Piranhas Put the Bite on Florida

ANAHEIM — Not looking anything like the team that lost its first three games, the Piranhas nearly broke a franchise scoring record with a 62-45 Arena Football League victory Saturday over Florida.

Both teams are 1-3 and entered as the worst-scoring offenses in the league, but Rodney Mazion ensured the Piranhas wouldn’t hit rock bottom in a must-win game in which eight starters were out because of injuries.

Mazion broke the league single-game record for combined return yardage, 269, set previously by Milwaukee’s Kerry Simien in 1995 against St. Louis.

He had 219 kickoff return yards and 96 returning missed field goals, spoiling the return of Babe Parilli, who coached the Piranhas to a 9-5 season and was then fired.

“It was a spectacular team effort,” Piranhas Coach Mike Hohensee said. “We did a better job of blocking and he had big lanes. My hat’s off to him and everyone who blocked for him.”

More importantly for the Piranha offense, they converted Mazion’s four big plays into 27 points.

Mazion broke his team record of 165 kickoff return yards in the first half. Mazion had 166.

The league record fell in the fourth quarter on a 51-yard return after a missed field goal, which gave Mazion 315.

Mazion’s big night wasn’t wasted. He provided:

* a 53-yard kickoff return that set up quarterback Mark Grieb’s one-yard run to tie the score at 7-7.

* a 56-yard return--and fumble into the end zone--gave the Piranhas their first lead, 21-20, when Ryan Murray recovered the fumble for a touchdown.

* a 53-yard return that set up James Johnson’s four-yard score for a 49-34 lead.

* a 53-yard return of a missed field that set up Derek Hill’s five-yard scoring catch to make it 49-34. It was the play that gave him the record.

Mazion had 177 total return yards going into the game, and the Piranhas--who had not scored more than 28 this season, held a 35-27 lead at halftime.

Grieb completed 11 of 20 passes for 108 yards and three touchdowns--two to Shannon Culver, who left with a strained hip. He also rushed for three touchdowns.