Game Summary/Box Score
June 2, 2007 Great Falls Gladiators at Helena Titans @ Vigilante Stadium

HELENA 13 GREAT FALLS 8

HELENA – The Helena Titans took the first step to getting back into the RMFL playoffs with a hard-fought, defensive struggle victory over rival Great Falls Gladiators, 13-8.

Titan quarterback, Steve Kurshner, had another solid game in leading the Titan offense against the #3 ranked AA defense, passing for 159 yards and two touchdowns against no interceptions as the Titans overcame an early 2-0 deficit to come from behind and hold on against a Gladiator offense that may have “woke up” in time for a big show down in Great Falls next week.

After Gladiator defensive tackle, Dave Moore, broke through and dropped Kurshner for a safety VERY early in the game, neither team could muster a score until late in the first half when Kurshner found his new, young, star receiver, A.J. Varela for a 19-yard touchdown to erase the 2-0 deficit and give the Titans the 7-2 halftime lead… a lead, however, that would remain precariously in effect for most of the remainder of the game.

It was not until midway through the 4th quarter when Kurshner found the teams leading receiver, Freddie Brown on a big 56-yard pass play that the Titan lead seemed a bit more comfortable at 13-2.

Gladiator quarterback, Brad Thurber, in perhaps his best game of the season, would not, however, be denied.  Thurber engineered a last gasp comeback, that included a 23-yard touchdown toss to Jermaine Saunders with just under 3 minutes to go in the game to pull the Gladiators to within 13-8.  The Titans, however, were able to secure the ball… and the victory at home and remain alive for a 2007 playoff spot, after missing the playoffs in 2006.

Great Gladiator defensive efforts were turned in my Moore, with the sack/safety and Mike Pease, who recorded 5 tackles and two sacks to keep the Titans in check with only 221 total net yards.

The Titans improving defense received another solid effort from league-leading tackler, Tiff Meyers, who recorded another 5 tackles, including two sacks in the game.  Bob Anderson lead all tacklers in the game with 6 and Terry Hiatt recorded two sacks of his own on Thurber as the Titans held the struggling Gladiator offense to just over 200 net yards.

The Titan victory sets up a showdown in Great Falls. The winner of that game will enter the 2007 playoffs as the #3 seed of the Northern Conference.

Great Falls Gladiators

2

0

0

6

8

Helena Titans

0

7

0

6

13

 

 
Scoring Summary:


First Quarter:

GREAT FALLS: Safety – Dave Moore tackled Kurshner in end zone 14:14


Second Quarter:

HELANA: A.J. Varela 19-yard pass from Kurshner (Petroski kick) 3:26


Fourth Quarter:

HELENA: Freddie Brown 56-yard pass from Kurshner (kick blocked) 7:48
GREAT FALLS: Jermaine Saunders 23-yard pass from Thurber (run failed) 2:57

 

 

 

 

GREAT FALLS

HELENA

 

First Downs

6

15

 

Rushes-Yds

28

53

20

82

 

Passing

7--18--2

13--27--0

 

Passing Yds.

176

159

 

Sacked-Yds

4

25

3

20

 

Net Passing Yds.

151

139

 

Total Yds.

204

221

 

Punts - Avg.

6-52-7

5-43.0

 

Penalties -Yds

10

105

10

70

 

Fumbles - Lost

1

1

2

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Individual Stats:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rushing:

 

 

 

 

 

Player -Team

Tot. Att.

Tot. Yds

TD's

2 pts.

 

Keith Deboo - Great Falls

14

25

0

0

 

Brad Thurber - Great Falls

5

17

0

0

 

Yahreen Collins - Great Falls

7

7

0

0

 

Mike Pease - Great Falls

2

4

0

0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Derek Burch - Helena

13

49

0

0

 

Luke Barrett - Helena

2

16

0

0

 

A.J. Varela - Helena

2

12

0

0

 

Steve Kurshner - Helena

3

5

0

0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Passing:

 

 

 

 

 

Player

Comp.

Att.

Yds

TD's

Int.

Brad Thurber - Great Falls

7

18

176

1

2

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steve Kurshner - Helena

13

27

159

2

0

 

 

 

 

 

 

Receiving:

 

 

 

 

 

Player

Recepts.

Yards

Td's

2 pts.

 

Mike Tudor - Great Falls

1

77

0

0

 

Randy Standley - Great Falls

2

60

0

0

 

Jermaine Saunders - Great Falls

2

37

1

0

 

Tony Estep - Great Falls

1

4

0

0

 

Keith Deboo - Great Falls

1

-2

0

0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Freddie Brown - Helena

5

134

1

0

 

A.J. Varela - Helena

2

37

0

0

 

Derek Burch -Helena

3

4

0

0

 

Reggie Stanfield - Helena

2

-14

0

0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Defense:

 

 

 

 

 

Player

Tackles

Sacks

Intercepts

TD's

 

Mike Pease - Great Falls

5

2

0

0

 

Dave Moore - Great Falls

5

1

0

0

 

Steve Brown - Great Falls

4.5

0

0

0

 

David Craig - Great Falls

3.5

0

0

0

 

Chris White - Great Falls

3

0

0

0

 

Lee Dresch - Great Falls

3

0

0

0

 

Jarhod Matlock - Great Falls

3

0

0

0

 

Joe Klein - Great Falls

2

0

0

0

 

Eric McGowan - Great Falls

2

0

0

0

 

Yahreen Collins - Great Falls

1.5

0

0

0

 

Chris Pattee - Great Falls

1

0

0

0

 

James McGriff - Great Falls

1

0

0

0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bob Anderson - Helena

6

0

0

0

 

Tiff Meyers - Helena

5

2

0

0

 

Spencer Steiner - Helena

5

0