "We had focus, probably more focus, then our opponents."
The teams combined for three touchdowns in the game's final minute.
With Albany leading 45-42, Brown caught a 5-yard touchdown pass from Pawlawski with 54 seconds left to put the Firebirds ahead by 10 points. Orlando stormed back 26 seconds later, as Connell Maynor, who had five touchdown passes, hooked up with Jack Jackson on a 39-yard TD pass to get within 52-48.
But the Firebirds iced the game with 10 seconds left, as Jon Krick caught a 6-yard pass for the game's final score.
The Firebirds took a 21-14 first-quarter lead as Brown, Krick and Van Johnson each had touchdowns. Orlando's Barry Wagner caught a 22-yard TD pass and Ty Law caught a 37-yard pass for a score.
Maynor connected with Wagner on a 22-yarder with 13:21 left in the second quarter to tie it 21-21.
Albany then took control as Greg Hopkins caught a 6-yard TD pass with 10:34 left. Brown caught a 29-yard pass with 3:59 left to make it 35-21. Don Silvestri's 18-yard field goal on the last play of the half made it 38-21.
In the third quarter, Orlando scored twice -- on TD receptions by Jack Jackson -- to get within 38-34.
Brown's 14-yard TD reception with 12:35 left in the fourth quarter made it 45-34. Orlando's Tommy Dorsey had a 4-yard run with 4:35 left, and Maynor ran it in for a two-point conversion to make it 45-42.
Summary
----------------- -- -- -- -- -----
Orlando Predators... 14 7 13 14 - 48
Albany Firebirds.... 21 17 0 21 - 59
Scoring Summary:
1st 13:18 ALB - Eddie BROWN 12 yd pass from Mike PAWLAWSKI (Don SILVESTRI
kick), 1 play, 12 yards, TOP 0:39, ORL 0 - ALB 7
11:38 ORL - Barry WAGNER 22 yd pass from Connell MAYNOR (David COOL
kick), 2 plays, 45 yards, TOP 1:40, ORL 7 - ALB 7
08:50 ALB - Jon KRICK 1 yd run (Don SILVESTRI kick), 3 plays, 45 yards,
TOP 2:48, ORL 7 - ALB 14
07:09 ORL - Ty LAW 37 yd pass from Connell MAYNOR (David COOL kick), 1
play, 45 yards, TOP 1:41, ORL 14 - ALB 14
02:14 ALB - Van JOHNSON 2 yd pass from Mike PAWLAWSKI (Don SILVESTRI
kick), 7 plays, 49 yards, TOP 4:55, ORL 14 - ALB 21
2nd 13:21 ORL - Barry WAGNER 22 yd pass from Connell MAYNOR (David COOL
kick), 6 plays, 40 yards, TOP 3:53, ORL 21 - ALB 21
10:34 ALB - Greg HOPKINS 6 yd pass from Mike PAWLAWSKI (Don SILVESTRI
kick), 3 plays, 30 yards, TOP 2:47, ORL 21 - ALB 28
03:59 ALB - Eddie BROWN 29 yd pass from Mike PAWLAWSKI (Don SILVESTRI
kick), 3 plays, 45 yards, TOP 1:41, ORL 21 - ALB 35
00:00 ALB - Don SILVESTRI 18 yd field goal, 7 plays, 0 yards, TOP 0:25,
ORL 21 - ALB 38
3rd 07:24 ORL - Jack JACKSON 33 yd pass from Connell MAYNOR (David COOL
kick), 4 plays, 47 yards, TOP 2:35, ORL 28 - ALB 38
02:00 ORL - Jack JACKSON 34 yd pass from Connell MAYNOR (David COOL kick
failed), 1 play, 39 yards, TOP 0:36, ORL 34 - ALB 38
