DENVER-The San Jose Sabercats did something they couldn't do last season. That is, they defeated the Colorado Crush 23-22 in Week 8 of the AFL season.
The game began with Colorado going on a 6-play, 70-yard drive. Howton Thom finished it off with a 49-yard touchdown pass to Valentine Millstone to give the Crush a 7-0 lead with 12:04 to go in the first quarter. After a San Jose punt, Colorado got moving again with a 9-play, 40-yard drive. Earl Ginger ended the drive with a 48-yard field goal to make it 10-0 with 5:38 to go in the first. The Sabercats would punt, then Russ Bird picked off Thom and returned it 15 yards to the Crush 47-yard line. But Ethan Wycoff would miss a 51-yard field goal attempt early in the second quarter.
Colorado would punt on their next possession, then San Jose would drive 70 yards on 14 plays. Wycoff would connect on a 22-yard field goal to make it 10-3 with 6:17 to go in the second quarter. The Crush marched downfield on their next possession, but Ginger missed a 50-yard field goal. Curley Wentworth would intercept an Andre Stanfill pass and take it back 3 yards to the Sabercats' 44-yard line. After gaining 34 yards on 6 plays, Ginger kicked a 27-yard field goal with 32 seconds to go in the half to make it 13-3. Hack McDonald fumbled trying to run the clock out, and Wentworth fell on the ball at the San Jose 20-yard line. Ginger would then make a 37-yard field goal with 7 seconds remaining to give Colorado a 16-3 halftime lead.
The teams opened the second half trading punts, then Madison Gandy would sack Thom, and Mac Shockley recovered for the Sabercats at the Crush 19-yard line. After gaining three yards on three plays, Wycoff kicked a 33-yard field goal to make it 16-6 with 6:46 remaining in the third quarter. Colorado would answer with a 7-play, 46-yard drive. Ginger would kick a 37-yard field goal to make it 19-6 with 3:14 to go in the third. San Jose responded by going 53 yards on 3 plays. McDonald would score on a 12-yard touchdown run to make it 19-13 with 2:04 left in the third quarter.
The Crush's next drive went 54 yards on 12 plays. Ginger finished it off with a 36-yard field goal to make it 22-13 with 10:53 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Sabercats then drove 59 yards on 9 plays. Wycoff scored on a 29-yard field goal to make it 22-16 with 7:02 left in the fourth. Gregory Taylor picked off Thom on the first play of Colorado's next drive, and ran it back 37 yards to the Crush 37-yard line. Four plays later, Stanfill hit Festus Blanks for a 26-yard touchdown pass to give San Jose a 23-22 lead with 5:33 to go in the fourth quarter. The Crush had a chance to retake the lead at the 2-minute warning, but Bo Dicus intercepted Thom and returned it 30 yards to the Sabercats 31-yard line. San Jose punted, and Dicus would pick off Thom once again to finish the game off.
San Jose (4-4) gained 277 yards of total offense. The Sabercats ran for 70 yards on 27 carries. Alan Sale led the team with 28 yards on 10 carries. Stanfill was 18-of-35 passing for 221 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. He was sacked three times, losing 14 yards. Turk Costigan was the leading receiver with 4 catches for 15 yards. The Sabercats host the New York Dragons next week.
Colorado (5-3) gained 391 yards of total offense. The Crush ran for 170 yards on 36 carries. Millstone led the team with 63 yards on 13 carries. Thom was 18-of-30 passing for 240 yards, 1 TD and 4 INT. He was sacked twice, losing 19 yards. Tyler Howell led the receivers with 5 catches for 47 yards. The Crush host the Albany Firebirds next week.
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