Written by Bob Mora
Orlando - The Portland Steel visited the Orlando Predators and made a game out of it, after losing by 52 points last week and Orlando winning by 51, on paper this game should not have been close. Instead, it ended up in traditional Arena Football fashion with the team having last possession and scoring would win. After Saturday’s match up, Orlando is now 2-0 with a 53-50 victory over Portland, who falls to 0-2 just two weeks into the season.
Orlando struck first, scoring on a 26-yard Randy Hippeard to LaMark Brown pass which moments after the Steel answered with a Bryson Kelly 1 yard rushing touchdown, making it 6-6 early on in the 1st. with the kickers missing each of their respective extra point attempts.
On the Preds next possession, Hippeard found Brandon Thompkins in the end zone for a 26-yard score, Mark Lewis connected on the extra point making it 13-6 at the end of the first quarter.
Portland marched 45 yards down the field in 11 plays, capping off their drive with a Southwick pass to Jabin Sambrano, whom was made a difficult reception in the end zone to tie the game at 13 halfway through the second quarter.
Hippeard again drove the Predators down the field, this time 47-Yards on 11 plays finding Thompkins this time from the 7-yard line to give Orlando a 20-13 lead with 31 seconds left in the half.
However, Portland was not finished with their first half scoring. In fact, Southwick led the Steel to midfield where Kicker Ernesto Lacayo put a 26 yard field goal through to end the half with the score 20-16 with Orlando on top. The field goal would have been from a further distance, but the Preds were called for an unsportsmanlike call when HC Rob Keefe called one too many timeouts.
Portland started the third quarter with possession, and wasting no time, drove down the field to take their first lead of the night as Southwick found Jared Perry for a 16-yard touchdown pass making it 23-20 Steel.
Orlando answered on a 6 play 40-yard drive with Hippeard rushing into the end zone from 1 yd out to regain the lead 26-23. Both teams scored to end the 3rd quarter to make it 33-30 with the Predators still out in front.
The fourth quarter started with a 9 play, 48 yard Portland drive that ended with a 6-yard Perry touchdown to put the Steel back out in front, 37-33.
Hippeard wasted no time in finding WR Greg Carr for a 25-yard touchdown to regain the lead at 39-37. After a failed onside kick attempt for Orlando, Southwick found WR Jabin Sabrano on a 13-yard score giving the Steel a 43-39 lead with 6:11 left in the 4th quarter.
After Portland kept Brandon Thompkins from getting out of the end zone on the kick-off, Hippeard found him on the first play of the drive for a 48-Yard touchdown score. Preds Kicker Mark Lewis went onto make the extra point, regaining the lead for Orlando at 46-43 with 3:44 left in the game.
Orlando attempted an onside kick only to have Portland recover at the 9-yard line. After 4 plays, Bryson Kelly rushed in from the 1-yd line to give the Steel a 4 point lead with 49 seconds left.
On the ensuing kickoff, Thompkins returned the ball down to the Portland 6-yard line setting up a game winning Randy Hippeard 1-yard score with 11 seconds left in the game.
Portland tried to drive down field only to have Southwick throw an interception to DB Kent Richardson, ending the game at 53-50 Orlando in front of an announced crowd of 10,732.
Orlando travels to Jacksonville next week where they face off against the Sharks at Veteran’s Memorial Arena
Orlando struck first, scoring on a 26-yard Randy Hippeard to LaMark Brown pass which moments after the Steel answered with a Bryson Kelly 1 yard rushing touchdown, making it 6-6 early on in the 1st. with the kickers missing each of their respective extra point attempts.
On the Preds next possession, Hippeard found Brandon Thompkins in the end zone for a 26-yard score, Mark Lewis connected on the extra point making it 13-6 at the end of the first quarter.
Portland marched 45 yards down the field in 11 plays, capping off their drive with a Southwick pass to Jabin Sambrano, whom was made a difficult reception in the end zone to tie the game at 13 halfway through the second quarter.
Hippeard again drove the Predators down the field, this time 47-Yards on 11 plays finding Thompkins this time from the 7-yard line to give Orlando a 20-13 lead with 31 seconds left in the half.
However, Portland was not finished with their first half scoring. In fact, Southwick led the Steel to midfield where Kicker Ernesto Lacayo put a 26 yard field goal through to end the half with the score 20-16 with Orlando on top. The field goal would have been from a further distance, but the Preds were called for an unsportsmanlike call when HC Rob Keefe called one too many timeouts.
Portland started the third quarter with possession, and wasting no time, drove down the field to take their first lead of the night as Southwick found Jared Perry for a 16-yard touchdown pass making it 23-20 Steel.
Orlando answered on a 6 play 40-yard drive with Hippeard rushing into the end zone from 1 yd out to regain the lead 26-23. Both teams scored to end the 3rd quarter to make it 33-30 with the Predators still out in front.
The fourth quarter started with a 9 play, 48 yard Portland drive that ended with a 6-yard Perry touchdown to put the Steel back out in front, 37-33.
Hippeard wasted no time in finding WR Greg Carr for a 25-yard touchdown to regain the lead at 39-37. After a failed onside kick attempt for Orlando, Southwick found WR Jabin Sabrano on a 13-yard score giving the Steel a 43-39 lead with 6:11 left in the 4th quarter.
After Portland kept Brandon Thompkins from getting out of the end zone on the kick-off, Hippeard found him on the first play of the drive for a 48-Yard touchdown score. Preds Kicker Mark Lewis went onto make the extra point, regaining the lead for Orlando at 46-43 with 3:44 left in the game.
Orlando attempted an onside kick only to have Portland recover at the 9-yard line. After 4 plays, Bryson Kelly rushed in from the 1-yd line to give the Steel a 4 point lead with 49 seconds left.
On the ensuing kickoff, Thompkins returned the ball down to the Portland 6-yard line setting up a game winning Randy Hippeard 1-yard score with 11 seconds left in the game.
Portland tried to drive down field only to have Southwick throw an interception to DB Kent Richardson, ending the game at 53-50 Orlando in front of an announced crowd of 10,732.
Orlando travels to Jacksonville next week where they face off against the Sharks at Veteran’s Memorial Arena