4th 12:35 ALB - Eddie BROWN 14 yd pass from Mike PAWLAWSKI (Don SILVESTRI
kick), 4 plays, 43 yards, TOP 4:25, ORL 34 - ALB 45
04:35 ORL - Tommy DORSEY 4 yd run (Connell MAYNOR rush), 2 plays, 19
yards, TOP 0:54, ORL 42 - ALB 45
00:54 ALB - Eddie BROWN 5 yd pass from Mike PAWLAWSKI (Don SILVESTRI
kick), 4 plays, 45 yards, TOP 3:41, ORL 42 - ALB 52
00:26 ORL - Jack JACKSON 39 yd pass from Connell MAYNOR (David COOL kick
failed), 4 plays, 39 yards, TOP 0:28, ORL 48 - ALB 52
00:10 ALB - Jon KRICK 6 yd pass from Mike PAWLAWSKI (Don SILVESTRI
kick), 3 plays, 10 yards, TOP 0:16, ORL 48 - ALB 59
H ORL ALB
FIRST DOWNS................... 23 22
RUSHES-YARDS (NET)............ 13-66 9-34
PASSING YDS (NET)............. 308 338
Passes Att-Comp-Int........... 30-19-3 41-27-2
TOTAL OFFENSE PLAYS-YARDS..... 45-374 51-372
Fumble Returns-Yards.......... 0-0 0-0
Kickoff Returns-Yards......... 5-79 6-71
Interception Returns-Yards.... 2-2 3-21
Fumbles-Lost.................. 0-0 0-0
Penalties-Yards............... 8-36 9-42
Possession Time............... 26:27 33:33
Sacks By: Number-Yards........ 1-9 2-8
RUSHING: Orlando Predators-Rick HAMILTON 6-33; Connell MAYNOR 4-29; Tommy
DORSEY 1-4; Barry WAGNER 2-0. Albany Firebirds-Eddie BROWN 4-18; Leroy
THOMPSON 2-12; Jon KRICK 2-5; Mike PAWLAWSKI 1-minus 1.
PASSING: Orlando Predators-Connell MAYNOR 19-30-3-316; TEAM 0-0-0-minus 8.
Albany Firebirds-Mike PAWLAWSKI 27-41-2-347; TEAM 0-0-0-minus 9.
RECEIVING: Orlando Predators-Barry WAGNER 8-109; Brett COOPER 5-48; Jack
JACKSON 3-106; Ty LAW 3-53. Albany Firebirds-Eddie BROWN 12-185; Greg
HOPKINS 5-61; Van JOHNSON 4-30; Jay JONES 3-36; Tim BROWN 2-29; Jon KRICK
1-6.
INTERCEPTIONS: Orlando Predators-Barry WAGNER 1-2; Kenny MCENTYRE 1-0. Albany
Firebirds-HLAVACEK, Evan 1-19; Greg HOPKINS 1-2; Derek STINGLEY 1-0.
Attendance: 13652
Kickoff time: 3:14 End of Game: 6:01 Total elapsed time: 2:47
Officials: Referee: Dennis Lipski; Umpire: Paul Feverking;
Ironman of the Game: Barry Wagner
ALBANY WINS ARENABOWL XIII
SACKS (UA-A): Orlando Predators-Rich MCKENZIE 1-0. Albany Firebirds-JACOBS,
Joe 1-0; Jon KRICK 0-1; Tim BROWN 0-1.
TACKLES (UA-A): Orlando Predators-Kenny MCENTYRE 7-2; MASON, Damon 3-4;
B.J. COHEN 3-2; Brett COOPER 3-1; Barry WAGNER 1-3; Kevin GAINES 1-2;
Kevin GUY 1-1; Rick HAMILTON 1-0; Matt STORM 1-0; Jack JACKSON 1-0; LEE,
Reggie 1-0; Kevin JOHNSON 1-0; Connell MAYNOR 1-0; David COOL 0-1; LAW,
Ty 0-1; Tommy DORSEY 0-1; Rich MCKENZIE 0-1; William CARR 0-1. Albany
Firebirds-HLAVACEK, Evan 4-2; Greg HOPKINS 4-2; Jay JONES 3-1; STINGLEY,
Derek 1-3; Chris SNYDER 1-2; Jon KRICK 1-2; Van JOHNSON 2-0; THOMPSON,
Leroy 1-1; Tim BROWN 0-2; Joe JACOBS 0-2; Carl SACCO 0-2; John SIKORA
1-0; Don SILVESTRI 1-0; Mark VALVO 0-1.
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