ArenaBowl III

ArenaBowl III
1 2 3 4 Total
PIT 3 9 14 0 26
DET 16 10 13 0 39
Date August 18, 1989
Arena Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, Michigan
Attendance 12,046
MVP George LaFrance, OS, Detroit
Ironman of the Game Cornelius Ross, WR/DB, Pittsburgh
Winning Coach Tim Marcum
Losing Coach Joe Haering
U.S. TV
Network Prime Network
Announcers Dave Enet, Howard Balzer
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Arena Bowl '89 (or Arena Bowl III) was the Arena Football League's third Arena Bowl. The game featured the #2 Pittsburgh Gladiators against the #1 Detroit Drive. Both teams finished their seasons at 3-1, yet the Drive greatly led in points against (84-147).

Game summary

In the first quarter, Detroit drew first blood with OL/DL Reggie Mathis sacking Gladiators Quarterback Willie Totten in the endzone for a safety, while Drive Quarterback Tony Burris got a 1-yard Quarterback sneak run for a touchdown. Pittsburgh would respond with Kicker Rusty Fricke getting a 55-yard field goal, yet Detroit responded with FB/LB Lynn Bradford getting a 17-yard touchdown run.

In the second quarter, the Drive increased its lead with kicker Novo Bojovic with a 50-yard field goal, yet the Gladiators refused to go down with Fricke getting a 30-yard field goal. Detroit would respond with Bradford getting a two-yard touchdown run, yet Pittsburgh responded with FB/LB Mike Powell getting a two-yard touchdown run (with a failed two-point conversion).

In the third quarter, the Gladiators drew closer with WR/DB Cornelius Ross returning a fumble 23 yards for a touchdown, yet the Drive responded with Burris completing a 32-yard touchdown pass to OS George LaFrance (with a failed PAT) and a 12-yard touchdown pass to WR/DB Gary Mullen.

Pittsburgh would respond with Totten completing a 19-yard touchdown pass to WR/DB Brian Gardner, yet afterwards, Detroit's defense held the Gladiators down for the rest of the game.

With the win, the Drive became the very first team in Arena Football history to win back-to-back ArenaBowls.

Scoring summary

1st Quarter

2nd Quarter

3rd Quarter

External links