Century Celebrations in Amsterdam
Scottish Claymores 19, Amsterdam Admirals 17 Amsterdam ArenA, 10,738 THE Claymores celebrated their 100th game with a much-needed second win of the season as ROB HART converted a 42-yard field goal with 1:42 remaining to earn the Scots a hard-fought 19-17 victory over the Admirals in the Amsterdam ArenA.  |
| Herb Haygood fights off the attention of an Amsterdam defender |
Once again the Claymores hard-hitting defense were magnificent with the secondary final breaking their interception duck picking off former Claymores quarterback Clint Stoerner three times in the first half. Cornerback Alphonso Roundtree claimed two interceptions and safety James Lewis another turning it into a stunning 67-yard touchdown.
The secondary kept up the pressure on the Admirals next possession when Brad Franklin stepped forward to intercept Stoerner returning the pick 67 yards for the Claymores second touchdown. Hart made sure with the PAT this time and the Scots took a 16-3 lead.
The Claymores built up a 16-3 lead on the back of a one-yard touchdown dive from Detroit Lions allocated quarterback CURT ANES, and could have added two more touchdowns before the half. However, they squandered the advantage in the third quarter allowing the Admirals to come back into the game and had to sweat it to come back from 17-16 down - Hart's game-winning kick finally ending the agony to move Jack Bicknell's team to 2-8.
Head coach JACK BICKNELL, said: "It was great to finally have something go our way, but we almost screwed it up. We had a chance put the game beyond their reach but didn't take it. Saying that, we're really going to enjoy this victory. Our players have worked hard and have never given up and I think our players and our fans deserve to have a smile on their faces."
Bicknell admitted: "We finally got some breaks tonight. We haven't had any all season and perhaps this was our turn. I was nervous when Rob stepped up to kick the game-winner and to be honest I couldn't look. I just concentrated on the snap, the hold and Rob's reaction. When he came running off the field jumping up and down, I knew we had it."
The Claymores built up a 16-3 lead on the back of a one-yard touchdown dive from Detroit Lions allocated quarterback CURT ANES, and could have added two more touchdowns before the half. However, they squandered the advantage in the third quarter allowing the Admirals to come back into the game and had to sweat it to come back from 17-16 down - Hart's game-winning kick finally ending the agony to move Jack Bicknell's team to 2-8.
Head coach JACK BICKNELL, said: "It was great to finally have something go our way, but we almost screwed it up. We had a chance put the game beyond their reach but didn't take it. Saying that, we're really going to enjoy this victory. Our players have worked hard and have never given up and I think our players and our fans deserve to have a smile on their faces."
Bicknell admitted: "We finally got some breaks tonight. We haven't had any all season and perhaps this was our turn. I was nervous when Rob stepped up to kick the game-winner and to be honest I couldn't look. I just concentrated on the snap, the hold and Rob's reaction. When he came running off the field jumping up and down, I knew we had it."
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| Brad Franklin returns an Admirals fumble for a touchdown |
Roundtree stepped forward to claim the Claymores first interception of the season with a stunning one-handed pick off Stoerner at midfield. Anes couldn't capitalize with a touchdown but led the Claymores down to the Galaxy nine. Rob Hart hit a 24-yard field goal and the Claymore took an early 3-0 lead.
Stoerner wasted no time in hitting back, arcing a 46-yard completion to Chris Horn down to the Claymores two. But the quarterback couldn't complete a pass to the endzone and it was left to kicker Silvio Diliberto to convert a 20-yard field goal to level the scores at 3-3 at the end of the first quarter.
The Claymores opened the second quarter the way they would have hoped to have played on offense all season, Anes directing a 13-play scoring drive that he capped himself with a one-yard touchdown dive. However, Rob Hart's extra point attempt was blocked and the Scots took a 9-3 lead.
The secondary kept up the pressure on the Admirals next possession when James Lewis stepped forward to intercept Stoerner returning the pick 67 yards for the Claymores second touchdown. Hart made sure with the PAT this time and the Scots took a 16-3 lead.
Again the defense stepped up when linebacker Howard Clark blocked Nate Fikse's punt attempt after holding the Admirals, and then recovered it himself at the Dutch four. But the offense, led by Tom Arth could not capitalise - the attack was pushed backwards and Rob Hart's 32-yard field goal attempt slid wide left.
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| Rob Hart converts the winning field goal |
The Admirals came out firing all cannons at the start of the third quarter with a change of quarterback, Stoerner benched in favour of Gibran Hamdan who wasted no time in linking up with favourite receiver Chris Horn on a 13-yard touchdown strike. Diliberto converted the extra point and Amsterdam were suddenly back in the game 16-10 down four minutes into the new half.
Wide receiver Wilson Thomas kept up the Dutch pressure blocking Nick Murphy's punt attempt at midfield. Like the Claymores, the Admirals offense could not turn good field position into points as kicker Todd Sievers' 49-yard field goal attempt fell short.
However, the momentum continued to shift the Admirals way when, at the end of the third quarter, Arth was intercepted at midfield by linebacker Drew Wahlroos. Hamdan had the ArenA crowd roaring when the completed a 35-yard pass to Chris Taylor at the Scots four setting up running back Chris Downs to power into the endzone for the score. Diliberto converted the PAT again for the go-ahead score and the Admirals led for the first time 17-16.
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| Scott McCready celebrates wit Rob Hart |
With Stoerner back in at quarterback the Admirals went back to their ground game, running backs Downs and former Claymore Mike Malan powering them into scoring range. But the Scots got a break when Gavin Walls swiped the ball out of Downs' grasp to be recovered at the Claymores 14 by linebacker Ryan Myers.
With five minutes remaining Arth took over. He showed poise in the pocket avoiding the sack, completing passes to McCready and Helfman before scrambling himself to midfield. A roughing the passer penalty helped move the Claymores down to the Admirals 26 inside the two-minute warning.
Arth attempted a 25-yard pass to Herb Haygood on third down but the ball slipped agonizingly though his hands in the endzone. Hart was then faced with a 42-yard field goal to keep the Claymore in the game. The barefoot kicker kept his cool threading the uprights to give the Scots a 19-17 lead with 1:24 remaining.
Stoerner drove his team downfield as the Admirals tried desperately to come back, but Walls breached the Dutch line to sack the passer on a crucial third down. Stoerner then scrambled on fourth down but came up inches short of the first down allowing the Claymores to run out the clock victorious in their 100th game.
22 May, 04 | 8:53 pm