Woody Cavenaugh

The skies darkened at the Turning Point Studio's tent as the Central Pennsylvania Viper's bus pulled into Durham Stadium. Tailgaters were popping up like meercats trying to get a glimpse at what this tier one team was going to look like.

The Carolina Phoenix went into this game tied in wins with two other tier two teams. The seeding was down to indicators and that put the Phoenix in third trailing Montreal and Clarksville. Every game is important, every touch down scored can bring you closer to first place, every touchdown scored against you can bring you farther away. A loss now would be a very unwelcome thing.

As the Vipers entered the locker room, the lightning started falling from the sky like rain, and the the only thing falling faster than the rain was a Bush approval rating. We hunkered under our tents eating BBQ'd chicken and wondering how long the delay would be.

From Phoenix VS Vi...

Just before seven the storm moved out and people started shaking out wet chairs and packing up food getting ready to head inside. We were all listening to the PA system. When Barry gets on the mic we know the national anthem is close to starting.

While standing in the ticket line off in the distance I think I hear a whistle. The referee's must be fooling around pre-kickoff. I'm standing about seven people from the ticket booth when I hear Barry come on the PA system announcing that the storm had knocked the PA system out and he apologized for the delay, the extra point attempt turned into a successful conversion, the Phoenix are leading 8 to nothing.

We make it to our seats with a pretty nice sized crowd considering the weather. 5:17 in the first the Phoenix do it again to show us what we missed while we were buying tickets. The extra point fails, so the Phoenix are at 14 and the Vipers are at 0.

The Vipers are the weakest team in the strongest tier one conference, while the Phoenix are the strongest team in a small tier two conference. Everyone was waiting for the other shoe to drop, but it never came to be. 10:24 in the second quarter a 30 yard pass leads to another Phoenix TD, extra point is good, Phoenix now at 21.

With 4:42 in the Second quarter the Phoenix make a short pitch, the ball carrier breaks one, two, three, four tackles to score a touchdown. Extra point is good and the Phoenix are now at 28.

2:44 left in the half, Viper's have possession, its 4th down on the 30 and they are going for it, the pass is intercepted by the Phoenix who saunter into the end zone. Bad snap, the extra point attempt is no good, Phoenix 34 Vipers zero.

With seconds left in the half the Vipers make a pass completion and there is nothing but green grass ahead of them...but no one out flies the Phoenix. Halftime finds the Phoenix at 34 and the Vipers with nothing.

Second half, 6:25 in the third quarter the Phoenix are for the first time this game forced to punt as the Vipers defense gets their legs under them. The Phoenix are only allowed to score one more time this half at 3:39 in the 3rd when the Phoenix break away with a 55 yard run. Extra point is good, Phoenix are stopped at 41 to nothing.

After the game its time for the after party with special thanks to Time Out sports bar and grill for an outstanding time. There was much fun had by all, and the Vipers were outstanding party guest. Some of us sleep however, so yours truly did not head to the dance club at 2am when the others did. You play hard, you party hard, and the Phoenix and Vipers both proved they could do both with wild abandon.

Meanwhile....

The Montreal Blitz allow 14 to the New England Intensity in a 40-14 game, and the Clarksville Fox are shutout in Chicago against the Force 40-0. With the Phoenix shutout, they move up in the standings. Is that a Division two number one spot I see? Lets see if they can keep it when the Phoenix Travel to Atlanta on the 7th to play former IWFL champion team the Xplosion, then its back for their last regular season home game against the Thunder on the 14th.

I'll have the grill hot and the chicken at attention.