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2000 Season Game 13 (7/15/00): Albany @ Iowa |
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'Birds fail to convert
DES MOINES, Iowa -- It all came down to a two-point conversion Saturday as the Iowa Barnstormers defeated the Albany Firebirds 77-76 in a barn-burning, high-scoring Arena Football League game.
Mike Pawlawski's pass intended for Van Johnson flew over the receiver's head on the two-point attempt after the Firebirds had pulled to within one on the last play of the game.
"I wasn't surprised that they went for it, but I was surprised by the play they called,'' Iowa defensive back Carlos James said. "We practiced against that exact play all week.''
The scoring attempt was set up on a diving catch by offensive specialist Quincy Jackson as the horn blasted to end a wild affair that saw numerous records fall and two teams battle each other to the identical score as they had the year before.
With the victory, Iowa gained a step on Albany for the third seed in the upcoming playoffs. The Firebirds fell to 9-4 but still have a chance to get the second seed by winning its season finale next Sunday at home against Orlando.
Firebirds head coach Mike Dailey said that he didn't hesitate a moment in deciding to go for two points at the end of the game.
"When you have the chance to win a game in this place against this team, you take it and hope that it works,'' Dailey said. "You have to take the opportunity when it presents itself.''
Pawlawski finished the night completing 29 of 43 passes for 353 yards and six touchdowns. Jackson caught 13 passes for 148 yards and three touchdowns.
Iowa quarterback Aaron Garcia set an Arena record for touchdown passes in a season, blistering the Firebirds' defensive secondary for nine touchdowns and 430 yards. Garcia has now thrown 86 touchdown passes, two more than former Albany quarterback Mike Perez threw in 1996.
The game turned on turnovers, with the Iowa defensive specialist getting the key one. With the score tied 63-63, Shea Showers outfought Firebird wide receiver Greg Hopkins to make his third interception of the game.
Garcia convereted with a touchdown pass to Mike Horacek for a 70-63 Iowa lead with 2:28 to play.
Albany answered quickly with a three-play, 36-yard drive that ended with a 5-yard touchdown pass to Greg Hopkins with 56 seconds remaining.
The Barnstormers took the ball on a 45-yard drive in 24 seconds, ending with running back Leonard Conley scoring on a 1-yard run.
Like a battling heavyweight, Albany came back again. Johnson caught an 11-yard pass from Pawlawski just inside the end zone as the horn sounded.
That left the game to the two-point conversion.
The high-scoring machines started quickly and never stopped in the first half as the teams exchanged touchdown for touchdown before ending with Iowa up at halftime, 42-35.
Before the half had ended, Garcia had completed 12 of 14 passes for 225 yards and six touchdowns with three scored by Horacek.
But Albany's offense also rolled throughout the half with Pawlawski completing 13 of 20 passes for 159 yards and three touchdowns.
The Barnstormers got the first break of the game with the scored tied 28-28 when Iowa returner Leonard Conley failed to handle a kickoff off the slack net. Albany's Na'il Benjamin recovered the loose ball on Iowa's 12-yard line, but the play was nullified on a procedural penalty by Albany.
On the next play, Garcia connected with wide receiver Eddie Brown for a 42-yard touchdown pass.
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