Soul Stumble, Survive SaberCat Slugfest
12 Apr 2008
There's more than one way to skin a cat or so the saying goes.
The Soul took what had to be one of the more unorthodox approaches Catur..errr... Saturday.
Playing like absolute crap on the way to getting shut out in the first quarter Soul LB Rod Davis whiffed on a goalline tackle attmept of San Jose FB Frank Carter. That miss gave the Sabercats a 13 nothing lead after Soul QB Matt D'Orazio tossed an interception on their first possession.
D'Orazio would come right back with another interception and Chris Jackson would add a facemask penalty on the tackle to give San Jose the ball on at the seven. One play later San Jose QB Mark Grieb found WR James Roe for the TD and a 20 point lead.
In the second quarter the Soul would get on the board thanks to touchdowns by Clifton Smith and Darius Watts. Sadly D'Orazio would lose a fumble and the Sabercats would add a few scores as well.
The score at the half, was San Jose 33 Philadelphia 14. It felt like the team was finally collapsing down to earth. Memories of the 2005 spanking by San Jose and their 19-5 record after a loss could only be dulled, not eliminated.
Halftime in the Soul locker room must have included one of Coach Munsey's more animated pep talks. A very different team took the field in the second half.
Mike Brown opened the third quarter with a 41 yard return. Larry Brackins scored on the next play. Sabercats score and Brackins scores again to make it 28-40.
Then the worm turned just a little more. Mike Brown picked off a rushed Grieb pass and three plays later the quarter ended and Chris Jackson would add a TD to start the fourth.
San Jose scored again and Mike Brown returned the ensuing kickoff 57 yards to make the score 42-47. Grieb under pressure the whole drive would bring the Sabercats to the Philly 18 before a blitzing Anthony Dunn forced an incompletion on third down. San Jose Uber kicker A.J. Haglund hit on his field goal attempt making the score 42-50.
One pass to Chris Jackson and a successful two point conversion pass to Larry Brackins would tie the game 50-50 with one minute left.
SaberCats WR Rodney Wright would score giving the lead back to San Jose with 49 seconds to play.
Mike Brown returned the kickoff to the 18 and then a false start on Martin Bibla pushed the Soul back to the 14. D'Orazio would then methodically work down the field with short out passes eating up the remaining time. D'Orazio rushed in from the 5 for the touchdown leaving ten seconds on the clock. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on San Jose would move the ball to the one for the point after attempt.
Time out Philadelphia. When the Soul lined up again D'Orazio was still on the sideline and Clifton Smith was in position for a direct snap. Time out San Jose. Whatever defensive adjustment Sabercat coach Darren Arbet made to counter the formation did not phase the Soul. Smith would plunge in from the one giving the Soul a 58-57 lead.
The Sabercat's drive stalled at their 17 and Philly stopped the clock with 2 seconds remaining. San Jose's kicker, perfect so far this season, lined up for a 48 yard attempt.
He missed by inches. Less than six of them.
The Soul dodged a bullet and remain undefeated. The Sabercats could not get the push they did the year before and Arbet was denied his 100th victory.
Next up is a trip to Ohio to face the 2-5 Columbus Destroyers.
