The next time Vonta Leach returns to Rowland, he’ll have a new ring to show off.
At 4 hours, 14 minutes, the longest Super Bowl ever ended with the Baltimore Ravens victorious 34-31 over the San Francisco 49ers.
Baltimore took a 21-3 lead by the half and opened the second quarter with a record-setting 108-yard kickoff return by Jacoby Jones to put them up 28-6. But a power outage stopped the game cold for 34 minutes, and when play resumed, the 49ers began to rally, scoring 17 points within four minutes in the third quarter to trail 28-23. The Ravens kicked in a field goal, but the 49ers scored again to trail 31-29. Baltimore kicked in another late field goal and then with seconds remaining, took an intentional safety for the final score of 34-31.
Joe Flacco was named the Super Bowl MVP. The Ravens quarterback threw three touchdown passes in the first half to put the Ravens ahead throughout the game. He completed 22 of 33 passes for 287 yards in the game.
It’s the second Super Bowl win for the Ravens, who first won in 2001, and the first win for Vonta Leach, Rowland’s home town hero.
Leach carried once for one yard in the game and received three passes for 10 yards.
In Rowland, Leach’s family and friends turned out early on Sunday to show their support and celebrated well into the night after the win. Rowland mayor Betty Hunt said that Leach has been a true inspiration to the town and has done so much for the community.
