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Darnell Arceneaux dropped back to pass under pressure during last night's game.
Arceneauxes lead
Islanders
A big night for the Arceneaux brothers boosted the Hawaiian Islanders to a 70-42 win over the Central Valley Coyotes last night at the Blaisdell Arena and into a tie for first place in the arenafootball2 West Division.
Darnell Arceneaux tied a franchise record with six touchdown passes, and Anthony Arceneaux matched the team's single-game scoring mark as the Islanders (6-4) ended a two-game losing streak with their third victory over Central Valley (1-9) this season.
The Islanders' win coupled with the Bakersfield Blitz' 59-31 loss to the Memphis Xplorers yesterday created a tie atop the West Division.
"We looked at it like we were in the playoffs and we were facing elimination," Anthony Arceneaux said. "We didn't want to give up two home losses in a row.
"I thought we played a lot more physical than we did the past two games. The coaches challenged us to be more physical and take it to them and that's what we did."
Arceneaux sent the Islanders on their way to their second highest point total of the season by scoring all five of the team's first-half touchdowns. He caught four TD passes, the longest covering 39 yards, and returned a kickoff for a touchdown for the fifth time in the last three games.
He was named both the offensive player of the game and the ironman of the game.
Darnell Arceneaux completed 13 of 22 attempts for 225 yards in guiding an efficient Islanders attack.
The Islanders defense, which gave up 143 points in the previous two games, held the Coyotes to 15 second-half points and contributed to the scoring with interception returns by defensive specialists Joshua Robinson and Desmond Maul, the defensive player of the game.
"This was important, not just for our record, but we got our swagger back," Maul said. "We're going to walk around with our heads up high, come back Monday and start all over again."
The teams traded scores for much of the first half with Anthony Arceneaux providing the big blow with his kickoff return.
He had to wait for the ball to roll down the middle of the net before finding a crease along the right side and outrunning the coverage team to the end zone to put the Islanders up 27-20.
"The wedge was set up perfect, I found the lane, I sliced it back and I just had to make one move," Arceneaux said.
The Islanders' offense ran just 11 plays in the first half with the last resulting in a 16-yard TD connection between the Arceneaux brothers that gave the Islanders a 33-27 halftime lead.
The Islanders then took command of the game by scoring the first 17 points of the second half. Robinson highlighted the run with a 35-yard interception return.
Maul contributed to the Islanders' next two interceptions. He tipped a pass that was picked off by Robert Kemfort and later caught a tipped pass and returned it 36 yards for a score.
The Islanders continue their homestand on Saturday against the San Diego Riptide (4-5). Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
Islanders 70, Coyotes 42
At Blaisdell Arena
Central Valley (1-9) 6 21 7 8 -- 42 Hawaiian Islanders (6-4) 7 26 17 20 -- 70 CV--FG Justin Levine 36
HI--Anthony Arceneaux 17 pass from Darnell Arceneaux (Kimo Naehu kick)
CV--FG Levine 24
HI--A. Arceneaux 10 pass from D. Arceneaux (kick failed)
CV--Frank Borba 5 run (Levine kick)
HI--A. Arceneaux 39 pass from D. Arceneaux (Naehu kick)
CV--Kenyatte Morgan 12 pass from F. Borba (Levine kick)
HI--A. Arceneaux 56 kickoff return (Naehu kick)
CV--Kenyatte Morgan 10 pass from F. Borba (Levine kick)
HI--A. Arceneaux 16 pass from D. Arceneaux (kick failed)
HI--FG Naehu 21
HI--Nian Taylor 14 pass from D. Arceneaux (Naehu kick)
HI--Joshua Robinson 35 interception return (Naehu kick)
CV--LaMonte Jones 30 pass from F. Borba (Levine kick)
HI--Taylor 17 pass from D. Arceneaux (Naehu kick)
HI--Desmond Maul 36 interception return (kick failed)
CV--Weston Borba 19 pass from F. Borba (F. Borba pass to Robert Theus)
HI--Shawn Withy-Allen 1 run (Naehu kick)RUSHING--Coyotes: F. Borba 5-54, Kevin Nelson 3-13, Morgan 1-4, Marshall Blount 1-1. Islanders: D. Arceneaux 2-11, Withy-Allen 2-4, Chauncey Ako 1-(-12).
PASSING--Coyotes: F. Borba 21-42-3-219, Team 0-0-0-(-19). Islanders: D. Arceneaux 13-22-0-225, Team 0-0-0-(-4).
RECEIVING--Coyotes: Morgan 6-59, Jones 7-74, Darnell Lacy 2-22, JaJuan Huddleston 3-23, Weston Borba 3-41. Islanders: A. Arceneaux 5-91, Taylor 4-85, Robert Kemfort 3-46, Joe Correia 1-3.Att: 2,848
