Phantoms clinch playoff spot

FLORENCE — Can you top this?

That was the most frequently asked question during the first half Friday night as Florence’s Omar Jacobs and Erie’s Rod Rutherford looked to outdo each other on every possession.

But Florence ended the back-and-forth scoring affair by scoring 22 points in the final two minutes of the first half as the Phantoms clinched an American Indoor Football Association playoff berth with a 57-27 rout of the RiverRats at Florence Civic Center.

“This is the biggest win in team history. For the first time ever, Florence is heading to the playoffs,” Florence coach Tavares Bowens said. “I’m happy for the team and the fans that came here to see us play. Hopefully, we can get even more fans to come to Civic Center.”

Rutherford used his feet and his arm to draw first blood on his team’s opening possession. Keyed by a 22-yard pass to Darmel Whitfield, the former University of Pittsburgh star powered his way into the end zone from two yards away to make it 6-0 before a missed extra point.

Florence answered behind the arm of Jacobs. Aided by a clutch 19-yard completion on fourth down to high school teammate Tres Moses, Jacobs fired a 16-yard scoring pass to C.J. Washington to put Florence ahead 7-6.

It took just one play, for Erie to regain the lead as Rutherford sailed a 30-yard TD pass to Jovan Johnson that gave the RiverRats a 13-7 advantage at the 14:21 mark of the second quarter.

On the ensuing kickoff, however, Washington took the squib kick and raced 50 yards to give the Phantoms a 14-13 lead.

After a Robert Hammer TD run gave Erie the lead, Florence resorted to some razzle-dazzle to tie the contest.

From the Phantom 5-yard line, Jacobs completed a pass to A.J. Bennett. Bennett raced 40 yards downfield before pitching the ball to Jonathan Wedlock, who ran the final five yards to tie it at 21.

Jacobs finished with four touchdown passes. The Bowling Green star also rushed for a score in the third period.

After Erie’s J.R. Cipra hit a 40-yard field goal to make it 24-21, Wedlock bowled into the end zone from four yards out.

Then, Larry Thompson picked off a Rutherford screen pass and walked to paydirt from five yards away to give Florence a 36-24 advantage with 48 seconds left before the break.

It was the third straight game the Phantoms have scored a defensive touchdown.

“The kickoff return and the interception were big turning points against us,” Erie coach Shawn Liotta said. “We had several guys playing both ways because we were banged up. We’ll be alright, though.“

In the second half, the Phantoms’ defense stiffened. Florence allowed just a Cipra field goal in the final 30 minutes en route to the rout.

“Our defense is clicking on all cylinders right now,” Bowens said. “To give up only three points in the second half is outstanding, simply outstanding.”

“All week, we were told that the pressure was on the defensive line. We needed to step up and we did,” Phantoms linebacker/defensive end Cory Groover said. “Everyone’s starting to believe we can win, and I’m happy to be a part of it.”