Steam cleans up in OT win against Tomcats
April 22,2001
By Doug Gibson, roanokesteam.com

ROANOKE, Va.--Josh Jones kicked a 22-yard field goal in overtime to lift the Roanoke Steam to 50-47 overtime victory against the visiting Jacksonville Tomcats in Saturday's action. Jones' game-winning kick was redemption for his missed field goal in the closing seconds that would have won the game as time expired.

The victory ended Roanoke's early-season skid (1-2) and gave Steam coach Steven Jerry his first win as a head coach.

The loss dropped Jacksonville (2-1) from the ranks of the few undefeated teams in arenafootball2.

Tomcats QB Jeff McCrone’s first pass of the night was picked of by Roanoke’s Cory Clark. Three plays later, Steam QB Roy Johnson hit Kenan McWhorter in the end zone for a 7-0 Steam lead.

Jacksonville tied the game with 8:05 left in the first quarter when McCrone hot Micah Ross on a 15-yard strike. Roanoke regained the lead five minutes later as Johnson hit Willie Tillman for a 19-yard touchdown. Jacksonville came right back on the last play of the quarter with Fred Lester’s 4-yard touchdown run to knot the score 14-14 at the end of the opening quarter.

Lester put the Tomcats ahead 21-14 with his second touchdown run of the game--a three-yarder--before McCrone hit Ross on another 15 yard strike to make it 27-14 with five minutes left in the half.

Roanoke came right back with 3:43 left in the half when Johnson hit McWhorter in the corner of the end zone for a 13-yard touchdown to cut the deficit to 27-21. Jacksonville answered with 1:15 remaining in the half as McCrone completed his third touchdown of the half, this time a 10-yard strike to Richard Freeman to put the Tomcats ahead 33-21. Hunter’s dropkick point after failed.

Roanoke cut into the Jacksonville lead with just 16 seconds remaining in the half as Jared Smith reeled in an 11-yard pass from Johnson to make it 33-28. Robert Hunter’s field goal with two seconds remaining in the half missed and the Tomcats held a 33-28 halftime lead.

Roanoke jumped ahead in the third quarter as Loren Johnson stripped a Tomcats receiver and raced 16 yards to put the Steam ahead 34-33. Jacksonville jumped back ahead with 10:18 remaining in the third as Fred Lester scored his third touchdown of the game on a three-yard run.

With Roanoke ahead 47-39 late in the fourth quarter, Jacksonville sent the game into overtime when McCrone hit Anthony Bright on a 17-yard touchdown pass with 24 seconds remaining in the game. A drop kick for two points by Robert Hunter tied the game at 47-47.

Jacksonville had the first possession in overtime but Loren Johnson intercepted McCrone in the end zone and returned the ball 22 yards. That set the stage for Jones, whose 22-yard field goal five plays later seaed the win for Roanoke.

Roy Johnson was 20 for 41 passing for 256 yards and five touchdowns. Kenan McWhorter caught four passes for 78 yards and two touchdowns for Roanoke. Jared Smith also caught four passes, two of those being touchdowns.

Jeff McCrone was 24 for 35 passing for 282 yards and four touchdowns. Anthony Bright had ten receptions for 108 yards and a touchdown. Fred Lester added three rushing touchdowns for the Tomcats.

Roanoke travels to Richmond on Saturday to face the Speed. Richmond defeated Roanoke on opening night in Roanoke. Roanoke returns home Friday, May 4th to face the Norfolk Nighthawks at 7:30 PM.