Bandits throttle Vipers, tie two records

Bandits 63, Vipers 24

The Bandits overcame a couple of bad bounces early, took advantage of one later, and steamrolled the Chattahoochee Valley Vipers in the second half to win convincingly Saturday night. Richmond played short ball and long ball early, scoring their first two touchdowns on a one play, one yard drive (after a blocked field goal by Lawrence Lewis) and a six play, 49-yarder to go up 13-0. After the Vipers got in the end zone, their kickoff line-drived off Shernard Newby and bounced right back to a Viper, giving them a chance to tie the game. Unable to do so, the Vipers got the ball back after a Robbie Jenkins pass bounced off Bryan Still's hands, off the wall, and into the arms of defensive lineman Darion Damron. That Valley drive was thwarted by a Shannon Davis interception which he returned 30 yards for a touchdown. The Vipers eventually put together their best drive of the night to pull within two points with five seconds left in the first half. After a touchback, Jenkins threw a bomb to Redd Thompson that was tipped by a Viper defender and plucked out of midair by Marcus Richardson, who was trailing the play, for a touchdown. The Bandits poured it on in the second half, holding the Vipers to just three points and stopping them on their last six possessions.

Player of the Game: Brandon Isaiah, who rushed for 43 yards and a record-tying five touchdowns. Despite running at a defense that was designed to stop the run, Isaiah dominated as the Vipers tired late in the game and became the first true running back in the AIFL to score five TDs in one game.

Offensive Stars: Redd Thompson followed up his Offensive Player of the Week performance with an eight reception, 144 yard effort. He caught one of Robbie Jenkins' three TD passes, amongst a 14 for 24, 248 yard game.

Defensive Stars: Shannon Davis had three interceptions and Alfred Dubose had a sack and numerous tackles for loss early. The rest of the secondary could also be mentioned, as the other four D-backs had an interception each to contribute to the Bandits' record-tying seven INTs.

Other Links:	Times-Dispatch bare bones
	AIFL blurb
	One and a half of the five W's

Next: at Daytona Beach Thunder, Saturday 7pm