The Washington Valor hosted the Philadelphia Soul at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. on Saturday night. Both teams came in as the last two undefeated teams in the Arena Football League.
The Valor struck first when backup quarterback Bernard Morris rushed for a one yard touchdown on a fourth down. On the following play, a Dan Raudabaugh pass was intercepted by former teammate Tracy Belton and returned for a touchdown. All of a sudden, Washington found themselves up 14-0 on the defending champions.
On the second play of the ensuing drive, Philadelphia cut into the lead when Raudabaugh found a wide open Darius Reynolds for a deep touchdown. Following a Mike Washington fumble recovered by Philadelphia, the Soul would give it back as Shaun Kauleinamoku fumbled on the very next play.
Meyer would find Washington for the second time of the night as Washington went back up 14. Reynold’s second touchdown to start the second quarter made it a one-score game once again.
With one minute left in the half, trailing 24-21, the Valor missed a field goal and James Romain returned the ball all the way for a Soul touchdown to give them their first lead at 28-24. The Valor would score to make the halftime score 31-28.
The Soul would re-take the lead with a touchdown pass to Shaun Kauleinamoku to begin the second half.
Raudabaugh found Reynolds for a touchdown pass to extend the Soul lead up to 11 points, 42-31, with under 10 minutes left to play in the game.
Later in the game, Valor quarterback Erik Meyer would be picked off by Philadelphia defensive back Dwayne Hollis which turned into another Kauleinamoku touchdown going the other way which would seal the game for the Soul, 49-31.
After the impressing opening night victory over the Baltimore Brigade, the Valor find themselves at a respectable 1-1 record heading to the 0-3 Cleveland Gladiators next week, looking to get back on the positive side of their .500 record.
Inside the Arena 