Road Warriors Survive Classic

Memphis,Tenn – Two Gridiron Developmental Football League teams came together Saturday afternoon in a game dubbed the “Arron Williams Classic.” 

This important on-field divisional meeting became much more than a game after The Memphis Blast lost one of its teammates on January 21st 2018 .

Memphis Blast Arron Williams, 28, passed away from congestive heart failure and irreversible kidney damage.

Memphis Blast,which hosted the game honored Williams holding a moment of silence before kickoff and retiring his #74 jersey at halftime.

While the threat of a thunder storm seem to loom over Greenhill Stadium Saturday evening, the Mississippi Road Warriors found a way to overcome a scoreless first half and and dumped second half points on the scoreboard at the 1st Annual Arron Williams Classic.

#3 Mississippi beat Memphis 20-6, winning a important divisional match-up in the GDFL South Impact Division. 

Mississippi Road Warriors Tyran Moore scored on a 53 yard reception with 7:12 remaining in the third quarter to tie up the game 6-6. Then the defense took over;Martavious Newby and Doriene Tucker picked off Memphis Blast quarterback Jay Parker twice in the closing minutes to seal the win.

Defense ruled the first half, with few big plays and only one score. Still, the Blast provided a few individual highlights. With the score 6-0 in the second quarter, Memphis Blast Jay Parker  linked up with Julius Black  on a 60 yard bomb who was wide open near midfield. But wasn't able maintain his balance and step out of bounce inside the Road warriors 20 yard line. A stout Road Warriors defense along with back to back penalties did noting to help the Blast missing a perfect opportunity to add points.

Mississippi opened the game with a big offensive play that revved up the visiting team early. The Road Warriors wide receiver Wayne Newsom, caught a 30 yard pass reception from quarterback Dre Buford. His completion moved the offense inside the Blast 20 but Buford got hit by host of Blast defenders and fumbled on the very next play.

Memphis Blast Terrance Olden scored on a 5-yard run midway through the 1st quarter to break the deadlock at 6-0. The Blast powerback finished,with 54 yards on 9 carries and a touchdown. He, and the offensive line, wore down the Road warriors defensive front in the first half.

In the fourth quarter, Martavious Newby leaped in front of the pass and made the interception taking it down inside the Blast 15, Two plays later Road warriors on a crucial 3rd down play got a break, the Blast was called for pass interference in the endzone. On the very next play the Mississippi Road Warriors Dre Buford scored on a 1-yard run making the score 12-6 with less 6 minutes left in the game. 

Road warriors defense moved an extra man into space. Jay Parker under threw a wide -open Blast receiver and Doriene Tucker intercepted a crucial pass with about three minutes remaining,took it back 75 yards for Touchdown 2pt conversion added. That gave Road Warriors a 20-6 lead, that put the game away for good.