By By Marty Stamper/EMG sports assistant
September 6, 2003
PHILADELPHIA For the second week in a row, the Philadelphia Tornadoes kept the fans on the edge of their seats for the full 48 minutes before taking a 7-6 victory over West Lauderdale at Harpole Stadium.
In last week's 21-15 win at Choctaw Central, the Tornadoes saw the opponent move the ball inside their 10 as the game ended. In Friday's win over the Knights, the Tornadoes saw a potential game-winning 34-yard field goal attempt misfire as time ran out.
The Knights didn't quite get everything they wanted as Michael Pogue's kick for the win sailed left and short of the goalposts.
Philadelphia had 226 total yards and 13 first downs. The Knights had 294 total yards and 16 first downs.
Turnovers plagued both teams. Philadelphia had five fumbles, losing the ball three times. The Tornadoes also had two passes intercepted. West had one pass picked off and fumbled the ball four times, losing it twice.
The Tornadoes turned a Knight fumble into their only touchdown late in the first quarter. One play after recovering a fumble at the West 38, Desmond Murray ran up the middle, cut right, and raced to the end zone with 4:13 left in the opening period. Porter Jordan kicked what turned out to be the game-winning extra point.
West's Justin Landrum halted an eight-play Tornado drive early in the second quarter with an interception at the Knight 5.
The Knights opened the second half with an 11-play march from their 24 to the Tornado 21 only to have Murray halt the drive with an interception at the 1.
Rod Cannon set up the Knights' lone score when he picked off a Tornado pass and returned it 21 yards to the Philadelphia 21. Two plays later, Pogue hit Christian on a slant in for a 10-yard score with 3:37 remaining in the third period. Pogue's PAT was partially blocked, sending the ball left of the left upright and leaving the Knights trailing 7-6.
The Knights fumbled the ball away on fourth-and-1 at the Tornado 32 midway through the fourth quarter.
On their final possession, the Knights drove from their 23 to the Tornado 13 before calling on Pogue, who had run for 32 yards and passed for eight more on the drive.
Pogue was 15-of-24 passing for 139 yards. He ran the ball 11 times for 46 yards. Josh Hanible ran the ball 14 times for 53 yards and caught seven passes for 79 yards. Scott Truesdale had 10 carries for 46 yards.
Murray led the Tornadoes with 91 yards on 15 carries. Jordan completed 5-of-9 passes for 80 yards.