OMAHA, Neb.-- It was déjà vu all over again for the Las Vegas Locomotives.
In front of 15,310 fans at Rosenblatt Stadium, the Locos earned a second consecutive United Football League championship Saturday afternoon, staving off the Florida Tuskers once again for a 23-20 victory.
Las Vegas' Alfred Malone blocked a 45-yard field goal attempt by Florida's Nick Novak on the final play of the game to preserve the victory.
Locos quarterback Chase Clement was named "The Championship" Most Valuable Player, as he was 16-for-25 for 237 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, and added 30 yards on five carries.
At the end of the 2009 "Premiere" season, the Locos won a 20-17 overtime decision against the Tuskers in the UFL's first-ever championship game.
The pace of the game was fast and furious early on, as 17 points were scored in the first 11:47. Florida opened the scoring with a five-yard scramble for a touchdown by quarterback Chris Greisen. Las Vegas quickly tied the game just 56 seconds later when Clement found wide receiver Andrae Thurman wide open for a 75-yard touchdown pass.
Novak made a 22-yard field goal to make it a 10-7 Tuskers lead, and the pace of the game slowed down until Clement found another wide-open target, this time tight end George Wrighster, for a 30-yard touchdown with 5:56 left until halftime.
The Locos had a 14-10 halftime lead, and then the pace quickened again in the third quarter. There were two lead changes in the third - the first coming on Greisen's second TD scramble of the game (two yards) with 8:19 left in the quarter, and the second coming on a 37-yard jaunt by Locos running back Hakim Hill with 5:53 left in the period.
Another 22-yard Novak field goal pulled the Tuskers to within a point at 21-20 with 7:48 left in regulation. But a Las Vegas safety after a bad Florida snap extended the Locos' lead to 23-20 with 5:36 left in the fourth quarter.
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