by
David Leong
Special to the Times
...Auburn's
Panthers established themselves as the best team in semipro football
by bowling over the Chicago Cowboys 34-0 yester-
day in a game billed as Champions Bowl I.
...By winning, the Panthers claimed
the 1986 American Minor League Football Association national championship.
...Auburn, the Northwest Football Alliance
champion with a 15-0 record this season and undefeated
(43-0) for the past three years,
routed the Midwest Metropolitan Football League's champion from
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River
Grove, Ill. The Cowboys
finished 11-1 this year, with a
three year record of 36-3.
..."It (the game) wasn't
indica-
tive of the way we've been play-
ing," said Chicago coach Gene
Nudo. "We did the best we could.
Our ballplayers tried. Our ball-
players tried their best."
..."Their team controlled our linemen,"
said Nudo, trying to
explain how Auburn quarterback Roy Medley was able to complete
19 of 26 passes for 288 yards and
four touchdowns.
...Three of the touchdown passes
went to star wide receiver Harry
Washington Jr., who finished the
day with seven receptions and 145 yards. |
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..."We
were serious. We wanted
it. We were ready for them," said
Washington.
...Auburn gained 472 yards, 101
rushing and 371 passing compared to the Cowboys' 180 total.
...Auburn's Darryl Baines rushed
for 76 yards on 10 carries, includ-
ing a 60-yard scoring dash with
7:12 left in the second quarter for
the Panthers' second touchdown.
..."It's hard to dispute the fact
that these are the two best teams,"
NFA Commissioner Michael
Highsmith said when asked how
this championship game was determined. "Nobody can hold a candle
to the Cowboys, except
the Auburn Panthers." |