Georgia Force season ends with 73-70 loss to Cleveland

Monday July 7, 2008

DULUTH, GA – The 2008 Southern Division Champion, Georgia Force, were knocked out of the playoffs with a 73-70 loss to the Cleveland Gladiators. Despite a valiant effort, Georgia could not overcome an 11-point fourth quarter deficit to extend their season. Force QB Chris Greisen completed 29 of 39 passes for 343 yards with eight touchdowns and was named Offensive Player of the Game for his efforts in the loss. WR Troy Bergeron tallied 217 all-purpose yards as he hauled in 14 catches for 178 yards with four touchdowns and adding 39 rushing yards on five attempts on the ground.
 
In a quarter that was littered by turnovers and trick plays, Georgia held a 14-7 lead going into the second quarter of action. Georgia’s opening possession ended with a fumble by WR Carl Morris on the tree-yard line, but the Gladiators returned the favor by fumbling the snap two plays later and Force LB Will Thompson recovered. The Force capitalized as Greisen found rookie WR Tiger Jones for the game’s first score. FB/LB Joshua Rue pounded the ball in from two yards on out for Cleveland’s score on their next drive. The score was set-up by a fake field goal attempt by the Gladiators that they recovered. Georgia capped the quarter off with a four-yard strike from Greisen to Bergeron.
 
The second quarter saw 61 combined points scored as the Force led the Gladiators 42-40 at halftime. Georgia’s 28 points scored in the quarter set a franchise playoff record for points scored in the second quarter, surpassing the previous mark of 23 set on 5/21/06 at New York. Bergeron added two more scores in the quarter to bring his total to three for the game and had tallied seven grabs for 92 yards with three touchdowns in the first half. Gladiators QB Raymond Philyaw threw four touchdowns in the quarter to help Cleveland keep pace.
 
Cleveland outscored Georgia, 20-7, in the third quarter and held a 60-49 lead heading into the final quarter of play. Philyaw added two touchdown passes to his total in the quarter and Rue added a score from 10 yards out. Jones hauled in an eight-yard touchdown pass for Georgia’s only score of the quarter.
 
Georgia rallied to score 21 points in the fourth quarter, but failed to recover an onside kick in the final seconds as they fell 73-70. Despite two touchdown passes by Greisen and a rushing score from FB/LB Matt Huebner, Georgia was unable to overcome an 11-point fourth quarter deficit.