Taylor in charge
as Islanders win
CINCINNATI >> After winning a national award last week, Nian Taylor made a bid for another yesterday by catching four touchdown passes to lead the Hawaiian Islanders to a 35-28 win over the Cincinnati Swarm.
Taylor, arenafootball2's reigning Ironman of the Week, caught seven passes for 98 yards on offense. He also recovered a fumble and broke up a pass on defense as the Islanders picked up their second road win of the season.
"Nian has been a steady performer game in and game out. He's a money player," Islanders coach Cal Lee said. "The way he plays, it's normal for him."
The Islanders remained alone atop the National Conference's West Division by winning their third straight game to improve to 6-2 at the season's midway point.
A crowd of 3,587 at U.S. Bank Arena watched Cincinnati lose its third game in a row to fall to 3-5.
Taylor was named Most Valuable Player and Ironman of the Game. Hawaii defensive specialist Eddie Klaneski was named the ADT defensive player of the game.
Klaneski, who played with a shoulder injury, was in on six tackles as the Islanders set a franchise record for fewest points allowed in a game.
"Eddie is a guy you need back there," Lee said. "He's the quarterback of the defense, gets everybody in place and plays with great effort. That's the kind of player you want to see out there."
Hawaii quarterback Darnell Arceneaux completed 14 of 29 passes for 211 yards and four touchdowns and rushed for a score. Cincinnati's Chris Batcheller threw for 191 yards and four scores.
The Islanders arrived in Cincinnati at about 3:30 p.m. Friday after a 12-hour trip from Honolulu. They were on the field for the game less than 23 hours later.
Cincinnati tried to play keep-away in a low-scoring first half. But the Swarm's slow-down strategy gave the Islanders the time they needed to find their rhythm.
"We had penalties, we were off target, it took us a whole half before we settled down and played the kind of ball we're capable of playing," Lee said.
Hawaii, which had just four possessions in the first 30 minutes, took a 7-0 lead on Arceneaux's 13-yard pass to Taylor.
Cincinnati tied the game on a 5-yard touchdown pass from Batcheller to James Scott to cap a 10-play drive that took nearly seven minutes off the clock in the second quarter.
The Islanders trailed 14-13 at halftime, but reclaimed the lead on the opening drive of the third quarter on Taylor's third touchdown catch of the game.
After Batcheller connected with Scott for a 4-yard TD pass, Arceneaux scored on a 1-yard run to end the third quarter.
Scott fumbled the ball away on the ensuing kickoff and Taylor recovered at the Cincinnati 18. Arceneaux and Taylor hooked up again on a 9-yard touchdown pass and Arceneaux's 2-point conversion run put the Islanders up 35-21.
The Swarm closed to within seven points on Batcheller's touchdown pass to Anthony Payton with 6:54 left in the game.
The Islanders had a chance to put the game away with a field goal, but Kimo Naehu's kick was off the mark and Cincinnati took over at its 10-yard line with 3:32 left.
The Hawaii defense forced Batcheller to throw an incomplete pass on fourth-and-4 to end the drive.
After the Islanders gave the ball away on downs, the Swarm got the ball back with two seconds left. But Batcheller's desperation pass fell incomplete to send the Islanders home with a win.
The Islanders will try to extend their winning streak to four Saturday when they face the Louisville Fire at Blaisdell Arena.
"We've got a little momentum behind us and we're going back to our house, so we're feeling pretty good about ourselves," Lee said.
At U.S. Bank Arena
Hawaiian Islanders (6-2) 7 6 14 8 -- 35 Cincinnati Swarm (3-5) 0 14 7 7 -- 28 FIRST QUARTER
HI--Nian Taylor 13 pass from Darnell Arceneaux (Kimo Naehu kick).
SECOND QUARTER
CS--James Scott 5 pass from Chris Batcheller (Andy Payne kick).
HI--Taylor 10 pass from Arceneaux (kick failed).
CS--Mike Leaks 18 pass from Batcheller (Payne kick).
THIRD QUARTER
HI--Taylor 5 pass from Arceneaux (Naehu kick).
CS--Scott 5 pass from Batcheller (Payne kick).
HI--Arceneaux 1 run (Naehu kick).
FOURTH QUARTER
HI--Taylor 9 pass from Arceneaux (Arceneaux run).
CS--Anthony Payton 7 pass from Batcheller (Payne kick).
RUSHING -- Islanders: Vai Notoa 3-6, D. Arceneaux 3-2, Taulia Lave 0-6. Swarm: Payton 4-6, Batcheller 2-(-4), Jermaine Norwood 2-(-6).
PASSING -- Islanders: D. Arceneaux 14-29-0-211. Swarm: Batcheller 23-44-0-191.
RECEIVING -- Islanders: Taylor 7-98, Anthony Arceneaux 4-50, Lave 1-38, Channon Harris 1-17, Leroy Shelton 1-8. Swarm: Scott 8-82, Payton 7-45, Jon Cain 5-27, Leaks 2-29, Jim Jones 1-8.
Att: 3,587.
Hawaiian Islanders