Week 3 (5/7/99): Albany @ New England

Firebirds roll past Sea Wolves

HARTFORD, Conn. - Dr. Frankenstein watched the monster tear up his lab Friday night.

The Albany Firebirds' unstoppable offense, created by former head coach Mike Hohensee, erupted for 10 touchdowns in a 77-42 victory over Hohensee's New England Sea Wolves at the Hartford Civic Center.

The victory, which created a three-way tie with Albany, New England and New Jersey all at 2-1, was an emotional one for Firebirds head coach Mike Dailey, who got into coaching in 1985 when he and Hohensee were hired as assistants at Montgomery College-Rockville (Md.).

They coached together with the Firebirds for seven seasons and had never been on opposite sidelines - until Friday.

"I'm emotional right now because Mike Hohensee is like my brother," said Dailey, his eyes red-rimmed. "I don't like to see my brother suffer. Mike Dailey might not be in professional coaching if it wasn't for Mike Hohensee. I'd probably still be at Montgomery College."

Hohensee was victimized by the offense he installed when he was a Firebirds assistant under Rick Buffington in 1991. The Firebirds still run it, and Friday they ran it flawlessly.

Firebirds quarterback Mike Pawlawski was 24-for-33 for 295 yards, nine touchdowns and no interceptions.

The final touchdown was scored on an interception return by Derek Stingley with 47 seconds left.

"It was demeaning," Hohensee said. "We were embarrassed. It's part of the game. We didn't play well, we didn't coach well. We knew it would be a track meet. No one has stopped Eddie Brown in five years, and we didn't stop him tonight."

Brown, the Firebirds' offensive specialist, caught seven passes for 73 yards and three touchdowns in the first quarter alone, and he finished with 10 catches for 101 yards.

Pawlawski tied his own team single-game touchdown pass record with nine.

But Firebirds defensive specialist Chris Lawson made a big contribution, too, with interceptions off tipped balls on back-to-back New England possessions in the third quarter as the Firebirds pulled away after leading by one touchdown at halftime.

"In the Arena League, a defensive stop is the biggest thing you can get," Lawson said.

Lawson's first interception set up nine-yard touchdown pass to Van Johnson, and his second set up a four- yarder to Jay Jones early in the fourth quarter as the Firebirds went ahead, 56-35.

Albany's offense rolled home from there, as Pawlawski hit Greg Hopkins and Brown each for another score.

"We love Mike Hohensee, but right now, our team is here," Pawlawski said. "This offense gives you a lot of options. There's all kinds of different ways to be creative."

"This has been the system we've had since I've been here, and anyone with any common sense would keep it," Dailey said. "Fortunately, I have enough common sense. Ed Hotchkiss has done a good job of putting in some wrinkles, but the foundation is Mike Hohensee."

New England quarterback Mike Perez, the all-time leading touchdown passer in Arena Football League history and a former Firebird, didn't throw for any TDs in the first quarter, but the Sea Wolves were down only 21-14 by virtue of a 56-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Millard Hamilton and a 21-yard option pass from James Bowden to Hamilton.

The Firebirds were finally stopped early in the second quarter on downs just inches from the goalline, but the Sea Wolves couldn't take advantage.

Jay Jones' 47-yard kick return set up the Firebirds' next score, a three-yard sneak by Pawlawski, to make it 28-14.

Bowden made a leaping catch in the end zone from Perez as New England cut it to 28-21, but Pawlawski found Van Johnson down the left sideline for a 29-yard touchdown.

New England closed the first-half scoring with seven seconds left as Perez hit Damian Harrell.

Pawlawski finished the half 14-for-20 for 156 yards and four touchdowns.

Notebook: The Firebirds didn't really come close to their single-game scoring record. They've been in the 80s several times, including 88 against Portland two years ago.