Valor Fall to Defending Champion Soul, 49-31
Saturday April 22, 2017
Mike Washington goes for 125 yards and two touchdowns in loss
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Washington Valor dropped their first game of the season Saturday night, a 49-31 loss to the defending champion Philadelphia Soul at Verizon Center. Valor QB Erik Meyer and WR Mike Washington continued to display an early-season rapport, connecting for two more first half touchdowns.
"Good first half for us,” Valor Head Coach Dean Cokinos said. “The game is all about possessions, so as we saw in the second half, they made more plays than we did. The game is about controlling the football and when you give it up on offense the game turns quickly.”
The Valor started strong, opening the game on a 14-0 run, sparked by a 4th-and-inches touchdown run from backup QB Bernard Morris on the team’s opening drive. Washington followed with its first defensive touchdown in team history as DB Tracy Belton intercepted and returned Soul QB Dan Raudabaugh’s pass on the 8-yard-line. Philadelphia got on the board with 8:27 in the first quarter when Raudabaugh hit receiver Darius Reynolds for the 34-yard touchdown. Washington closed the first quarter on the first of Mike Washington’s two touchdowns of the game, a 16-yard reception he gathered off a deflection of teammate T.T. Toliver’s hands.
The team’s traded scores and the Valor entered halftime with a 31-28 lead. Washington struggled to generate offense in the second half while Soul WR Shaun Kauleinamoku hauled in two second half touchdowns, leading Philadelphia to a 49-31 final.
“We just didn't make enough plays, but we're going to learn,” Cokinos explained. “We'll learn from this game and we'll move on to Cleveland next week. It was a good second step for us as an organization.”
Next for the Valor is it franchise’s first road game. Washington heads to Cleveland for a matchup with the Gladiators with kickoff set for 7 p.m. on Fri. April 28 at Quicken Loans Arena. The game will be broadcast on Monumental Sports Network.
KEY STAT: Philadelphia scored touchdowns on all three of their red zone opportunities, while Washington managed only one touchdown and one field goal in five red zone chances.
KEY MOMENT: With 0:56 remaining in the third quarter, Soul defensive back James Romain returned a TC Steven missed field goal attempt 51 yards for a Soul touchdown, giving Philadelphia its first lead of the game, 28-24.
MVP: Philadelphia QB Dan Raudabaugh – 23/36 passing for 247 yards and five touchdowns
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME: Washington WR Mike Washington – Nine receptions for 125 yards and two touchdowns
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME: Philadelphia DB James Romain – Six total tackles (five solo) and a pass break-up to go along with a 51-yard missed field goal returned for a touchdown
ADDITIONAL QUOTES
VALOR HEAD COACH DEAN COKINOS
On what went wrong:
"Good first half for us. The game is all about possessions, so as we saw in the second half they made more plays than we did. The game is about controlling the football, and when you give it up on offense the game turns quickly. Same thing for defense, we had our hands on a lot of balls in the second half. We just didn't make enough plays, but we're going to learn. This is our first time together, playing a little bit of adversity. We'll learn from this game and we'll move on to Cleveland next week. It was a good second step for us as an organization."
On what they did well despite the loss:
"We really played pretty sound. The things that hurt us were critical third and fourth downs on defense. We were on the verge of changing the game again and the little penalties hurt us, but we played pretty good as a unit on defense and same thing on offense. The biggest thing for us is that we played together, we still stayed together. We didn't get a couple of calls, we didn't make a couple of plays and we didn't play well in the second half. I think in the first half we played really well as a team- offense, defense and special teams. We have to learn to play in tighter situations in the second half. They're a good team, they have a lot of veteran players that have been playing together, and it showed. When things go array they stay together, we kind of fumbled and bumbled a little bit in the third quarter, but we'll learn from this."
On what he wants DC to know about this team:
"They're going to play the full 60 minutes. Our whole thing is 21 guys will play 60 minutes, and they did. They played really hard. We had some guys go down, Mike Washington was in and out of the game a little bit. We had a couple of other guys get dinged up but they all played together, they played the full 60 minutes. They played together, so that's all we're asking. We're going to build the organization."
VALOR QUARTERBACK ERIK MEYER
On converting in the red zone:
“We have to put the ball in the end zone. Field goals are not going to cut it. It is my job to get the receivers the ball and put it in the right spot where they can make a play, and tonight I did not do that and this loss falls on me.”
On what he can take from this game despite the loss against the defending champions:
“Just learn from our mistakes. I know it is cliché but we have to go watch the film, learn from our mistakes, we have to get on the same page as an offense. We are not in sync, we are not in rhythm on offense, and we have to do a lot better than that.”
VALOR WIDE RECEIVER MIKE WASHINGTON
On the fans showing support and the turnout:
“I hope the DMV area continues to come out and show support. This is amazing. They show tremendous support for all the teams but for the first time for Arena Football, you could not ask for anything more. We feed off the crowd, we feed off that energy, and the more the better.”
SOUL DEFENSIVE BACK DWAYNE HOLLIS:
On playing in front of his friends and family:
"It was great. I actually came to the first Valor game and I liked the crowd they had in here. I knew they supported the D.C. team pretty well. I think I had about 60 people from my family and high school that have never seen me play in my hometown, so it felt good to come home."
