World Bowl XIX is all set except for determining the as of now unknown location of the game. The Denver Gold needed overtime to defeat Houston while Baltimore got out to a huge lead over Florida to advance to the big game. While Houston and Florida are understandably disappointed, they both had excellent seasons and look like they have a great chance to compete for World Bowl XX. First things first though, as we have a long way to go plus a little matter of crowning this year's champion.
Gold 30 Gamblers 24 (OT)
Houston got the ball first and punted, then Denver went on a 14 play, 89 yard TD drive to take a 7-0 lead. Max Ellis capped off that drive with a 1 yard TD plunge, then Houston went on a long drive of their own. The 1st qtr ended during the Gamblers 10 play, 75 yard TD drive and early in the 2nd, Tony Dean found Lloyd Ellis for a 17 yard TD pass that tied the game at 7.
It only took Denver 4 plays to answer that score, as two big pass plays to Richard Huff set up Jake Peralta's 9 yard TD run. Each team would punt twice before Tony Dean tied the game at 14 inside the 2 minute warning. Dean found Jett Black for an 18 yard TD pass and Denver ran the ball 3 times before the first half ended 14-14.
Denver added a FG on their first drive of the 3rd quarter and were driving for another score before Andrew Brewer was intercepted by Charles Saner, keeping the score 17-14. That was our score until the first play of the 4th, when Andrew Brewer tossed a 17 yard TD pass to Richard Huff, extending the lead to 24-14. Houston then drove all the way to the Denver 5 yard line and the Gamblers opted for a FG on 4th and goal from the 5, pulling the Gamblers within 7. Denver went 3 and out before Dean and Brewer exchanged interceptions. That set up Houston at the Denver 36 with over 4 minutes to play as they sought the tying TD. The Gamblers took 11 plays to travel 36 yards, with the last 11 yards coming on the second Dean to Black TD. Denver would have just over a minute to get in position for a game winning FG but they ran out of time as they got to the Gamblers 39 yard line, forcing OT.
Denver got the ball to start overtime and it ended almost as quickly as it bagan. Lucio Grant forced a touchback on the kickoff, and on the first play of OT, Andrew Brewer silenced 76,273 fans as he hit Douglas Crowley for the 75 yard game winning TD.
Statistically, Denver held Donald Turner to 89 combined yards without a score while also sort of keeping Tony Dean in check, as he completed 32/43 for 279 yards, 3 TD and an INT. Andrew Brewer was 26/39, 402 yards with 2 TDs and 2 INTs. His favorite target was Richard Huff, who caught 12 for 227 and a TD.
Stars 41 Blazers 20
Florida got the ball first and drove for a FG and an early 3-0 lead. That would be as good as it got for the Blazers today as Baltimore scored the next 38 points to take any mystery away concerning who would win. William Halford (21-73) and Knob Creek (13-44) chewed up the clock with their rushing and Jon Snow threw 5 TD passes, 4 to John Warkentin. Warkentin caught 5 passes in all for 231 yards while Snow finished with 370 yards in the air.
Snow to Warkentin TD #1 gave Baltimore a 7-3 lead. The first quarter ended with that 7-3 score and Jon Snow's 2nd TD pass increased the lead to 14-3. This score was not to John Warkentin, but William Halford. The game really turned at the end of the first half when Gerald Harmon missed a 55 yard FG attempt and Snow found Warkentin again for a 55 yard TD to give Baltimore a 21-3 halftime lead.
That momentum shift continued in the second half as 4 plays in, Snow and Warkentin hooked up yet again, this time for a 64 yard score. Baltimore would add 3 more points on a Fred Boyce FG before Snow's 4th TD pass to Warkentin gave the Stars a 38-3 lead entering the 4th qtr.
Florida woke up in the 4th, but it was too little, too late. A Gerald Harmon FG made it 38-6, then Sidney Maggard fired a 1 yard TD pass to Perry Salgado, cutting the lead to 38-13. Baltimore would get 3 more points from Fred Boyce before Maggard's 2nd TD pass made the final score 41-20.
