New Orleans – It was just like old times in New Orleans with another championship decided.
It was just like old times for the San Jose SaberCats with another title won.
The SaberCats beat the Columbus Destroyers 55-33 in Sunday’s ArenaBowl to earn their third Arena League title in six years. It was the first team championship decided in the city since Hurricane Katrina hit in August 2005.
“We don’t want to call ourselves a dynasty,” said wide receiver James Roe, who scored two touchdowns. “That’s for you to do. We’ll take it, though.”
The SaberCats (16-3), the most successful AFL franchise this decade, capped a 13-game, 3 1/2-month winning streak. Columbus (10-10), seeking its first ArenaBowl title, won three consecutive road games to reach the final.
“Everyone was talking about Columbus and how they had beaten a one, two and three seed,” SaberCats coach Darren Arbet said. “All we did was keep our mouths shut and play.”
San Jose was held to its lowest scoring total of the playoffs, but the SaberCats’ defense offset that by holding Columbus 30 points below its postseason average.
San Jose quarterback Mark Grieb passed for 218 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions. He was named the game’s most valuable player.
Columbus quarterback Matt Nagy completed 24-of-43 passes for 203 yards and four touchdowns, with two interceptions.
“Safe to say, the last five weeks we were in a really good rhythm,” Nagy said. “We wanted to keep it going for another week, but San Jose wouldn’t let us.”
San Jose took the lead for good in the second quarter when Trestin George returned a kickoff 56 yards for a touchdown to break a 14-14 tie.
Then, on a fourth-and-1 play, Grieb found George Williams with a shovel pass, giving the SaberCats a 27-14 halftime advantage.
The San Jose defense kept the Destroyers out of the end zone for nearly 11 minutes to end the first half. Columbus averaged 50.1 points this season, 63 points in the playoffs.
