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ISU
trio leads Italian team to first semifinal in 21 years
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[JUNE
29, 2006]
PARMA, Italy -- Former Illinois
State gridiron stars Mike Souza, Andrew Papoccia and Tyler Larick
have led the Parma Panthers of the Italian Football League to the
team's first semifinal appearance in 21 years, along with a share of
the regular-season title.
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The Panthers finished with a 6-2 record and earned a bye in the
playoffs after a spectacular comeback last Saturday against the
Bolonga Warriors. Trailing 27-7 in the third quarter, Souza threw
three touchdown passes to rally the Panthers to a 28-27 victory.
Souza finished the game completing 19 of 38 pass attempts and threw
for 255 yards and four touchdowns. Now the Panthers will have a bye
week before facing the winner of the wild-card game between the
Bolzano Giants and the Reggio Emilia Hogs on July 15.
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Souza finished the regular season with the league's second-best
passing efficiency, at 165.47. He threw for 1,511 yards on
99-for-176 passing with 21 touchdowns and only two interceptions.
In addition to playing linebacker and defensive back,
respectively, Papoccia and Larick have both seen time at running
back this season.
[Todd Kober,
assistant athletics director, media relations, Illinois
State University] |
