Davey, Thunder win World Bowl

GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany -- Wide receiver Richard Alston threw a 60-yard touchdown pass to Chas Gessner on a trick play, helping the Berlin Thunder beat the Frankfurt Galaxy, 30-24, to win a wild World Bowl yesterday.

The Thunder matched the league mark for best record, finishing 10-1 to equal the London Monarchs of 1991.

"That's outstanding: 10-1 means we're as good as anyone that's ever been over here -- the guys deserve it," Thunder coach Rick Lantz said.

But it wasn't easy. The teams combined for 10 turnovers; Berlin started by fumbling on its first four drives.

League-leading rusher Eric McCoo was selected game MVP after gaining 167 yards on 28 carries for the Thunder, including a 69-yard touchdown run down the right sideline.

After the game was tied at 10 at halftime, Alston put the Thunder ahead with his TD pass off a reverse, making it 17-10 early in the third quarter.

Then came McCoo's big scoring run, and two field goals by Jonathan Ruffin put the Thunder ahead, 30-10, in the fourth quarter.

Galaxy quarterback J.T. O'Sullivan, who missed the last two regular-season games because of his father's death, then rallied his team by throwing two of his three touchdown passes.

O'Sullivan finished 19 of 33 for 210 yards, with three touchdowns and two interceptions. Thunder quarterback and league offensive MVP Rohan Davey, allocated by the Patriots, was 19 of 29 for 212 yards with an interception.