Post by 50yardfan on Jun 19, 2011 19:23:15 GMT -5
Quarterback Cecil Lester, who many wanted to blame for last season’s stunning first-round SIFL playoff loss, blocked all of that out Saturday night at the Civic Center to lead Albany in a 68-43 rout of Erie (Penn.), throwing seven TDs and running for another.
www.albanyherald.com/sports/headlines/SIFL_PLAYOFFS_Lester_shakes_off_playoff_woes_plays_hero_in_win_124144444.html
ALBANY — Cecil Lester’s four-interception performance in the Albany Panthers’ first-round loss in last year’s SIFL playoffs against Louisiana had lingered up until Saturday.
But no more — the Panthers’ starting quarterback now can finally put memories of last season’s early exit to rest.
Lester was locked in Saturday, completing 23 of 31 passes for 210 yards and seven touchdowns, while rushing for another in the Panthers’ first-ever postseason victory, a 68-43 win against the Erie (Penn.) Explosion on Saturday night in the first round of the SIFL playoffs at the Albany Civic Center.
Lester led Albany (11-2) to scores on nine possessions and threw just one interception — and it wasn’t even his fault. It came on a tipped ball at the end of the first half that resulted in no points for the Explosion, while the win now sets up a semifinal meeting next Saturday with the defending SIFL champs and bitter rival Columbus Lions in Columbus.
“We just wanted to execute our plays,” Lester said. “If we come out and we play like we did (Saturday), we don’t feel like anybody can stop us.”
If Lester and the Panthers play like they did Saturday, it’s likely no one will.
The amazing night by Lester was capped by the QB’s quick 8-yard strike to receiver and Albany native Antwone Savage to put the Panthers up 61-43 with 3:43 remaining. It was the fourth time the tandem connected for a score Saturday.
Savage said Lester and he weren’t about to let this season end like the last one did.
“All we could think about last year, man,” Savage said. “We weren’t trying to have that bitter taste (Saturday) after this game was over with. We were able to get through it, hey, we live to fight another week. We’re going to go out next week and just play hard again.”
The signal-caller seemed ready to do that right off the bat in the first half.
A 159-yard, four-touchdown effort from Lester through the air before intermission — along with a one-yard rushing score — helped send the Panthers to the locker room with a 40-24 lead. Three more scores and wise clock management in the second half capped his redemptive first-round performance.
Of course, Lester did have some help on the other side of the ball.
Albany’s defense nabbed seven total interceptions from Erie quarterback Adam DiMichele, who matched his total regular-season count. The penultimate interception — defensive back Levance Richmond’s 41-yard return — put away the contest with 3:06 to play.
But Lester’s capitalizing on opportunities he was given was not lost on Panthers coach Lucious Davis.
“People are going to criticize him anyway because he has the ball every down, but I thought he played great,” Davis said of his often-maligned QB. “I thought he did a good job of taking care of the ball. The one interception was on a tipped pass, the fumble, the center and him, it was just a bad exchange.
“Other than that, he did a good job managing the game and making the right throws.”
Rather than dwell on what the performance meant for him personally, though, Lester simply stayed focused on the task at hand.
“That’s one game down,” Lester said. “We’ve got two more games to go.”
www.albanyherald.com/sports/headlines/SIFL_PLAYOFFS_Lester_shakes_off_playoff_woes_plays_hero_in_win_124144444.html
ALBANY — Cecil Lester’s four-interception performance in the Albany Panthers’ first-round loss in last year’s SIFL playoffs against Louisiana had lingered up until Saturday.
But no more — the Panthers’ starting quarterback now can finally put memories of last season’s early exit to rest.
Lester was locked in Saturday, completing 23 of 31 passes for 210 yards and seven touchdowns, while rushing for another in the Panthers’ first-ever postseason victory, a 68-43 win against the Erie (Penn.) Explosion on Saturday night in the first round of the SIFL playoffs at the Albany Civic Center.
Lester led Albany (11-2) to scores on nine possessions and threw just one interception — and it wasn’t even his fault. It came on a tipped ball at the end of the first half that resulted in no points for the Explosion, while the win now sets up a semifinal meeting next Saturday with the defending SIFL champs and bitter rival Columbus Lions in Columbus.
“We just wanted to execute our plays,” Lester said. “If we come out and we play like we did (Saturday), we don’t feel like anybody can stop us.”
If Lester and the Panthers play like they did Saturday, it’s likely no one will.
The amazing night by Lester was capped by the QB’s quick 8-yard strike to receiver and Albany native Antwone Savage to put the Panthers up 61-43 with 3:43 remaining. It was the fourth time the tandem connected for a score Saturday.
Savage said Lester and he weren’t about to let this season end like the last one did.
“All we could think about last year, man,” Savage said. “We weren’t trying to have that bitter taste (Saturday) after this game was over with. We were able to get through it, hey, we live to fight another week. We’re going to go out next week and just play hard again.”
The signal-caller seemed ready to do that right off the bat in the first half.
A 159-yard, four-touchdown effort from Lester through the air before intermission — along with a one-yard rushing score — helped send the Panthers to the locker room with a 40-24 lead. Three more scores and wise clock management in the second half capped his redemptive first-round performance.
Of course, Lester did have some help on the other side of the ball.
Albany’s defense nabbed seven total interceptions from Erie quarterback Adam DiMichele, who matched his total regular-season count. The penultimate interception — defensive back Levance Richmond’s 41-yard return — put away the contest with 3:06 to play.
But Lester’s capitalizing on opportunities he was given was not lost on Panthers coach Lucious Davis.
“People are going to criticize him anyway because he has the ball every down, but I thought he played great,” Davis said of his often-maligned QB. “I thought he did a good job of taking care of the ball. The one interception was on a tipped pass, the fumble, the center and him, it was just a bad exchange.
“Other than that, he did a good job managing the game and making the right throws.”
Rather than dwell on what the performance meant for him personally, though, Lester simply stayed focused on the task at hand.
“That’s one game down,” Lester said. “We’ve got two more games to go.”