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 Central Penn Piranha: 23 - South Jersey Lynx: 6 |
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Central Penn Piranha vs |
23 |
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South Jersey Lynx |
6 |
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Game Played 10/17/2009 7:00PM
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Piranha Swim to the East Final
Fans attending the Eastern Conference Semifinal between the Central Penn Piranha (12-0) and South Jersey Lynx (11-2) were expecting to see an 'Ark' in the stadium parking lot, with Noah there to greet them at the gate. Saturday (game day) marked the third consecutive day of hard, steady rain for the greater Harrisburg Area. Both teams embraced the adverse weather conditions, and were ready for an epic battle.
The Piranha used an effective ground attack (215 yards, 6.9 avg.) to garner three touchdowns and claim a 23-6 victory over the Lynx.
Unlike last week's Central Penn playoff game (9), this one had a minimal amount of turnovers (2), as each team lost a fumble. The game started with a bang for the Lynx, as Maurice Taylor returned the opening kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown. However, there was a holding penalty at the 38-yard line of the Piranha that enabled Taylor to get past the final defender. The Lynx still had momentum as they started their drive at the 48-yard line of the Piranha. Unfortunately for South Jersey, more penalties and a fumbled snap by the holder on a field goal attempt kept them off the scoreboard.
The Piranha set-up shop at their own 49-yard line, and pieced together a scoring drive that consumed 4:56 off the clock. Emne'ko Sweeney (9-42 yards, 2 TD) capped it with a 24-yard touchdown run. Andar Rehm added the extra point to give Central Penn an early 7-0 lead.
The only other scoring threat in the first half was late in the second quarter (0:08 remaining) when the Piranha failed to convert on fourth down deep in Lynx territory.
The Piranha began the second half with one of their patented 'Scoring Frenzies." Andar Rehm connected on a 35-yard field goal (10-0 Piranha). On their next possession, Emne'ko Sweeney capped a 53-yard scoring drive with a 1-yard run. The 2-point rush attempt failed, giving the Piranha a 16-0 lead. Just like that, the Piranha had made it a two-score game.
However, the Lynx showed why they're one of the top teams in the East. South Jersey converted on a fourth down play, when quarterback Marty Cross hooked-up with Luis Cortes on a nice 16-yard touchdown pass in the back corner of the end zone. The 2-point pass attempt was knocked down by Mike Baldwin, making the score 16-6.
Central Penn answered the South Jersey score with one of their own. Rookie fullback Nick McConnell raced 35 yards untouched for the game-clinching touchdown with 11 seconds left in the third quarter.
Staked to a commanding 17-point lead in the fourth quarter, the Piranha defense pinned their ears back and went after Marty Cross from every angle. The result was a total of 3 sacks in the final quarter. Leading the way for the Piranha defense during the game were defensive end David Carter (3 tackles, 1.5 sacks), linebacker Melik Brown (4 tackles, fumble recovery), and free safety Jermaine Thaxton (4 tackles).
Worthy of noting is that on three different plays during the game, Piranha defensive backs (Tyree McCants 2, Mike Baldwin 1) made touchdown-saving pass deflections.
Running back Roosevelt Turner led all rushers by gaining 91 yards on 18 carries (5.1 avg.).
Next up for the Central Penn Piranha is one of the most talented teams in the NAFL, the Glens Falls Green Jackets (12-0). The Piranha will host the Green Jackets in the Eastern Conference Championship on Saturday October 24th. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 PM at Memorial Park in Mechanicsburg, PA.
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