SAN JOSE, CALIF. – San Jose quarterback Mark Grieb tied a team record with nine touchdown passes and the SaberCats rolled to their 5th consecutive win with a 69-44 defeat of the Grand Rapids Rampage on Saturday night.
Grieb, who completed 21-of-38 for 311 yards for the game, connected with Jason Geathers and Julius Gant in the first quarter giving San Jose (8-3) a 13-0 lead after the opening frame. It was the third straight game San Jose held its opponent scoreless in the first quarter.
The teams combined for 52 points in the second quarter with Grieb throwing four scoring passes, including three to rookie Cleannord Saintil, who made his first start at receiver. Saintil’s third scoring catch of the quarter came with no time left on the clock after James Roe recovered a perfectly executed onside kick.
Grand Rapids (3-8) pulled within 41-31 at the start of the second quarter when Timon Marshall caught a 28 yard scoring pass from Chad Salisbury, but the Rampage would get no closer.
Salisbury would complete 15-of-31 for 202 yards with three touchdowns before being replaced late in the game by recently acquired Adrian McPherson. Marshall, the Rampage’s explosive receiver and kick return specialist was held to seven catches for 77 yards and the one score while totaling 101 yards on seven kickoff returns.
San Jose’s James Roe led all receivers with eight catches for 152 yards and a score while Saintil, playing in place of Ben Nelson, totaled 116 yards and four touchdowns on seven catches.
Omarr Smith, who earned Defensive Player of the Game honors, tallied his 31st career interception, two pass breakups a forced fumble and 6.5 tackles leading a defense that limited Grand Rapids to 222 yards of total offense.
