Road game big one for Phantoms

FLORENCE — There is plenty at stake for the Florence Phantoms going into tonight’s game at Columbus.

Florence can take over the AIFA South Division lead as well as get a step closer to clinching a playoff berth.

But a loss will definitely make it harder for the Phantoms, who trail Columbus by one-half game in the division and are tied with Fayetteville for second. A Phantoms loss and Guard win over Reading would drop Florence into third place with three games left in the regular season.

Florence won the earlier meeting between the two teams, 55-36, on March 28. That was quarterback Omar Jacobs’ first game of year. Jacobs threw for 317 yards and seven TDs.

But a lot has changed since then.

Florence, which had a bye last week, has dropped two straight after winning six in a row.

Against Carolina, the Speed jumped out to a 39-7 halftime lead on their way to a 51-21 victory. The Phantoms played that game without Jacobs, the league’s leader in passing yards per game and managed just a season-low 78 yards of total offense.

The Lions also are coming off a loss, a 52-32 defeat to Baltimore, a team they scored 82 points against earlier this season.

“It’s hard for any team to win when they commit four turnovers,” Columbus coach Jason Gibson said this week on the team’s Web site. “Turnovers and penalties have been our Achilles heel all season.”

Columbus, though, is in control of its own playoff destiny. The Lions’ remaining four games are against either Florence or Fayetteville.

“It’s simple, win and we’re in,” Gibson said. “We have put ourselves in great position all year to finish out on top and now we just have to complete it.”