GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM
Anthony Arceneaux and Darrick Branch of the Hawaiian Islanders celebrated after Arceneaux scored a touchdown last night against the Wichita Stealth.
Islanders
move onHawaii's af2 team opens
the playoffs by beating
Wichita 57-30 and will go
to Tulsa next weekend
Darnell Arceneaux passed for six touchdowns and ran for two more to lead the Hawaiian Islanders to a 57-30 victory over the Wichita Stealth in last night's arenafootball2 first-round playoff game at Blaisdell Arena.
The Islanders improved to 11-6 overall and advanced to face the second-seeded Tulsa Talons (13-3) in the National Conference semifinals next Saturday in Oklahoma.
Wichita ended its season at 8-8-1.
Islanders receiver Nian Taylor caught seven passes for 92 yards and two scores. Anthony Arceneaux also caught two scoring passes.
Darnell Arceneaux threw touchdown passes to four different receivers as the Islanders claimed a 25-3 lead in the first quarter and built a 38-17 lead at halftime.
The Islanders also benefited from two safeties off Wichita fumbles in the Stealth's end zone.
Wichita climbed back into the game thanks to two Islander fumbles to open the second half. Brian Goolsby converted the turnovers into touchdown runs of 2 and 3 yards to cut the Islanders' lead to 38-30 at the 9:36 mark of the third quarter.
But the Islanders responded with three unanswered touchdowns to put the game away. Arceneaux punctuated the scoring by rolling around the right side and diving into the end zone for a 3-yard touchdown.
Arceneaux was named the game's Most Valuable Player. Hawaii's Isaac White was the Ironman of the Game, and Kohei Satomi, who intercepted a pass and recovered a fumble, was the Defensive Player of the Game.
GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM
Nian Taylor of the Hawaiian Islanders was hit by Wichita's David Castleton last night.
