By: Robert F. Walsh

HEMPSTEAD, NY (November 4, 2009) –  The Las Vegas Locomotives evened their record at 2-2 and kept their championship game hopes alive with a dominating 41-10 win against the struggling New York Sentinels at Hoftra’s Shuart Stadium. The victory sets up a key rematch against the California Redwoods as they scramble for playoff position in the UFL. The Sentinels fall to 0-4 on the season.

The two teams exchanged punts to start the game, with Locos’ Head Coach Jim Fassel calling for the same flea-flicker play that resulted in a 60-yard touchdown pass last week against the Tuskers. While it didn’t connect this time, it was one of the few Losman throws that did not find its mark in the first half. He quickly settled into a rhythm with short, easy throws on their next three drives to take control of the game.   On the Locos’ second possession, wide receiver David Kircus managed three catches on an 11-play, 5:21 touchdown drive that ended with Marcel Shipp’s two-yard run to put the Locos up 7-0. Their next drive resulted in Graham Gano’s 44-yard field goal. Before the Sentinels could even muster their initial first down, the Locos marched another 54 yards on their fourth possession, showcasing a dominant offensive line that gave Losman as much time as he needed to find his receivers. Marcel Shipp finished off the drive with a six-yard touchdown dive that pushed Las Vegas to a 17-0 lead.   With 8:30 left in the second quarter and the Sentinels staring at their fourth consecutive three-and-out series, the Locomotives bailed them out with a costly facemask penalty on a play where they stuffed New York’s Shannon Woods on a key 3^rd and 1. Two plays later, an unnecessary roughness penalty on linebacker Ezra Butler gave the Sentinels 15 more yards and momentum they would carry into the end zone.   Quarterback Ingle Martin, starting in place of the disappointing Quinn Gray, then went five-for-five on a 14-play, 83 yard drive that ended with Sentinel Head Coach Ted Cotrell’s gutsy call to go for it on fourth and goal from the one yard line. Martin hit a wide-open Steve Sanders make it 17-7.   Las Vegas responded with yet another scoring drive as Losman spread the ball all over the field with a flurry of short outs, crossing routes, and picks that landed the Locos back in the end zone on Adan Bergen’s 14-yard touchdown catch.  The score allowed the Locos to go to the locker room at halftime with a 24-7 lead, setting a league record for most points scored in a half. Losman threw for 199 yards as the Locos registered 17 first downs to the Sentinels’ 7, outgaining the Sentinels 226-92. David Kircus reeled in 6 passes for 63 yards to lead a receiving corps that had its way with the New York secondary.   The Sentinels began the second half with another 14-play drive, this one covering 59 yards in 8:01 and highlighted by several excellent runs by Shannon Woods. The drive stalled after two Martin incompletions and they settled for a 38-yard Piotr Czech field goal to pull New York within two scores.   The Locos drove 30 yards in 12 plays while taking 6:46 off the clock to close out the third quarter. Graham Gano hit a 49-yard field goal to push the Las Vegas lead to 27-10. After the defense forced a punt, the Locos drove down the field again on 10 plays and 62 yards before Losman hooked up with Josh Scobee on a 17-yard touchdown pass in the flat with 9:09 to go. Trey Young’s second interception of the season ended the next Sentinel drive and iced the game, resulting in a 75-yard touchdown that made it 41-10.   Losman finished 27 of 37 for 277 yards while throwing his seventh and eighth touchdowns on the season. Ten different receivers caught a pass, with Kircus and Scobee doing most of the damage. While Shipp managed only 34 yards on twelve carries, he did score two touchdowns and did the bulk of the work on the ground as DeDe Dorsey sat out the game with a foot injury.   Brandon Moore turned in another great effort anchoring the Loco defense with seven tackles and one of the four sacks Las Vegas managed on the night. They pressured Ingle Martin all night and managed to hold the Sentinel running game to 83 yards on 25 carries.   Martin managed to complete 21 of 35 passes for 161 yards but seemed to miss running backs Cecil Sapp and Chris Barclay. Receiver Koren Robinson was suspended before the game for missing team meetings, leaving Craphonso Thorpe as Martin’s only credible threat. While Thorpe managed to catch two passes and tie for the league lead in receptions, he and his fellow receivers were held largely in check.   It was a nice homecoming for former New York Giants Head Coach Jim Fassel. “I was always looking forward to this game, to see some old friends and family… New York is near and dear to my heart.  The media, fans and community were great to me.  It feels good to be back.”   His Locomotives will get a chance to keep their edge in the tie-breaker on November 14 as they take on the California Redwoods in San Jose in a game that looks to be crucial for both team’s as the Championship Game looms on the 27^th. New York takes on the Florida Tuskers at Rentschler Field in Hartford, Connecticut on November 12.