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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.”
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