Chomping to a championship: Jacksonville Sharks rally, win National Arena League final
Champions: Rallying from a 17-point deficit, the Jacksonville Sharks overcame the Carolina Cobras 54-45 to win Saturday night's National Arena League championship game at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, sealing the Sharks' third title in the football league in the last six seasons.
The clinching play: Facing fourth and 19 inside the final minute while clinging to a two-point lead, Sam Castronova escaped pressure on the right sideline and found former Jackson High School receiver Marquel Wade on the opposite side of the field for a touchdown with 38 seconds remaining.
On defense: Tamorrion Terry put the icing on the victory by intercepting the Cobras' last heave to the end zone. ... For Carolina, Miles Kelly intercepted a pass and Keiron Jones recovered a fumble.
Fast facts: Castronova, named NAL MVP this week, completed 19 of 33 passes for 241 yards and four touchdowns, including two to offensive player of the year Kamrin Solomon from Mandarin High School. ... Carolina raced to a 31-14 lead in the second quarter before the Sharks rallied, beginning with Castronova's touchdown rush just before halftime. ... Sharks head coach Jason Gibson won his first NAL championship after coaching in the league since its 2017 inception.
Trophy cabinet: The Sharks' club history now includes NAL championships in 2017, 2019 and 2023, along with their ArenaBowl title from 2011 in the Arena Football League.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: National Arena League 2023: Jacksonville Sharks beat Carolina in final
