By
GREG JOHNS Sports Writer.
…..Dynasties
aren't built in two years, but the Auburn Panthers have laid a pretty
solid foundation.
…..The Panthers claimed their second
straight Northwest Football Alliance championship Saturday night with
a 19-3 victory over the Salem Stars.
…..While the win was less-than-artistic,
it again showed the Panthers have no peer in the NFA. Auburn has never
lost in 27 games since forming the men's amateur franchise in 1984.
…..The Panthers will try some new
competition Nov. 9 when they travel to San Jose, Calif., to meet the
San Jose Bandits of the California League.
…..The Panthers, who had beaten
Salem 58-8 four weeks ago in a regular season game, squandered numerous-chances
to roll up a bigger margin in Saturday's title match.
…..The Panthers totaled 393 yards
of offense while limiting Salem to 61 yards and four first downs.
But after taking a 17-0 halftime lead, Auburn could manage only a
safety in the second half.
…..Salem played the first three
quarters without quarterback Steve Smith, the league's total offense
leader this year. Smith, former Oregon State University starter, inexplicably
didn't arrive at the game until 13:35 remained.
….."Steve Smith is Steve Smith,"
Salem coach Hubert Phillips tried to explain. "It really took
our team by surprise to be without him. If he'd been there, it would
have been closer." |
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…..The
Panthers were the first to agree.
….."Sure, it made a big difference,"
said linebacker Mark Madland. 'Without him, they had to run the ball.
I still think we would have beaten them, but it would have been closer."
…..But Auburn coach Steve Harshman
was quick to point out the Stars generated no offense with or without
Smith.
…..In the first half, the Stars
totaled 10 yards of offense and no first downs. Wide receiver Reggie
Jack-son, filling in at quarterback, attempted just one pass (it was
incomplete) and was sacked once for minus-18 yards. He wound up 2-of-5
for 35 yards. Smith was 2-of-11 for 19 yards in the final quarter.
…..With the Stars' offense rendered
impotent by Auburn's defense, the biggest question was when Auburn
would put together its own offensive attack.
…..The Panthers' only offensive
points came in the second quarter. The frustration began early, when
Auburn quarterback Ed Armstrong had a 21-yard touchdown pass to Steve
Kaiser called back by a clipping penalty at the 4.
…..Auburn wound up empty in that
series when place kicker Paul Schwabe, who flew up from his new job
in California for the championship game, missed a 36-yard field goal.
…..But the floodgates opened in
the second quarter as the Panthers finally took advantage of good
field position.
…..Armstrong passed 19 yards to
Harry Washington for the first |
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score,
capping a 29-yard drive set up by a short punt. Washington wound up
with eight receptions.
…..Salem, begging for a first down,
went on fourth-and-2 from its own 28 on its next series, but was stopped
short. The Panthers moved to first-and-goal at the 6, but eventually
settled for a 22-yard Schwabe field goal.
…..Three minutes later, the Panthers
scored again following a 51-yard I drive which was highlighted by
a 44- yard pass from Armstrong to Washington. Armstrong, who completed
14-of-28 passes for 198 yards on the night scored from the 1 to make
it 17-0 at the half.
…..That turned out to be Auburn's
final touchdown, despite a second half filled with opportunities.
…..The Panthers lost four fumbles
in the second half, including one at Salem's 8 by Armstrong and another
at the 27 by Darryl Baines. Back-up quarterback Craig Maley threw
an interception at the goal line on a third-and-goal from the 5. Running
back Steve Kaiser had an 89 -yard TD run called back by clipping penalty.
…..It was that kind of night for
the Panthers. But in the end, it was a championship.
….."Toward the end of the game
I was really feeling frustrated. I wasn't feeling good about ending
the season this way," said Harshman. "But I had to stop
and put my priorities in place. Like Al Davis (owner of the Los Angeles
Raiders) says, 'Just win, baby."' |