New Orleans 83, Columbus 61

NEW ORLEANS (TICKER) —Danny Wimprine threw seven touchdown passes and ran for another score as the New Orleans VooDoo ended a three-game slide Friday with an 83-61 triumph over the Columbus Destroyers.

Wimprine, who was 18-of-28 for 265 yards, connected with Javarus Dudley and James Jordan for three TDs apiece en route to setting a franchise record for points in a game. Dudley hauled in scoring passes of 15, eight and nine yards, while Jordan had 10-, 38- and six-yard touchdown receptions.

Sale Key also caught a six-yard TD pass and added a three-yard net recovery for a score for New Orleans (8-5), which improved to 4-0 all time against Columbus.

Matt Nagy threw seven touchdown passes for the Destroyers (3-10), including three to Calvin Russell, who also ran for a five-yard score. Nagy completed 33-of-47 passes for 339 yards with one interception.

Derek Lee had a pair of TD receptions for Columbus, while Harold Wells caught a scoring pass and also found the end zone on the ground.

Voodoo 70, Blaze 56

QB Danny Wimprine was 22 of 33 for 265 yards and nine touchdowns as the New Orleans VooDoo defeated the Utah Blaze, 70-56, on Friday night at New Orleans Arena.

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.

New Orleans win 4 straight!

DENVER, CO -- The New Orleans VooDoo overcame a four-point fourth quarter deficit with less than two and a half minutes remaining and DB Lin-J Shell recorded an interception in the end zone as time expired to pull out an exciting come-from-behind win over the Colorado Crush 54-51 in front of 10,350 fans at the Pepsi Center. New Orleans won their fourth straight to improve to 4-1 and keep a one-game lead over second-place Orlando in the Southern Division.

This is the third four-game winning streak in club history and the first since 2005. Colorado falls to 1-3.The VooDoo will look for their second five-game win streak in team annals when they host the defending ArenaBowl Champion San Jose SaberCats next Saturday at 6 p.m in the New Orleans Arena.

“This was a classic Arena Football game,” said VooDoo Head Coach Mike Neu. “We talked about it at halftime trying to eliminate some of the penalties in the second half.

Our guys kept fighting and we finally got a break at the end, where they did a nice job creating that turnover. It was a nice win all the way around for us against a good football team in what has traditionally been a tough place to play.”

QB Danny Wimprine ran in for a one-yard touchdown with 36 seconds left on a quarterback sneak to give the VooDoo the 54-51 lead.

“It’s one of those situations deciding to take a penalty or let some time run off or not, said Neu. “There are too many times where I’ve seen an incompletion or turnover in that situation. It was one of those situations where we wanted to score and have the lead.”

QB Danny Wimprine completed 26 of 44 passes for 314 yards with six touchdown passes and one TD run to take Offensive Player of the Game. James Jordan had nine receptions for 106 yards with four touchdowns to tie a career high.

Shell took Defensive Player of the Game honors with 7.5 tackles and two passes defensed to go with his pick.

The VooDoo began the game by taking the opening kickoff and starting at their own two yard-line. VooDoo QB Danny Wimprine completed five of six passes, including a five-yard fade for a touchdown to WR James Jordan to give the VooDoo a six point lead after K Alex Romero missed the extra point attempt.

Colorado was denied the end zone on three downs in the red zone and Crush K Clay Rush kicked a 29-yeard field goal as the VooDoo held a 6-3 lead.

Jones took the next kickoff out to the VooDoo 22-yard line, but the VooDoo weren’t able to take advantage of the field position as Wimprine was intercepted by DB Rashad Floyd on a key third down play.

Colorado QB John Dutton then immediately found WR Willie Quinnie for a touchdown pass.

On their next offensive drive, Wimprine drove the VooDoo down the field and found G Isaiah Ross for a screen pass for a touchdown to give the VooDoo a 13-10 lead after the extra point.

Crush KR Jason Harmon returned the kickoff to midfield and then Dutton took advantage of a couple of penalties on the VooDoo and eventually found WR Ben Nelson for a four-yard touchdown pass to give the Crush a 17-13 lead.

Wimprine and the starting VooDoo offense took over possession at their own 5 yard-line with 9:25 left in the second quarter. Wimprine drilled a 18-yard completion to WR Tyronne Jones, then after two incompletions under pressure, Colorado DB Zach Norton was called for a pass interference play to put the VooDoo at the Crush 17. Wimprine then dumped off to FB James Lynch for a four-yard screen and then found WR Javarus Dudley for a nine yard first down. Wimprine then found Jordan for a four yard touchdown for their second connection of the game to give New Orleans a three-yard lead.

The VooDoo put heavy pressure on Dutton on New Orleans’ first play, but DL Henry Bryant was called for a personal foul/illegal contact penalty. Two downs later, DB Keon Raymond was called for a pass interference call. Dutton then dumped off to TE Chris Watton for an 11-yard dump off. Eventually Dutton would find Nelson for a five-yard touchdown to take the lead back.

The Crush then attempted an onsides kick which Jordan held onto and Wimprine immediately found Jones for a 13-yard touchdown.

