The Tennessee Valley Vipers remained unbeaten at home after knocking off the Tulsa Talons 55-39 on Saturday night before 3,722 fans at the Von Braun Center in a clash between two of arenafootball2’s premier teams.

The Vipers improved to 10-3 on the year and won for the eighth time in nine games, while Tulsa dropped to 11-2 and had a 10-game winning streak snapped.

Quarterback Kevin Eakin completed 26 of 42 passes for 342 yards and six touchdowns for Tennessee Valley, with Larry Shipp catching eight for 161 yards and four touchdowns and Jeremy Grier 10 for 106 and two scores. Former Ole Miss star Travis Blanchard added a pair of rushing touchdowns for the Vipers, who play at Kentucky on July 11.

Tulsa quarterback Justin Allgood completed 26 of 37 passes for 252 yards and five touchdowns. Charlese Franklin had 11 receptions for 101 yards and two touchdowns and Jeff Hughley nine for 105 and two scores for the Talons.

A pair of early defensive stops had the Vipers ahead 14-0 after 21 and 46-yard touchdown pass from Eakin to Shipp. Tennessee Valley led it 28-7 after Eakin’s 37-yarder to Shipp with 5:55 left in the second quarter and it was 42-21 following another Eakin-to-Shipp 34-yarder with 2:48 to play in the third quarter.

The Talons pulled within 48-33 on Justin Allgood’s  2-yard pass to Charlese Franklin with 6:10 left in regulation before Tennessee Valley put the game away on Grier’s 7-yard pass from Eakin with less than two minutes to play.

Score by Quarters                    1          2          3          4          Total

Tulsa                                      7          7          13        12        39

Tennessee Valley                     14        14        14         13        55

Russell Athletic Offensive Player of the Game: Larry Shipp (TVV)

Aaron’s Defensive Player of the Game: Henry Freeman, Demetrius Derico (TVV)

The Big Game Catch of the Game – Michael Johnson 14:15 2nd (TVV)

NiFTy Hit of the Game – LaRico Stevenson (TUL) – 1:25 3rd