VooDoo 72, SaberCats 43

NEW ORLEANS, LA -- Tying a team record with their fifth consecutive win, the New Orleans VooDoo continued their fine form behind a staunch defense that has become their trademark and defeated the San Jose SaberCats 72-43.

A pair of interceptions returned for touchdowns and an efficient passing attack from Danny Wimprine

and company paced the VooDoo (5-1) to victory, which was also the team's fifth consecutive home win dating back to the 2007 home finale against Austin. Calvin Spears and Norman LeJeune each turned defense into offense, picking off Mark Grieb passes and returning them for six points.

Wimprine and his favorite receiver James Jordan continued to link up throughout the game as they have all season, with Jordan catching three of the quarterback's five touchdown passes. Wimprine completed 19 of 29 attempts for 222 yards with five scores and no interceptions and added a two-yard scoring run en route to earning player of the game honors.

Making their first trip to the New Orleans Arena since defeating Columbus in ArenaBowl XXI last July, the SaberCats (3-3) took the opening kickoff and marched down the field to take a 7-0 lead via a four-yard touchdown pass from Mark Grieb to Cleannord Saintil.

New Orleans answered right back with Wimprine lofting a perfect spiral to a wide open Javarus Dudley for a 47-yard touchdown to knot the game at 7-7 midway through the first quarter. The 47-yard bomb was the longest scoring pass in VooDoo franchise history and the second-longest overall throw.

Spears, the Arena Football League Defensive Player of the Month for March, continued his highlight-reel season on the next San Jose possession, stepping in front of a Grieb pass and sprinting up the left sideline for a 49-yard touchdown return and a 14-7 VooDoo lead. Spears' sixth interception of the season broke the club-record for picks in a season in just the sixth game of the campaign.

The VooDoo kept San Jose out of the end zone on their next trip down the field with the visitors having to settle for an 18-yard A.J. Haglund field goal on the first play of the second quarter to cut the lead to 14-10.

Taking advantage of another defensive stand, Wimprine and the offense stepped back onto the turf and extended the home team's advantage to double-digits when the quarterback zipped a 26-yard touchdown pass to Jordan.

San Jose worked their way back down the field on their next possession with Grieb and Saintil connecting for the second time in the half, this time on a nine-yard scoring pass to make the score 21-17 in favor of the VooDoo.

The next New Orleans possession was keyed by a fourth-and-one completion from Wimprine to Jordan and another third-and-10 toss to Dudley. The drive culminated in a four-yard strike from Wimprine to Jordan, giving the VooDoo a 28-17 lead.

Linebacker Norman LeJeune got in on the act for the VooDoo defense, snaring a Grieb attempt and shedding a would-be tackler as he raced 32 yards with the interception to pay dirt and a 34-17 lead.

The defense forced another empty possession for the SaberCats with Lin-J Shell stopping Saintil just shy of the first down marker on a fourth down pass.

Wimprine and Jordan made the visitors pay, connecting on a nine-yard touchdown pass with just :09 left in the first half to push the margin to 41-17 in the home team's favor. The three scoring receptions of the first half pushed Jordans season total to 16.

Taking the second half kickoff and methodically marching down the field, the VooDoo extended their lead to 31 points at 48-17 as Wendall Williams capped a six-minute drive with a three-yard touchdown run.

The New Orleans defense picked up in the second half where they left off as Henry Bryant hurried Grieb into a bad throw that linebacker Umar Muhammad turned into a diving interception after the ball bounded off of a the receiver's hands.

Making the SaberCats pay the price for another turnover, Wimprine hit Tyronne Jones on an eight-yard touchdown pass to push the lead to 55-17.

The SaberCats were able to finally stop the VooDoo's run of 34 unanswered points on their next possession when Grieb and Saintil connected on a three-yard touchdown toss on fourth down, making the score 55-24 at the end of three quarters.

After an unsuccessful San Jose onside kick, the VooDoo broke through the 60-point barrier when Wimprine ran around the left for a two-yard touchdown run and a 62-24 lead early in the final period.

Grieb and the SaberCats answered with a score of their own as the quarterback fired a 10-yard strike to Jason Geathers at the back of the end zone.

Alex Romero drilled his first career field goal, knocking a 36-yard kick all the way over the netting to extend the lead to 65-31.

A Grieb six-yard touchdown pass to fullback to Frank Carter cut the lead to 65-37, as Haglund missed his first kick of the season after converting 11 field goals and 38 extra points.

VooDoo Head Coach Mike Neu put Steve Bellisari into the game late in the fourth quarter to give the southpaw some action and the former Ohio State passer launched a long ball down the field that Williams ran under for a 45-yard touchdown and a 72-37 New Orleans lead.

Geathers hauled in a four-yard scoring pass from Grieb to make the score 72-43 with :45 remaining in the game.

The VooDoo will carry their five-game winning run with them to Dallas next Saturday when they are scheduled to face off with the currently unbeaten Dallas Desperados in a 7:00 pm kickoff on April 12.