Playoff Bound Mariners Season Finale June 27th, 7:00 PM at 1st Mariner Arena
Baltimore, Maryland (June 20, 2009) – You couldn’t blame the Baltimore Mariners if they disputed the notion of “southern hospitality.” In two trips “south of the border,” including Saturday’s 62-38 loss to the South Carolina Force the Mariners are 0-2 and have been outscored 144 to 57. In the rest of their games in the friendly confines of D.C., Maryland, and Pennsylvania they are 8-3 and have out performed opponents 556 to 427.
The Mariners headed to Greenville, South Carolina with a playoff berth in hand and hopes still set on capturing the North Division crown. The Force quickly put those notions to rest by building a 7-0 first quarter lead and a foreboding 36-18 halftime advantage. Driving the Force to the early edge was Quarterback Andrew Webb who tossed four first half touchdown strikes, including two to receiver Isaac West. The bulk of the Mariner’s offense in the half was generated by Kicker J.R. Cipra who booted three field goals in the second quarter (45, 41, and 35) and totaled 15 points. The lone Mariner touchdown in the half came on a 15-yard pass from E.J. Nemeth to Scorpio Brown.
The Mariners quickly cut the Force lead to 11 (36-25) to start the second half when Nemeth pushed in from one-yard following a three play, forty-yard drive. Webb then picked up where he left off finding West on a 16-yard scoring pass, and following a two-point conversion by Wallace Artis, South Carolina pushed their lead to 44-25. The Mariners countered with another Cipra field goal, but Webb once again found the end zone to close the third quarter with the Mariners trailing 50-28.
J.R. Cipra stated off the fourth period with a 48-yard field goal, his fifth of the day. After rifling the Mariners defense for six touchdown passes, Webb took to the ground in the game’s last quarter with two rushing scores. Sandwiched between Webb’s touchdowns was Baltimore’s only touchdown of the quarter, a Nemeth to Aaron Yarbough ten-yard pass play, which provided the game’s final score of 62-38.
The playoff bound Mariners (8-5) now close out their regular season June 27th, 7:00 PM at 1st Mariner Arena against the D.C. Armor (4-9). Baltimore will then head to Pennsylvania on July 2nd to take on the North Division champion, Reading Express (10-3) in the first round of the American Indoor Football Association (AIFA) playoffs.
For more information about the Baltimore Mariners go to www.baltimoremariners.com.
