SaberCats beat Command on last-second FG

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March 19, 2011SABERCATS PAGEThe San Jose SaberCats topped off their electric home opener last week with an impressive victory over the Kansas City Command. QB Mark Grieb plunged into the end zone late in the game to score a touchdown en route to a 60-57 win, thanks to a Juan Gamboa field goal with two seconds left.OwnerHead Coach Darren Arbet was proud of his team and the resilience they showed to pull out the win. It builds character and these guys continued to fight, believed in each other. This is what builds teams. Last week everything went right and those games are easy to win. Games like this are where you have to continue to fight and Im proud of my team.
San Jose opened the game with a nine-yard touchdown pass to WR Nichiren Flowers and hauled in two touchdown grabs on the night, to push his team-high total to six. The next drive was capped by Offensive Player of the Game WRDB Samora Goodson's 27-yard touchdown catch after Kansas City was unable to score following a goal line stand by San Jose. The Command answered back with QB J.J. Raternik's 32-yard touchdown pass to WR Steven Savoy. FBLB Chad Cook recorded his fourth touchdown of the season with a one-yard run putting the SaberCats ahead 21-6.With 59 seconds left in the half, WR Rodney Wright made SaberCats history returning a kickoff 58 yards for a touchdown, tying the SaberCats record for longest kickoff return, a feat that has happened only three other times in San Jose history. On the night, Wright had 298 all-purpose yards, marking the highest total in the AFL through March 18. Seconds later, Wright scored on a season-long 38-yard pass from Grieb, who notched the 41st 300-yard passing game of his career (340). Kansas City struck back before the half on a 19-yard touchdown pass to close within six at halftime, 34-28.The third quarter opened with a 30-yard touchdown pass from Raternik to WR Bradley Chavez to give the Command their first lead at 35-34. After falling behind 42-40, the SaberCats took a one point lead on kicker Juan Gamboa's first career field goal.The two teams traded touchdowns until WRDB Mervin Brookins came up with a clutch interception to give the SaberCats the ball with under three minutes to play and the SaberCats down 50-49. On fourth-and-goal on the two-yard line, Grieb shocked the crowd by avoiding defenders on a bootleg to put the 'Cats up 55-50.In that situation you know the defense is thinking that the run is coming and theyre going to sell out for it and I was just happy that I didnt fall on my face," said Grieb. "I think I could have beat the defender if I could have turned without tripping, but I didnt and I got the turf monster. Fortunately I was able to get in the end zone."The Command answered back with a quick touchdown to tie the game at 57 with 39 seconds to play. On the ensuing drive, the crowd at HP Pavilion erupted when Gamboa kicked the game-winning field goal to give the SaberCats a 60-57 victory.It feels great," said Gamboa. "I was just trusting my technique and not letting the moment get to me. It was my first game winner ever.Over the past two games, the SaberCats have totaled 136 points, marking the highest total through the first two games in franchise history (121, 2003). San Jose has now won 22 consecutive games when they score 60-or-more points, dating back to 2007.San Jose (2-0) travels to Chicago to face the Rush (2-0) in their first road game of the year this coming Friday, March 25.Courtesy San Jose SaberCats media services

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