Knights Snap Losing Streak
Keith Murphy
Sunday May 29, 2005
The win breaks a four game losing streak for Macon and is the first for Knights’ new head coach Derek Stingley. "The guys executed well today. We had a good week of practice and I told them that I felt that we as a coaching staff prepared better this week because there wasn’t a lot of distractions like there was last week. I think that helped. I know the players felt comfortable with this game plan and they really executed it to a T in all phases of the game including special teams, as you saw."
As for picking up his first victory as a head coach, Stingley said, "I feel great right now, I really do. I’m so relieved. I was still kind of nervous even with one minute left in the game. I know how arena ball is. I just wanted that clock to go down to zero so I could celebrate. I feel good right now."
The star of the game was Macon’s defensive specialist and kick returner Matt Jackson who not only rolled up a team record 221 return yards and returned a team record two kickoffs for touchdowns, he intercepted a pass and made six tackles. "Matt actually played out of position tonight," Stingley explained, "I had him at defensive specialist. Normally he would be a two-way player but I was a little dinged-up in the secondary. Matt stepped up. He said he didn’t mind playing wherever I wanted him to play he said it was all about team for him and he proved it tonight."
Jackson gave the credit for his record-breaking performance to his teammates. "Our blockers did a great job blocking for me and opened up some holes. Even the ones that I stumbled on I had a chance to break them out. I thought we did a great job opening up holes and it’s all a credit to those guys."
After weeks of dismal play by the line, the Knights, after a rough first quarter, controlled the trenches. They provided protection for Macon quarterback Lionel Hayes while keeping the pressure on Arkansas quarterback Travis Motley. Stingley was pleased with the improved line play. "Our coaches have done a good job with the line. They’ve really paid close attention to that and it really showed today. Those guys worked hard even last game; you saw the improvement from last game to this game, now I’m hoping that they can continue to gel that way and continue to have success throughout the year."
Knights’ quarterback Lionel Hayes was the primary beneficiary of the improved line play, "I loved it. I think the line did a good job of protecting tonight. They didn’t give up any sacks. They did a good job all around." Due to the success of Macon’s special teams and defense, Hayes’ numbers were down a bit. He completed just15 of 25 passes on the evening for 158 yards and 5 touchdowns. He also threw three interceptions. His counterpart, Arkansas quarterback Travis Motley, completed 23 of 48 passes for 255 yards and 5 scores. Motley surrendered four interceptions.
Hosea Laney led the Knights’ defensive assault with two interceptions and eight tackles and he said that Macon was ready for the Twisters’ offense. "We had a good game plan. We stuck with it. We tried to focus on what they do and Coach Sting did a great job with the game plan. Everything they ran tonight we was on it."
The win is an important one for the Knights if they are to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. "This was very important." Jackson explained. "This was a division win, so we’re still alive in our division. It’s the first home win for coach Stingley. We just wanted to come out and win from here on out."
With the win, the Knights improve their record to 3-6 and keep their playoff hopes alive. They next travel north to take on Manchester before returning home June 11 to host Bossier-Shreveport. Arkansas falls to 1-7 on the season. The Twisters next play host to Memphis.
Dr. Murphy has nearly 20 years of media experience ranging from radio to the Internet. He has served as webmaster for two AF2 teams and the football team at Fort Valley State University. He is a professor at FVSU and directs www.bunniwerks.org, a non-profit rabbit rescue organization. He has been commissioned as a Kentucky Colonel. Murphy is also serving as a first party editor of af2 stories for ArenaFfan. For more information about Dr. Murphy see: www.keithmurphy.info
