Albany Empire win finale for No. 1 AFL playoff seed
ALBANY, N.Y. » The Albany Empire (8- 4) Arena Football team defeated the Philadelphia Soul (75) 71-57 in front of 10,082 fans at the Times Union Center to clinch the top seed of the Arena Football League playoffs.
The Empire will travel to Washington on Saturday, July 14 to battle the Valor in Game 1 of the Playoff Series. The Empire will host the Valor in Game 2 of the Series in Albany at the Times Union Center on Saturday, July 21 at 7:30pm. The team highest aggregate score of the two playoff games will advance to ArenaBowl XXXI. With tonight’s attendance, should the Empire advance to the championship game, they would host the ArenaBowl at the Times Union Center on Saturday, July 28. Tickets for the July 21st Playoff game are on sale now at TheAlbanyEmpire.com.
Empire quarterback Tommy Grady went 21-for29 passing for 239 yards and eight passing touchdowns earning himself the game MVP award. Empire receiver Joe Hills led all receivers with 10 catches for 106 yards and four touchdowns being named Offensive Player of the Game. Hills continued his active streak of 92 consecutive games with a touchdown reception; a league record. Empire jack linebacker Terence Moore had four total tackles and one interception being named Defensive
Player of the Game.
The high scoring affair once again had late game drama.
Philadelphia scored late in the fourth quarter and then took advantage of the Albany Empire defensive set for the ensuing kick-off.
Philadelphia kicked it deep with no Empire player back to recover and dove on top of the ball in the end zone for another quick touchdown to come within six points.
The Albany Empire special teams unit would not be duped again, recovering the Soul on-side kick attempt and controlled the ball on the Philadelphia sixyard line with 32 seconds remaining in the contest.
On second down, Grady found Hills in the corner of the end zone on a fade and after successfully converting the two-point conversion, the game was all but over. With 20 seconds remaining in the game, the Soul offense took the field from their own nineyard line. On the first play, Soul QB Dan Raudabaugh found Aaron Wascha over the middle who carried the ball down to the Empire 12yard line as the Soul used their second time out. Following two consecutive incomplete passes, Raudabaugh was intercepted by Moore who added to his league lead with six interceptions on the season as time expired.