Following last week's bizarre overtime loss to the Stockton
Lightning, the Green Bay Blizzard could have used the deflating
experience as an excuse to hang their heads and point fingers at one
another, and they could have looked past a 1-8 opponent to next
week's rematch with the division-leading Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
Pioneers. But all week long the coaches preached one thing in
practice: amnesia. Forget what happened in the last game and get
ready for the South Georgia Wildcats. That's exactly what they did,
going into the Albany Civic Center and coming out with a heart-
stopping 52-50 win.

The Wildcats have struggled all season, and were 1-8 coming in to
Saturday night's game against the Blizzard. Still, they came out
swinging and gave the Blizzard just about al they could handle.
Right off the bat, the 'Cats won the toss, received the ball and
took a 7-0 lead on a quick 2-yard TD run. The Blizzard, however,
were just as game, and they came right back as FB/LB Peter "The
Animal" Lazare would even the score at 7-7 with his 12th rushing TD
of the season.

The Blizzard would come up with a defensive stop and tally another
quick score to take a 14-7 lead, but the Wildcats would answer with
another TD of their own. This time 'Cats K Dan Burnett would miss
the PAT, and the Blizzard would remain in the lead 14-13.

On the ensuing Blizzard possession, the 'Cats would seemingly turn
the tide by intercepting QB Ronnie Gordon deep in their own
territory, but an illegal defense penalty would give the Blizzard a
second chance. The penalty would only prolong the same outcome, as
the 'Cats defense would hold and force a long FG attempt, which was
missed by K Dallas Pelz. At the end of the 1st quarter, the Blizzard
would hold a slim 14-13 lead.

It wouldn't last long, as the Wildcats would score less than a
minute unto the 2nd quarter on a long TD reception by WR/LB Chris
McKinney. The PAT would be blocked, and the 'Cats would only lead by
5 points, 19-14.

The Blizzard response would be quick and decisive, as Lazare would
bull his way through the Wildcats defensive line only a few plays
later for a 1-yard TD and a 21-19 Blizzard lead.

The next series would underscore the overall theme of the night.
Both teams suffered numerous untimely penalties, dropped passes and
missed opportunities, and on this series the Blizzard would give the
Wildcats chance after chance to score with several penalties.
Following a roughing the passer penalty on 3rd down on the 7-yard
line, the 'Cats would score another TD, but their third missed PAT
in a row would leave them leading 25-21 with less than 4 minutes
left in the first half.

A long return on the ensuing kick by WR/DB Dontrell "Quick" Jackson
would put the Blizzard in excellent field position. On the very next
play QB James MacPherson, who came into the game in relief of an
injured Gordon, hit OS Brent Holmes with a 21-yard TD strike. Pelz
would convert the PAT and the Blizzard would be back in the lead, 28-
25.

The see-saw battle would continue as the 'Cats would score a TD to
take a 32-28 lead with only 42.8 seconds remaining in the first
half. This would not daunt the Blizzard, as only 10 seconds later
MacPherson would hit WR/DB Luke Leverson in stride for a long TD and
a 35-32 lead.

The Wildcats would try to notch another score before intermission,
but OL/DL Jason Hardee would repeatedly harass Wildcats QB Julian
Reese into hurried passes and incompletions. His pressure would pay
off, as with only 10.6 seconds left "Quick" would pick off a Reese
pass and give the Blizzard an important defensive stop. The Blizzard
would go into the locker room with a 35-32 lead, the momentum, and
the first offensive possession of the second half.

The Blizzard took the field posed to pull away, and another long
return put them in position to do just that. They would quickly
extend their lead to 42-32 on Lazare's third rushing TD of the night
less than 2 minutes into the second half.

What happened next would remove any doubt about Green Bay's desire
to go for the throat, as Pelz would execute a textbook onside kick
and the Blizzard would recover and be back in business – or so it
would seem. Only two plays into the drive MacPherson would loft a
pass to Holmes that would be intercepted, and with the change in
momentum the South Georgia faithful would get behind their Wildcats
and try cheer them on to a score.

The Blizzard D was up to the challenge, and would again hound Reese
into numerous mistakes, including several incompletions and a
coverage sack. Burnett would attempt a field goal, but the kick
would fall short and the Blizzard D would hold.

Looking at a disheartened Wildcats D, the Blizzard would march 45
yards down the field for yet another TD, giving them a 49-32 lead.
That would be the score at the end of the 3rd quarter, and since the
Wildcats had taken a 32-28 lead near the end of the first half, the
Blizzard had run off 21 unanswered points.

The final stanza would feature more of the back-and-forth of the
first half, as the Wildcats would consistently chip away at the 18-
point deficit. They would get back on the scoreboard with a TD less
than 2 minutes into the 4th quarter, and a successful 2-point
conversion would bring the score to 49-40 in favor of the Blizzard.

The Wildcats D would show some mettle, as they would hold the
Blizzard to a field goal attempt at the end of their next series.
Pelz' kick would not find the mark, and the 'Cats would find
themselves in position to make it a one-possession game. Reese would
make the most of the opportunity, pulling the ball down and taking a
QB-keeper nearly all the way, giving the 'Cats a first-and-goal from
the 6. The Blizzard D would stiffen, and the Wildcats would manage
only a field goal. That would bring the score to 49-43, Blizzard.

Right out of the gate, MacPherson hit WR/LB Gerald Harris for a 17-
yard gain, and the Blizzard would seem to be in business once again.
Disaster would nearly strike again for the Blizzard, as a fumble by
MacPherson was narrowly recovered by the Blizzard. The near-takeaway
would reenergize the Wildcats D, who would force the Blizzard into
another field goal attempt, which Pelz would miss.

With 2-and-a-half minutes to play, the Wildcats would take over at
their own 16-yard line. The Blizzard would immediately apply
pressure, but this time the Wildcats were able to handle it. Reese
would stand in against the onrush, and lay in a perfect pass for a
34-yard TD. The PAT was good, and the Wildcats would take an
astonishing 50-49 lead with only 1:08 left to play.

MacPherson showed no signs of panic, as he would calmly loft a 40-
yard bomb to Leverson, who would haul it in and be taken down at the
2-yard line. With 5.6 seconds left to play, Pelz would take the
field for a game-winning field goal. The snap, hold and kick were
perfect, and with only 2.8 seconds left to play, the Blizzard would
take the lead, 52-50.

The Wildcats would have one last chance to pull the game out, but
Reese's desperation pass would be intercepted as time ran out. The
Blizzard narrowly escaped with the 52-50 win, but it brings them
back above .500 with a record of 6-5 heading into next week's
matchup with the American Conference East Division-leading Wilkes-
Barre/Scranton Pioneers, who were 8-3 following their 55-52 defeat
of the Quad City Steamwheelers on Saturday night.