Empire clinch home field
Victory over Columbus locks up No. 1 seed throughout postseason
No need for the Albany Empire to have a travel agent. They have played their final road game of the National Arena League season.
The Empire clinched the No. 1 seed for the NAL playoffs Saturday night with a convincing 63-43 victory over the Columbus Lions at the Columbus (Ga.) Civic Center.
The victory assured Albany (6-1), which closes its regular season with a meaningless home game next Saturday against Jacksonville, of staying put at Times
Union Center throughout the postseason.
"This was like our Super Bowl," Empire coach Tom Menas said. "To be able to host all the way through, and no one can touch you now, that’s pretty special.”
Columbus (5-2) had its fivegame winning streak snapped, dating back to the season opener, when the Lions lost 65-60 in Albany.
“I kept telling you we don’t want to peak in June, July, we want to peak right around August," Menas said. "That is what’s happening. The veterans that we’ve brought in and the veterans that we have here are all bought in for each other. They realize it’s a players’ game, and they look after each other.”
The Empire got big contributions from two players who signed at the beginning of the week, fullback Jeramie Richardson and defensive back Varmah Sonie.
Richardson, signed after the Empire cut Derrick Ross, rushed 15 times for 50 yards and two touchdowns. Sonie had nine tackles and a pass breakup.
“I don’t mean to sound rude," Menas said, "but Ross who? Richardson just changed the
whole narrative. Now you really have to watch out for our run game, and he’s smart as a blocker and a protector.
“Sonie is like bringing Tom Brady in at quarterback. He was talking and steering guys and telling them where to go and do stuff, and he had been here a day. You can imagine after he gets a week under him.”
Tommy Grady was efficient, as usual, at quarterback for the Empire, completing 21 of 29 passes for 253 yards, although he was intercepted twice and threw for a season-low three touchdowns. That's partially because Albany scored five times rushing.
The biggest touchdown may have come on special teams late in the third quarter. After the Lions closed to within 43-36, an onside kick attempt by Craig Camay appeared to hit off one of the Columbus players and bounced into the end zone, where the Empire's Malik
Brown fell on it for a touchdown.
“All three phases played championship football," Menas said.
Albany produced touchdowns on five straight second-half possessions, keeping the Lions from getting closer than seven points.
Darius Prince found the end zone five times, three of them rushing. He finished with eight receptions for 128 yards.