Knights End Season
With Win Over Brewer
Arab 17 - Brewer 7

Sam Maze (#24) runs for long yardage as Brewer player pursues
Photo by Dwight Hayes  -  Click Photo to Enlarge

November 5, 2006
The Arabian Knights finished the 2006 season on the road Friday night with a 17-7 win over the Brewer Patriots spoiling the Patriots' Homecoming.  The victory allowed the Knights to end the season on a positive note.  The win broke a five game losing streak which had plagued the Knights since the homecoming game against Guntersville.  The losses came against the toughest teams on the Knights' schedule.

Heith Pope scores the second Arab touchdown of the night on a
two yard quarterback keeper play in the fourth quarter.
Photo by Dwight Hayes  -  Click Photo to Enlarge

The coldest temperatures of the playing season greeted the players and fans alike Friday night and contributed to several turnovers, especially in the first half.  The cold contributed to several fumbles and dropped passes as both teams tried to adjust to the cold.  Arab turned the ball over four times on fumbles and pass interceptions in the first half while Brewer turned the ball over 3 times.

In addition to the turnovers, penalties plagued the Knights in the first half as several large gains and first downs were repeatedly called back due to holding penalties.

Arab also suffered from a devastating call of interference in the first quarter by one of the officials which negated a loose ball recovery by the Knights near the twenty five yard line.  After being unable to make a first down Arab was forced to punt to the Patriots.  The punt hit the back of a Brewer player as he ran away from the kick and Arab fell on the loose football.  The Knights were forced to give the ball back after the official said that an Arab player had interfered with catching the ball.

The call brought a howl of protest from the Arabian Knight fans as well as Arab coaching staff.  Coach Parker protested the call, arguing that the Arab player never touched the Brewer player.  After a long delay of the game, the referees decided to re-kick the punt destroying any hopes of scoring on the loose ball.

The first quarter was almost all defense for both teams as the turnovers and penalties kept the score knotted at zero until the final three seconds of the the first quarter.  Brewer managed to score first just as the first quarter was ending.  The score was set up after a high snap from the Arab center sailed over the outstretched arms of punter Jacob McDonald.  McDonald was able to fall on the ball on the two yard line.

The Patriots capitalized on the turnover by scoring on a two yard run by Cody Maples from the two yard line.  The point after try was good giving Brewer a 7-0 lead as the quarters ends.

The second quarter was another defensive battle with turnovers and penalties continuing to hamper both teams.  Late in the second quarter Arab was able to drive into the red zone but were stymied in their attempts to cross the goal line.  Faced with fourth and long and two seconds on the clock, Arab was forced to attempt a field goal in order to get on the scoreboard.  Sophomore kicker Trey Knighton split the uprights with his twenty-nine yard field goal attempt to put the Knights on the scoreboard as time expired in the first half.  Brewer lead Arab 7 - 3 as the teams head for the field house.

The half time meeting seemed to by productive for the Knights as they looked like a different team in the second half.

With 2:57 left in the third quarter, Arab starts a series of downs on the  29 yard line and drives 71 yards in 8 plays taking 2:57 off the clock. The drive is capped off with Pope hitting McDonald from the 20 for the touchdown. The PAT is good and Arab leads for the first time. It's Arab 10 and Brewer 7.

Then with 8:54 left in the fourth quarter, Arab scores again on a 13 play 80 yard drive that takes 5:20 off the clock as Heith Pope goes in from the 2 yard line for the touchdown. The PAT is good and the Arabian Knights defeat the Brewer Patriots by a score of 17 to 7.

Click here to view a photo journal of the game......

Game statistics provided by Citizen Bill Rutherford of WAFN - 92.7.  Citizen Bill invites you to join him on Sunday nights at 7:00 for the "Remember Then Show" when he brings back the music that time forgot from the 50's and 60's on Fun 92.7.  You can also listen via the web at http://www.fun927.com/