Maryland Community Newspapers Online
In a matchup of the top two teams in the Atlantic Division, former Syracuse University quarterback Perry Patterson completed 17 of 28 passes for 149 and six touchdowns to lead the way for the Raiders. Maryland quarterback Bryson Spinner threw four TD passes, giving him 29 on the season. But after completing 15 of 19 passes for 175 yards in the first half, Spinner wasn't able to finish the game.
The Raiders' radio broadcast on WROC-AM in Rochester, N.Y., reported that Spinner was suffering from dehydration. He missed a series late in the second quarter, then returned to toss his fourth touchdown pass. But he did not play in the second half. Running back Darryl Overton and backup quarterback Joe Urso both took snaps in Spinner's place during the second half.
The teams played a wild first half that included two ties and three lead changes. Rochester led 36-33 at the break, but took control with a decisive third quarter performance. The Raiders held the ball for nearly the first six minutes of the third quarter and scored on a touchdown pass from Patterson to Rob Mager. The extra point kick made it a 43-33 Raiders' lead.
Rochester's Tarryl Gano intercepted Urso on the Maniacs' ensuing possession, and the Raiders took advantage of the opportunity as Patterson hit Mager again on a 13-yard scoring pass. Urso then tossed another interception, which Rochester's Chris Johnson returned for a touchdown, as the Raiders took a 57-33 lead.
Colin Nelson intercepted Patterson and returned the ball for a touchdown with 6:25 to go in the fourth quarter for the Maniacs' only points of the second half. Patterson threw his sixth scoring pass of the night to Jamil Porter with 3:47 to go, and the extra point made it 64-39.
Spinner threw first-half touchdown passes to Terry Moss, Raymond McCarter, Bruce Hocker and Overton, who also had a touchdown run in the first half. McCarter was knocked out of the game in the second half with a knee injury.
The Maniacs had a 21-14 lead after Patterson was called for intentional grounding in the end zone, giving Maryland a safety. But on the Maniacs' ensuing possession, Rochester's Makis Whitaker intercepted a Spinner pass and returned it to the Maryland 1-yard line. Patterson scored on a quarterback keeper, and the extra point tied it at 21-21.
The Maniacs answered on a 7-yard touchdown pass from Spinner to Hocker. The extra point failed, leaving Maryland ahead 27-21. But the lead – the Maniacs' last advantage of the night – was short-lived. Porter returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown, tying the score at 27-27.
With Spinner on the bench, Rochester took the lead for good when a snap from center went through Urso's hands and into the end zone, where Rochester's Eddie Bynes was credited for a safety.
The Raiders opened up a 36-27 lead with two minutes left in the first half on a Patterson touchdown pass to Mike Maciejewski. But the Maniacs answered, as Spinner returned and hit Overton for a 33-yard touchdown pass. A two-point conversion attempt failed, but the Maniacs recovered an onside kick. They appeared to tie the game on a Justin Willis field goal in the final seconds of the second quarter, but the play was nullified by a penalty. Pushed back 10 yards, Willis had his attempt blocked on the final play of the first half. The Maniacs were called for 11 penalties that cost them 92 yards in the first half.
Maryland lost its first two games of the season, then won 10 in a row before finishing with two consecutive losses for a 10-4 regular season mark. Rochester (8-4) still has two games left to play in the regular season, but the Maniacs own the tiebreaker, as they beat the Raiders in two of the teams' three head-to-head meetings. Maryland will open the IFL playoffs the weekend of July 24-25 at Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro.