Arena Bowl '89 was the Arena Football League's third Arena Bowl. The game featured the #2 Pittsburgh Gladiators

Tampa Bay Storm

The Tampa Bay Storm are an Arena Football League team based in the Tampa Bay Area of Florida. They play their home games in the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa....

 against the #1 Detroit Drive

Massachusetts Marauders

The Massachusetts Marauders was a professional arena football team that played in the Arena Football League in 1994.-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

Novo Bojovic

Novo Bojovic is a former placekicker. Bojovic played college football at Central Michigan before embarking on a career in professional football which lasted nine years. Bojovic began his career in pro football with the United States Football League's Michigan Panthers in 1983...

 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

George LaFrance

George Herbert LaFrance III is a former Arena Football League Offensive Specialist. In a playing career lasting twelve years, he played for the Detroit Drive , the Tampa Bay Storm , and the New Jersey Red Dogs...

 (with a failed PAT) and a 12-yard touchdown pass to WR/DB Gary Mullen

Gary Mullen

One Night of Queen is a touring two-hour stage show, paying tribute to the stage theatrics and music of Queen. It is performed by Gary Mullen and The Works, a five piece band headed by Stars in Their Eyes winner and Freddie Mercury sound-alike Gary Mullen on vocals, with Davie Brockett on Guitar,...

.

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

• DET - Safety
• DET - Burris 1 run (Bojovic kick)
• PIT - FG Fricke 55
• DET - Bradford 17 run (Bojovic kick)

2nd Quarter

• DET - FG Bojovic 50
• PIT - FG Fricke 30
• DET - Bradford 2 run (Bojovic kick)
• PIT - Powell 2 run (Totten pass failed)

3rd Quarter

• PIT - Ross 23 Fumble Return (Fricke kick)
• DET - LaFrance 32 pass from Burris (Bojovic kick failed)
• DET - Mullen 12 pass from Burris (Bojovic kick)
• PIT - Gardner 19 pass from Totten (Fricke kick)

External links

• ArenaFan box score