Dukes's returns lead 'Birds to win (Full Story)
June 13, 1998 - Final 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Totals Florida 7 16 20 6 49 Albany 14 28 14 10 66 Dukes has many happy returns
By Mark Singelais
Albany -- It wasn't until the third quarter Saturday that beleaguered Florida Bobcats kicker Carlos Huerta figured out a way to stop the rampage of Albany's Chad Dukes. And even that was by accident. Huerta's thrid quarter kickoff got trapped in the net between the uprights for a touchback, preventing Dukes from making a return.
"I was looking at (the ball), and wondering, 'What's it doing?'" Dukes said after Albany's 66-49 victory at Pepsi Arena. "But it was okay, because it gave us a chance to get our offense clicking."
Until then, the Firebirds offense rarely needed to take the field. Aided by superb blocking, Dukes returned all three of his kickoff returns in the first half for touchdowns, tying the Arena Football league's single-game record.
At 6-1, Albany is tied for the best record in the league with Tampa Bay and Arizona. The Firebirds play Saturday night in Tampa.
Dukes's returns of 57, 55, and 56 yards tied the two-year-old record of Connecticut's Willie Gaston. Albany's Eddie Brown also got in on the act in the first half, returning a missed field goal 55 yars for a touchdown as the Firebirds took a 42-23 halftime lead. The special teams were so spectacular, Albany scored 42 points despite running 14 offensive plays from scrimmage in the first half.
"Chad is phenomenal," Albany coach Mike Dailey said. "We saw some super things out of him tonight." Dukes was the game MVP. Lineman Joe Jacobs was the Ironman.
The Firebirds put a lot of emphasis on kick returning during practice this week, mainly because they were worried about Florida's special teams. The Bobcats had forced three turnovers on kickoffs in their previous two games. With that in mind, Albany special teams coach Ed Hodgkiss made sure his front people worked hard on their blocking and that Dukes took extra practice Friday handling the ball off the rebound net.
The results were stupendous.
Dukes wasn't even touched as he took back the games opening kickoff 57 yards. He broke up the middle, the outran Huerta down the left sideline. On his second touchdown, the 55-yarder, he spun away from a would-be tackler, then stiff-armed Huerta as he ran down the right sideline to give Albany a 21-10 lead in the second quarter. Dukes was fortunate on his third and final touchdown. Albany's Tommy Johnson blatantly blocked a Florida player in the back, but no penalty was called and Dukes roared 56 yards for the touchdown and a 35-23 lead with 1:38 left in the half.
Dukes, who leads the league in rushing, had 208 return yards.
Albany quarterback Mike Pawlawski sounded as if he thinks Dukes is destined for the NFL. "I'm gonna miss (Dukes) next year, because he's probably not going to be back here with us," Pawlawski said.
