SIFL: Albany Panthers advance in playoffs; outlast Erie, 68-43

by Walter L. Johnson II

The second time was the charm for the Albany Panthers, in their second season in the Southern Indoor Football League.

After suffering a heartbreaking loss in the opening round of last year’s SIFL playoffs, the Panthers won their first-ever playoff game at the Albany Civic Center Saturday night, as they held off the Erie (Pa.) Explosion for a 68-43 win.

The win erased bitter memories of last year’s opening round playoff loss to the Louisiana Swashbucklers, as they stunned the Panthers en route to the title game.  It was a win that brought great delight to defensive back Demetrie McCray.

“Thinking about last year’s loss, we had our fans to back up (Saturday), too,” McCray said. “That’s how we came out with the energy we came out with.”

The opening kickoff helped set the tone for the big win, as kicker Geoff Boyer scored the first of his three ‘uno's’ in the contest, for a 1-0 lead.

Antwone Savage then made the first of his three touchdown catches almost three minutes of the game, following a McCray interception.  His 11-yard reception from quarterback Cecil Lester gave the Panthers an 8-0 lead.  He finished with six catches for 75 yards and four touchdowns.

“It was a good night,” Savage said. “We just practiced hard this week, and came out, and made some big plays in the game, and we came out on top.”

 Coming in as the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference, Erie got to within one possession only twice throughout the game.  Still, Albany head coach Lucious Davis felt his defensive unit was challenged at times stopping the explosive Erie offense.

“We knew (Erie) had a tough offense,” Davis said. “So, we wanted to come in, and hopefully our game plan would work out.”

With the win, the Panthers will travel to Columbus next week to take on the defending SIFL champion Lions.   They held off the Trenton (N.J.) Steel, 62-60, in the other Eastern Conference semifinal game.

Columbus has won two of the three regular season meetings against Albany; with the Lions most recent win over the Panthers coming just over two weeks ago, 58-39, on June 4.

Davis stressed that consistency will be the key to victory over the Lions, especially with so much at stake.

“We just have to play consistent,” Davis said. “It seems like every time we play (Columbus), it’s for something, either we play them for the (Southern) division (title), or we’re playing for the best record, or for first place.  It’s something I’m looking forward to.”

Southern Indoor Football League: Albany rallies, rolls past Alabama, 68-51

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Albany Panthers wide receiver Antwontis Cutts (8) is introduced to the crowd as walks down onto the field prior to their game against the Alabama Hammers on Saturday, June 11, 2011.

by Walter L. Johnson II

Are you ready for some home cooking?

The Albany Panthers are ready for it. They had to overcome an early two-touchdown deficit to defeat the Alabama Hammers in their home regular season finale, 68-51, at the Albany Civic Center Saturday night.

With the win, the Panthers finished the regular season at 10-2, and will be seeded second for the opening round of the Southern Indoor Football League playoffs that will start next weekend.

Albany will host the Erie Explosion to open the SIFL playoffs.  A loss could have forced the Panthers to travel to Pennsylvania for postseason play as the No. 3 seed.

Things started off badly for Albany, as Charles McClain returned the opening kickoff 46 yards for the game’s first touchdown.  That gave the Hammers an early 7-0 lead.

Another touchdown catch from McClain later in the opening period gave the visiting team a 20-13 lead.  Alabama built its largest lead of the contest at 27-13 on a one-yard touchdown run from Henry Freeman with just under ten minutes to play in the first half. 

Trailing 34-25 at halftime, Panthers head coach Lucious Davis lit a fire under his team, sparking a tremendous rally in the second half.

“At halftime, we just talked about doing what we’re supposed to do, (and) executing,” Davis said. “I don’t think we executed well in the first half at times.  But once we turned on, and did things right, everything looked good.”

Things definitely started to look good for the Panthers once the second half started, as Levance Richmond gave the home team good field position on the opening kickoff. 

That return set up the first score of the second half, as quarterback Cecil Lester connected with wide receiver Antwone Savage for a 20-yard touchdown pass just 34 seconds into it, closing the gap to 34-32.

The Panthers went ahead to stay later in the third period on a 14-yard Lester strike to Clenton Rafe, giving them a 41-37 lead.  Richmond later returned one of his three interceptions for a touchdown more than a minute later, increasing that advantage to 47-37.

“I saw (the ball) coming off the wall, and I just stayed with the play,” explained Richmond after the game.  “As long as the play was live, I just kept (going), and I returned it for a touchdown.”

Albany continued to build its lead in the closing seconds, even getting a four-point drop kick from Boyer with just 34 seconds to play, giving the Panthers the 17-point victory.

With the No. 2 seed, and home-field advantage now sealed for the Panthers, Davis says it’s a one-game season.

“We just got to out and executive now,” Davis said. “Now, it’s do or die, no next week, so we just have to go out (next) week and win.”