Vipers win first playoff game since 2004

Tennessee Valley entered the 2008 playoffs after a three year hiatus. The visitors would be the arch nemesis, Florida Firecats. After three previous meetings between the two South Division rivals, the Vipers (11-6) led the season series 2-1, but trailed 6-7 in the overall series. The overall series is now tied as the Vipers dismantled the Firecats (10-7) 48-33 in front of a small, but rowdy Von Braun Center.
The last home playoff game the Vipers played, Florida came into the VBC and handed the Vipers a 62-58 loss en route to the 2004 Arena Cup championship. This year, however, would lead to an early first round exit and long trip back to Fort Myers, Florida.
The Firecats came out striking. With an interception that slipped through Maurice Brown's hands on the first drive, Florida took an early 7-0 lead. On the ensuing kickoff, the Vipers' Travis Blanchard had just one defender to beat before walking to the end zone when he was hit hard from behind and fumbled. The Firecats recovered the fumble and used just three plays to find Magic Benton in the end zone. After Garrett Rivas missed the extra point, the Firecats led 13-0.
Tennessee Valley finally got on the scoreboard on their next possession. On fourth down, Eakin found Gary Elliot in the corner of the end zone. Elliot ran into the wall and almost fell over, but was able to hang on to the ball, despite losing his helmet. Nick Hayes added the extra point and the Vipers trailed just 13-7.
Florida's next drive would eat up almost seven minutes before a fourth down miracle touchdown. Firecats quarterback Chris Wallace was chased out of the pocket to his left and before being brought down tossed a Tim Tebow-esque basketball pass to the back of the end zone where Benton came down with the jump ball amidst three Vipers defenders. Florida then led 20-7.
The Vipers would answer quickly using four plays to find Alonzo Nix from 18 yards out to cut the lead back to 6.
Momentum then began to swing in favor of Tennessee Valley. After a holding penalty, Wallace was looking for Chris McKinney and instead Desmond Foster intercepted the pass and returned it 15 yards to pay dirt. The Vipers then led 21-20 after Hayes' successful point after.
The ensuing drive for Florida took the Firecats deep into Vipers territory. On fourth down with :09 seconds on the clock before halftime, Wallace fired a pass intended for Ethenic Sands, but ended up in the third row, resulting in a turnover on downs.
With just :05 seconds remaining in the half, Eakin tossed a pass across the middle to Maurice Brown who then faked a hook and lateral pitch and streaked down the sideline into the end zone, leaving the Vipers ahead 28-20 on the last play of the first half.
Tennessee Valley held the Firecats to a 50-yard field goal attempt on the first drive of the second half. Rivas missed the field goal and the Vipers took over at their own 23 yard line.
On the Vipers next drive, penalties were plentiful. A holding call followed immediately by a false start penalty brought the Vipers back to their own 17 yard line and set up 3rd-and-16. Eakin's next pass was intercepted by former Viper Carlos Campbell, but the Firecats Clint McMillan hit Eakin a little too late and gave the Vipers an automatic first down after the roughing penalty. Two more penalties would be called, one against each team, before Elliot took a hand off and walked into the end zone for the touchdown to put the Vipers up 34-20 after Hayes' failed extra point.
Just two plays later, Wallace found a wide open Sands for the score, cutting the lead back to seven points.
That would be the last time the Firecats saw the end zone until the final play of the game.
Tennessee Valley got scores from Blanchard on a 2-yard plunge. Elliot scored his second rushing touchdown of the game from 14 yards out around the right end, going untouched to pay dirt.
Chris Wallace was sacked three times in the drive following the Elliot rushing score. The Vipers couldn't muster up another score to reach the magical 50 points for cheesy bread, however.
Wallace then finished the game, and possibly his illustrious af2 career with a touchdown to Matt Burstein on the game's final play.
Wallace finished the game 25-of-41 for 266 yards and four touchdowns to one pick. Benton, the af2's all-time leading scorer probably also ended his career with 175 receiving yards on 14 catches and two touchdowns.
Eakin finished as the game's offensive player of the game with 18-of-28 for 225 yards and three touchdowns. Nix caught 9 passes for 96 yards and was awarded the Cutters Catch of the game.
Elliot rushed twice for 21 yards and two touchdowns as well as catching a fourth down touchdown while hitting the end zone wall at full speed, but was awarded no post game honors.