The beat rolls on for the final four teams as only one game was within one score this round. Will Oklahoma ride off into the sunset back to back champs? Will Memphis capture title #6? Or will the New Orleans/Pittsburgh winner win their first World Bowl? We'll find out soon enough, but how did they get here?
Oklahoma Outlaws 41 Houston Gamblers 6
The first quarter started innocent enough as both defenses flexed their muscles. Bryan Franklin threw an interception and Oklahoma kicked a FG for a 3-0 lead. Midway through the 2nd, Raymond Settles fired a 42 yard TD pass to Patrick Clark for a 10-0 lead. Gus "Hightest" Gas then lost a fumble trying for YAC (yards after catch), leading to a 7 yard Settles TD pass to Arthur Reina. Oklahoma would take that 17-0 lead into halftime.
In the 3rd quarter the defenses came out strong again. Houston forced a three and out. then Franklin and Settles threw back to back interceptions. Houston had just crossed midfield on a pass but before he went down, Wayne Ryals lost a fumble, killing the drive. A few plays later, Settles found Clarence Murphy for a 32 yard TD pass. A couple of drives later, Franklin was intercepted again and Louis Weaver returned it 28 yards for a TD, pushing the lead to 31-0. It didn't get much better for Houston the rest of the game as the Outlaws advance.
Memphis Showboats 24 Portland Storm 19
Patrick Peavey got the game started with a bang, taking the handoff on the first play from scrimmage and racing 75 yards for an instant 7-0 lead for Memphis. Portland would get a Donald Atkins FG and Memphis led after a quarter 7-3. Portland was driving deep into Memphis territory but they got stuffed on 4th and goal from the 2. A few plays later, Norman Maldonado was intercepted by Portland's Brice Dale, who took it 50 yards to the end zone and a 10-3 Storm lead. Maldonado made up for it inside the 2 minute warning with an 18 yard TD pass to Michael Larson. The flag on the play was defensive PI so the score counted and Memphis led 14-10 at the half.
The teams traded FGs in the 3rd and we headed to the 4th with a score of Memphis 17 Portland 13. Memphis got the ball late in the 3rd and their 13 play, 75 yard drive went into the 4th. The drive ended with a 3 yard TD run by Michael Olsen, extending the lead to 24-13. Portland would answer with an 11 play TD drive of their own, scoring on a Robert Fanelli 19 yard TD pass to Robert Brown. The 2 point run failed, and the score was 24-19 with 4:24 to play and Portland elected to kick away. Memphis got a couple of first downs but ended up punting, pinning Portland inside their 10. The Storm ran out of time as they got near midfield and Memphis advances.
