1. #1
    Mr KLC
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    Join Date: 12-19-07
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    NAL Preview : Carolina At Jacksonville

    JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville Sharks play their final regular season home game this week with the postseason right around the corner. Last week the Sharks suffered a rough 67-35 loss against the Columbus Lions (5-1) in the Sharks Tank. Jacksonville started the game driving down the field but a forced fumble in the endzone was returned for a Lions touchdown striking an early blow to the Sharks and setting the tone for the game. Despite Danny Southwick's strong start going 7 for 7 on his first two drives capped off by a touchdown pass to Jalen Rima, the Lions continued to score on offense and defense putting them up 15-7 towards the end of the first quarter. Eerily similar to the home opener the Sharks starting quarterback went out of the game due to injury. From there the game deflated for Jacksonville, despite great plays on both sides of the ball Jacksonville could not erase the Columbus point deficit going down 39-14 at halftime and closing out the game with the 67-35 final. Now 2-4 the Sharks must win to hold the 4th NAL playoff spot as they face a hungry Carolina Cobra (1-5) team. They lost by three-points to Orlando on Saturday and three-points to the Sharks last time they played in Carolina . To add pressure the Cobras are not out of the playoff race, if they win both of their final games and the Sharks fall in the last two they could advance to the playoffs with a Jersey Flight loss in week 10. With the playoffs on the line the Cobras signed a new quarterback Aaron Aiken who threw 10 passes for 189 yards and three passing touchdowns while also rushed eight times for 20 yards and punching in a rushing touchdown against the Predators on Saturday. The Sharks defense will have to adjust to the dual-threat attack this week compared to the pocket passer presence of Mason Epinsona and the Lions.



    Last week, the Sharks struggled with adversity, the most severe of which were injuries and turnovers. Going into the game the Sharks were without All-NAL lineman Derrick Ziegler, All-NAL fullback Alstevis Squirewell, All-NAL linebacker Zack Brown, and one of the Sharks top targets on offense Jordan Williams, who also has been the Sharks primary kick returner. During the game the Sharks lost quarterback Danny Southwick forcing the coaches to play a backup quarterback with a backup center against one of the top teams in the league and the #1 defense in the NAL this season. Despite the extreme circumstances the Sharks defense did make plays through the adversity Justin Marcus had six tackles, two blocked passes, a forced fumble and recovery against the Lions while Jonathan Taylor racked up two tackles for a loss. On offense Jalen Rima made his Shark Tank debut with 10 catches for 143 yards and three touchdowns, proving himself as a young upcoming talent within the Jacksonville Sharks talent pool. Connor Kaegi filled in for an injured Southwick, the local Bolles School Quarterback was 14 for 21 with 160 yards and throwing four touchdowns for the Sharks. On special teams, Paris Mack filled in for the injured Jordan Williams, Mack earned the Duval Honda Special Teams player of the game with his three returns for 50 yards including one that was almost returned for a touchdown. Kicker Brandon Behr had a solid 5 for 5 game on points after attempts and by strategy kicked a high number of squib & onside kicks this week that lowered his attempts to make a deuce.

  2. #2
    Mr KLC
    Mr KLC's Avatar SBR PRO
    Join Date: 12-19-07
    Posts: 30,515
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  3. #3
    Mr KLC
    Mr KLC's Avatar SBR PRO
    Join Date: 12-19-07
    Posts: 30,515
    Betpoints: 259

    JACKSONVILLE - The Carolina Cobras took on the Jacksonville Sharks tonight on the road in a hard-fought victory in Jacksonville. Carolina was facing a must-win as they were at risk of being eliminated from postseason play. Jacksonville in a win or elimination playoffs game. Both teams took the field prepared as fans anticipated another nail-biter after the 54-52 finish in week 7. Jacksonville struck first in this one with a deuce right out of the game, but it was a back & forth first half with the Sharks up at the end of the first 9-6 but the Cobras leading in an exciting second quarter where the Cobras took the league 20-16 going into halftime. The Cobras defense remained dominant, holding Jacksonville to only 16 points to the lowest points allowed this season for Carolina. The biggest difference in this game was Carolina’s ability to create turnovers as they picked off Sharks Quarterback Danny Southwick on the first offensive drive for Jacksonville and later in the second half.

    Carolina’s pressure on defense forced Jacksonville to make a change at quarterback with Sharks backup quarterback Connor Kaegi taking over the second half for Jacksonville. The Sharks battled back with both teams within eight points 38-30 with the Cobras on top thanks to a major kick return for a touchdown by Kendrick Ings. It all came down to the fourth quarter where the Cobras offense put up 16 points in the fourth to keep the chasing Sharks at Bay. With the clock ticking down and an emptying Shark Tank, there was no doubt in the final minutes that your Carolina Cobras were taking home this win for Cobra Nation with the final score of 54-44. The Cobras (2-5) stay in the playoff race with this victory and will face the Orlando Predators in Orlando next Saturday, July 31st. Your difference-makers tonight include Cobras kicker TC Stevens who kicked a season-high four deuces tonight, he also was part of a string of plays to boosted the Cobras past the Sharks tonight following a safety (2pts), the Shark kicked off to a kick return touchdown by Kendrick Ings (6 points), Stevens kicked the PAT (1pt) followed by kicked a deuce (2pt) that was a dagger to the helpless Sharks as Jacksonville's watched the Cobras score 11 points in less than a minute of play.

    Fans are encouraged to get tickets early for the next road game, visit https://orlandopreds.spinzo.com/CarolinaCobras to get tickets for $20 for the final regular-season game or watch the game next week on the National Arena League YouTube channel.

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