The Crush were unable to score on their final offensive drive of the half with 45 seconds left as the VooDoo defense forced three incompletions, including a third down pass by Dutton broken up by JLB Norman LeJeune. The VooDoo were unable to score on the half’s final drive but entered the locker room with a 27-24 lead.

The second half began with Dutton driving the Crush down the field into VooDoo territory, eventually finding WR Brad Pyatt for a 14-yard touchdown to give the Crush a 31-27 lead, but Pyatt received an unsportsmanlike conduct call that was assessed on the kickoff.

Wimprine and the VooDoo offense completed a key fourth down 32-yard bomb to Jordan to put the VooDoo back in the lead with a 34-31 lead.

The VooDoo then put the ball deep in Crush territory on a first down holding play. After allowing a seven-yard completion, DB Lin-J Shell successfully defended a deep pass and Quinnie dropped a key third down pass, forcing the Crush to go for it. Dutton completed the fourth down pass to Pyatt. Dutton then found FB Robert Thomas for a screen pass to put them at the VooDoo 12 yard line. After finding Pyatt for a four-yard out, before finding Pyatt for a an eight-yard touchdown which would give the Crush a 38-34 lead.

On the next possession, WR DeAndrew Rubin fielded a kick off the iron to midfield deftly. Wimprine took the ball down the field methodically with FB James Lynch eventually pounding the ball in from three yards out to give the VooDoo a 41-38 lead.

Colorado took the ball at the 14yard line after the kickoff that concluded play in the third quarter and Dutton drove the Crush into VooDoo territory, eventually finding Nelson for a six-yard touchdown pass to give the Crush a 45-41 lead with 10:50 left in the fourth quarter.

Rush then successfully kicked off for a touchback, putting the VooDoo in disadvantageous field position at the five-yard line, but Wimprine then found Jones for an 18-yard play on third down to keep the chains moving and then completed passes to

Jordan and Lynch to get the ball to the four-yard line. After a one-yard run by the signal caller and a batted down incompletion, he found Jordan for a three-yard touchdown. Romero missed the extra point though, so the VooDoo took a 47-45 lead.

Colorado took advantage of a long kickoff return by Harmon and then Dutton drove the Crush down the field and found Pyatt for a three yard touchdown. But the VooDoo defense stopped the crush on a two point conversion attempt, giving the Crush a 51-47 lead.

Jones was then stopped at the two-yard line on the kickoff return. Wimprine threw a first down incompletion intended for Jones facing pressure. One second down, Dudley was found at the walls for a first down. Wimprine then threw and incompletion on the ensuing first down play, before finding Jordan for a 14-yard first down along the boards.

Wimprine’s first down throw in Crush territory was incomplete before he fired a 20-yard laser to Jones at the one-yard line. Wimprine then barreled in for a touchdown and Romero banged through the extra point attempt to give New Orleans a 54-51 edge with 36 seconds left.

Harmon took the kickoff return back to the 17-yard line. Dutton then found Quinnie for a 15-yard strike on the middle of the field to the VooDoo-20-yard line. The snap was then fumbled by Dutton at the snap and recovered by Colorado’s Thomas. Dutton then found Nelson for a 13-yard completion along the boards. On a first down play at the VooDoo seven, Dutton adeptly threw the ball away, then finding Nelson for a three-yard completion to move up to the four with seven seconds left on the ticker. DB Lin-J Shell then picked the ball off in the end zone to secure the ball for the VooDoo.

Voodoo sign DL Kevin Carberry and K Alex Romero

NEW ORLEANS, LA -- The New Orleans VooDoo have signed DL Kevin Carberry and K Alex Romero to their active roster it was announced by the club today. The team also waived WR/DB B.J. Barre, OL Konrad Dean and K Jonathan Ruffin.

Carberry (6-4, 280, Ohio University) comes to the VooDoo after appearing in eight games for the New York Dragons in 2007. He recorded 13.5 tackles, 4 tackles for a loss, two sacks, one forced fumble and one pass defense. Carberry originally was signed by the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2005. After going to training camp with the Browns, he spent part of the 2005 season on the practice squad of the Detroit Lions. Carberry played for the Berlin Thunder of NFL Europe in 2006 and went to training camp with the Carolina Panthers. At Ohio University, he was a second-team All-Mid American Conference selection in 2004 and finished his collegiate career with 121 tackles, 19.5 tackles for a loss and eight sacks, playing defensive end in a 3-4 alignment for the Bobcats.

Romero (5-9, 180, Nicholls State) is a New Orleans native who prepped at Hahnville High School and then played at LSU and Nicholls State. After transferring to Nicholls in 2005 after being a member of the Tigers’ 2003 National Championship team, he converted on 23 of 40 field goal attempts. Romero enjoyed his finest season with the Colonels in 2006, when he nailed seven of his 10 field goal attempts and was a perfect 24-of-24 with his PAT opportunities, leading the team in scoring with 45 points.

The first place VooDoo return to action this Sunday when they face the Colorado Crush at the Pepsi Center in Denver. Kickoff is 3 p.m. the game can be heard on Bayou 95.7 FM.