After scoring a touchdown on the opening drive of the game, the Sharks didn't score again until 34 seconds remained in the second quarter. In between, Soul defensive lineman Justin Warren and defensive back LaRico Stevenson each forced a fumble, Rayshaun Kizer intercepted a pair of Morris passes, and the defense caused a turnover on downs.
The Soul offense, meanwhile, didn't skip a beat, scoring on all seven of its first-half possessions. Trailing by 6-0, Raudabaugh hooked up with Brackins for a 10-yard touchdown, and Fabrizio Scaccia knocked down the extra point to give the Soul the lead. They didn't look back.
In a span of about nine minutes, the Soul scored 24 unanswered points. First, with the Sharks driving in for their potential second score, Warren stripped Jacksonville running back Rendrick Taylor at the 13-yard line. Five plays and 41 yards later, Soul running back Derrick Ross scampered across the goal line from 5 yards out.
The Soul defense then forced a turnover on downs, and Brackins followed with a 3-yard touchdown run. The first play of the next drive, Kizer hopped a quick slant route and secured an interception while falling to the turf. This time, the Soul settled for a field goal.
On the next kickoff, Stevenson hit Sharks returner Terrance Smith from behind. With Smith running near the left sideline wall, the ball popped out of his grasp, ricocheted off the wall, and lay on the ground until linebacker Melik Brown pounced on it. This time, the Soul scored a touchdown on a 10-yard pass from Raudabaugh.
The Sharks looked ready to settle down and at least find some positive momentum, but Kizer made his second interception as he reached over the wall in the corner of his own end zone, much like an outfielder saving a potential home run. Again, Raudabaugh found Brackins in the end zone for a touchdown, giving the Soul a 38-6 lead.
Finally, the Sharks responded. Morris hooked up with Jeron Harvey for a 5-yard touchdown, their second of the half. But Bryan Robinson blocked Marco Capozzoli's extra-point attempt, and the Soul tacked on yet another touchdown with six seconds left in the half. Brackins scored on a 2-yard run to his right after fielding a lateral near the goal line.
To celebrate, Brackins chucked the ball into the stands - a punctuation on the half that punched his team's ticket to the ArenaBowl on Aug. 10.
