Skip to content
Sports
Link copied to clipboard

Soul improve to 7-0 with win over Orlando

Adam Smith had to grab Phil Bogle's right arm.

Moments earlier, the offensive lineman took a screen pass, sidestepped a defender, and ran nine yards for a touchdown to go up 21 points.

Smith spiked the ball and was mauled by his teammates, but the celebration wasn't complete until Smith met his offensive line coach in midair and almost knocked him to the ground.

The celebration mimicked the Soul's play Friday night. Smooth for the most part, but Philadelphia had to hold on for a 62-48 win over the Orlando Predators to improve to 7-0.

"We did some things that were uncharacteristic," Soul quarterback Dan Raudabaugh said. "I don't think we were on the same page as we typically are."

Dan Raudabaugh completed 22-of-35 passes for 323 yards and eight touchdowns. With the Soul up seven points, he faced a fourth down with less than five minutes to go. He completed a 12-yard pass to Ryan McDaniel for the first down.

Two plays later, helped put the game away with a 24-yard touchdown pass to Marco Thomas. Thomas finished with 10 catches for 159 yards and three touchdowns. Sean Kauleinamoku chipped in six grabs for 111 yards and three scores.

Orlando (3-4) lost its third straight game. Bernard Morris filled in for Randy Hippeard, the league's leading passer, and threw for 213 yards and three touchdowns, running for two more. But Morris threw two interceptions to LaRico Stevenson and another to James Romain.

"Morris is a starting quarterback for many teams," Soul coach Clint Dolezel said. "He's got a different skill set. He doesn't throw quite as well as Hippeard, but you saw what he does do well. He can pull the ball down and run."

Romain leads the league with five picks.

"Every game I'm looking to make a play," Romain said. "I'm like the quarterback on defense. My guys are looking for me to make a play. I feel like I can make one, two, three, four, five, six, 10 plays a game with my ability."

The Soul improved to 7-0 for the second time in franchise history. Philadelphia started 9-0 en route to winning the 2008 Arena Bowl.

The Soul will try to get to 8-0 when they play in Jacksonville next Saturday at 7. Philadelphia topped the Sharks with a 63-52 win in Week 3.