Monday, July 23, 2012

Soul finish regular season by routing Utah

PHILADELPHIA (The Phanatic Magazine)  – The Eastern Division Champion, Philadelphia Soul, led by another record-breaking performance from fullback Derrick Ross, ended the 2012 season with a 69-34 victory over the Utah Blaze in front of 12,765 fans at the Wells Fargo Center on Sunday night. 

The win gives the Soul the best record in the League for the 2012 season as they enter into the playoffs.

“We’re taking this one game at a time.  We will use the next couple of weeks to get healthy and prepare for our final game of the season,” said Soul head coach Doug Plank.  “Tonight’s win just adds to our momentum as the season comes to an end and playoffs begin.”

Ross registered 13 carries for 81 yards and two touchdowns.  He ends the 2012 season with 645 rushing yards, breaking the record of 622 rushing yards in a single season, which he set himself in 2011.

Soul QB Dan Raudabaugh finished the game by connecting on 10-of-15 passes for 112 yards, five touchdowns and zero interceptions. WR Larry Brackins finished with five receptions for 33 yards and four touchdowns.  Donovan Morgan added six receptions for 92 yards and two touchdowns and Jeff Hughley had four receptions for 48 yards and a touchdown.

Utah’s QB Tommy Grady connected 24-of-42 passes for 291 yards, five touchdowns and one interception.  WR Tysson Poots had 10 receptions for 95 yards and two touchdowns.  Aaron Lesue added six receptions for 85 yards and three touchdowns.

Scoring began when Grady completed a 10-yard touchdown pass to Lesue.  Minutes later, Raudabaugh completed a 36-yard touchdown pass to Morgan.  Utah scored again on a 13-yard reception by Poots.  Following his 42-yard run ending just short of the end zone, Ross rushed for one more yard and another Philadelphia touchdown.  Before the quarter came to an end, Grady completed another touchdown pass to Lesue for 12 yards to give the Blaze a 20-14 lead.

Two touchdowns were scored in the second quarter, both by Brackins.  The first was an eight-yard reception and the second was a two-yard reception.  The first half came to an end with the Soul leading 27-20.

Morgan was the first to score in the third with a four-yard touchdown reception.  Ross rushed one-yard for a touchdown and Lesue scored again on an eight-yard pass from Grady.  The third quarter came to an end with the Soul leading 41-27.

The fourth quarter began with Philadelphia’s Remy Hamilton’s 52-yard kick off that bounced off the net and was recovered in the end zone by Philadelphia’s FB/LB Melik Brown.  Utah scored once in the fourth on an 11-yard reception by Poots.  Add a touchdown by Hughley and two more by Brackins and the Soul ended the game and the 2012 season with the Soul leading 69-34.

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