by Walter L. Johnson II
The Albany Panthers are the 2011 Southern Indoor Football League champions!
They won their first-ever professional football championship after outlasting the Louisiana Swashbucklers, 69-48, in the SIFL title game at the Albany Civic Center Saturday night.
Albany (13-2) won the title despite a controversial change in the score at halftime. Kicker Geoff Boyer made three drop kick extra points during the first half, which were actually worth one point each, instead of two points.
As a result, the home team trailed 27-21, instead of 27-24 going into the second half.
Panthers head coach Lucious Davis took the controversy in stride.
“There was nothing I could do about it,” Davis said. “It was the right call by the officials, so we just got through with it, and we just had to keep battling.
Both teams did find themselves in a battle, for much of the first half, as the Panthers led for all but the last 15 seconds of it.
A late interception from quarterback Cecil Lester helped set up the go-ahead touchdown for Louisiana (10-5).
Sammy Knight, who started at quarterback for the Swashbucklers, wasted no time in capitalizing on that Albany turnover, taking it straight into the end zone on a designed play. That score actually broke a 21-21 tie, and it gave the visitors an actual six-point lead going into intermission.
The controversy over the actual halftime score ultimately meant nothing as far as the eventual outcome was concerned, said Panthers general manager Will Carter.
“It was a rule that we were able to kick (for a) drop kick all year long,” Carter said, “and it was always two points, and for whatever reason, they said that it wasn’t good this week.
“But, hey, it didn’t matter,” Carter added. “We just had to play football, and came out here, and played, and still won the game.”
The second half saw a total turning of the tables for both teams, as the Panthers defense started making the critical stops when it had to.
After forcing a three-and-out early in the third quarter, Albany went ahead to stay almost five minutes into the period on a touchdown, plus a subsequent two-point conversion, at 29-27.
The Panthers later added another touchdown, followed by an “uno”, giving them their largest lead of the contest at 36-27, with just under eight minutes to play in the period.
The Swashbucklers got no closer than two points in the final period, as the Panthers built their largest lead at 21 points en route to the championship win.
Both Carter and Davis are allowing the reality of winning a championship to sink in.
“It’s just so real,” Carter said. “I can’t believe it has completely hit me.
"This is a great feeling, this is great for the city of Albany and surrounding counties. Our fans are great; we had over 7,400 some odd fans in the Civic Center (Saturday).
“They were amazing; they were in the game all night long. Great ownership (in) Rod Chappell, head coach Lucious Davis, great staff (director of community development) Elizabeth Faircloth, (it was) a complete team effort.”
Davis also had good feelings from bringing the SIFL title to Albany.
“It feels good,” Davis said. “We worked hard all season, and my guys, we deserve it.
“I’m so grateful to have those guys to come back, I thank God for giving me this opportunity.”
