Arena Bowl '89 (or Arena Bowl III) was the
Arena Football League
The Arena Football League (AFL) was a professional arena football league in the United States. It was founded in 1986, but played its first official games in the 1987 season, making it the third longest-running professional football league in ...
's third Arena Bowl. The game featured the #2
Pittsburgh Gladiators against the #1
Detroit Drive. Both teams finished their seasons at 3-1, yet the Drive greatly led in points against (84-147).
Game summary
In the first quarter, Detroit drew first blood with OL-DL Reggie Mathis sacking Gladiators quarterback
Willie Totten in the end zone for a safety, while Drive quarterback
Tony Burris got a 1-yard quarterback sneak run for a touchdown. Pittsburgh kicker
Rusty Fricke made a 55-yard field goal, and Detroit responded with FB-LB Lynn Bradford's 17-yard touchdown run.
In the second quarter, the Drive increased its lead with kicker
Novo Bojovic
Novo Bojovic (born November 2, 1959) is a Yugoslav-born American former placekicker. Bojovic played college football at Central Michigan before embarking on a career in professional football which lasted nine years. Bojovic graduated from Cen ...
's 50-yard field goal, yet the Gladiators refused to go down with Fricke getting a 30-yard field goal. Bradford made a two-yard touchdown run, yet Pittsburgh responded with FB-LB Mike Powell's two-yard touchdown run (with a failed two-point conversion).
In the third quarter, the Gladiators drew closer with WR/DB Cornelius Ross returning a fumble 23 yards for a touchdown, yet the Drive responded with Burris completing a 32-yard touchdown pass to OS
George LaFrance
George Herbert LaFrance III (born September 24, 1965) is a former Arena Football League offensive specialist. In a playing career lasting twelve years, he played for the Detroit Drive (1988- 1993), the Tampa Bay Storm (1994-1999), and the New Je ...
(with a failed PAT) and a 12-yard touchdown pass to WR/DB
Gary Mullen.
Pittsburgh would respond with Totten completing a 19-yard touchdown pass to WR-DB Brian Gardner, yet afterwards, Detroit's defense held the Gladiators down for the rest of the game.
With the win, the Drive became the first team in Arena Football history to win back-to-back ArenaBowls.
Scoring summary
1st Quarter
* DET - Safety
* DET - Burris 1 run (Bojovic kick)
* PIT - FG Fricke 55
* DET - Bradford 17 run (Bojovic kick)
2nd Quarter
* DET - FG Bojovic 50
* PIT - FG Fricke 30
* DET - Bradford 2 run (Bojovic kick)
* PIT - Powell 2 run (Totten pass failed)
3rd Quarter
* PIT - Ross 23 Fumble Return (Fricke kick)
* DET - LaFrance 32 pass from Burris (Bojovic kick failed)
* DET - Mullen 12 pass from Burris (Bojovic kick)
* PIT - Gardner 19 pass from Totten (Fricke kick)
External links
ArenaFan box score
{{Massachusetts Marauders
003
1989 Arena Football League season
Massachusetts Marauders
Tampa Bay Storm
1989 in sports in Michigan
Sports competitions in Detroit
August 1989 sports events in the United States
1989 in Detroit