Lopsided Win in Sabercats Home Opener

Smoke went off, steams of lights filled the air while over 10,000 fans watched in aww as the 2007 area bowl trophy was brought back to San Jose.

“A lot of fans weren’t able to go to New Orleans with us,” said Mark Grieb for Area Bowl XXI last July. “Before the game the crowd was just great. They cheered when the trophy came out and the banner came down. It was fun for them.”

After the opening festivities there was still a game to be played for the Sabercats home debut between the one-time nemesis Arizona. These games usually end up as a nail bitter but the Sabercats sailed easily past the Rattlers in a 63-43 finish.

San Jose for the past six meetings with the Rattlers came out on top every time.

The season started out in a ruff beginning for the Sabercats (2-1) as they lost their season opener in such a lopsided ending.

When halftime of this home opener came the score was already 27-7 and was shaping up to be a complete blow out by the Sabercats. But this is the AFL and the scores can change rapidly.
Thanks to a two interceptions thrown by Mark Grieb, the Sabercats gave the Rattlers some hope letting them score 36 points bring the Sabercats lead to 10.

Both teams really did not shine in this game, displaying some obvious rusty areas in their games.

In a sport where offense usually dominants, the real story was the great play of Haglund, the kicker, put up four field goals throughout the game. These field goals were just what the Sabercats needed to allow them to separate the score from the Rattlers.

“Kickers get a lot of work in this game, but usually not field goals, “ said Haglund, who only attempted 18 field goals last season. “Four of them was crazy.”

The offense wasn’t on their A-game but thanks to the great play of the defense, with their three interception and two fumble recoveries they did not have to be.

“We did just enough on offense to get the win,” Grieb said. “I wish we had been more crisp, but it was what it was. Fortunately our defense cam up big.”

Even though the trophy ceremony was the talk of the beginning of the game the Sabercats gave the fans all they wanted to see, a great home opening win.