The Blackjacks took a ride down I-95 to face the defending Arena League champion, Washington Valor on Saturday night.  The Blackjacks watched as theValor raised their ArenaBowl 31 Championship banner in front of the home crowd at Capital One Arena.

The two teams traded early scores, with AC quarterback Randy Hippeard running in for a score to give the Blackjacks a 7-6 lead. The Valor would score another touchdown with 16 seconds to go in the first half and would lead 20-7.

In the third quarter, LaMark Brown found the end zone with another rushing touchdown to cut the lead to six midway through the third quarter. The Valor would answer with Nelson finding a wide-open Reggie Gray in the end zone for a touchdown. On the first play of the next drive, Hippeard found Kendrick Ings across the middle of the field and he took it all the way to the house for a 49-yard touchdown to close the lead to only six once more. The Valor would take a 27-21 lead into the fourth quarter.

Entering the final quarter, the Blackjacks faced a 14-point deficit with only 2:16 left in the game. The Blackjacks moved the ball quickly and Brown found himself with another touchdown. With 30 seconds to play the Blackjacks needed to recover the onside kick which they did not.

The Valor would knee the ball and time would expire, winning the game 41-34.

The Blackjacks will travel back home in Week 4 and take on the Baltimore Brigade on Saturday May 18th at 7:00PM.

Here are the highlights of the Blackjacks loss to the Valor with Nick Kosko and Coffee Jones calling all the action on 97.3 ESPN:

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