FLORENCE, S.C. -- As far as losses go, it's hard to imagine any being tougher to endure than the beating Florence put on Wyoming on Friday night.

After making a 1,900-mile trek that included a bus to Denver, a flight to Atlanta and another bus to Florence, the Cavalry resembled very little of the 13-3 team they brought to Florence in a 48-12 loss in AIFA Bowl II.

"We just didn't execute. It's that simple," Wyoming quarterback Matt Strand said. "You have to travel throughout the season. Getting here was difficult, yeah, but that's all off-the-field stuff.

"The good teams are the ones who can clear their minds and overcome the off-the-field stuff."

Whether or not the off-the-field stuff had much to do with Friday's outcome might be debatable, but this much is certain: The on-the-field stuff from Florence quarterback Omar Jacobs was devastating.

En route to being named the game's MVP, Jacobs completed 15 of 20 passes for 180 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran for 66 yards and two scores on four carries.

"(Jacobs) is a good football player, but we did a bad job trying to tackle him," Wyoming coach Dan Maciejczak said. "You can't tackle him around the shoulder pads. You have to hit him low."

Jacobs needed little time to open the scoring, hitting Reggie Glover with a 25-yard touchdown pass less than a minute into the game.

With Florence leading 7-0 midway through the quarter, Wyoming drove to the Phantoms' 2 before being turned away on downs.

Florence then drove the length of the field for a 14-0 lead. Jacobs capped the drive with an 8-yard keeper around the left side.

Wyoming pulled within 14-6 on an 11-yard touchdown pass from Strand to Dante Dudley late in the first quarter. The Phantoms cruised from there, building a 28-6 halftime lead.

"This was easily the worst game we've played all year," Maciejczak said. "We just didn't see the field well and finish plays. There were a lot of little things we didn't do right.

"Florence played a great football game tonight and we didn't. They won, we didn't. And they're taking the trophy home."

Florence outgained Wyoming 284-119 in total offense. Strand was 13 of 32 for 83 yards, while throwing a season-high four interceptions.

"You hear people talk about total team efforts, but this really was a total team effort on both sides of the ball tonight," Jacobs said. "(Wyoming) couldn't score. And when you don't score, you don't win the game."

DONE AND DONE: The American Indoor Football Association closed out its second season with Friday night's AIFA Bowl II, and league co-owner John Morris said the 16-team league is as stable as it's ever been.

"Overall, things are good," said Morris, who was at midfield with co-owner Michael Mink for Friday's coin toss. "Any league is only as good as its ownership and we have great ownership right now.

"We're excited about the future."

That future will include at least one new franchise in Harrisburg, Pa., next year, and the league is looking at expanding in the Western Conference. New Orleans Saints receiver Marcus Colston will be part owner of the Harrisburg team.

"We're looking for decent areas to grow the league, and Harrisburg is a great fit," Morris said. "Harrisburg is ranked as a top 10 area for minor-league sports. Teams up there get a lot of support."

Morris said the new franchise in Harrisburg might not be the only change for the league in the offseason.

"We don't know yet if all the teams that were in the league this year will be back next year," Morris said. "Like every league has to do, we're going to sit down at some point and have to make some tough decisions.

"We want to enjoy this championship game tonight and then get together in the next few weeks to talk about things."

One franchise that seems to be on much better footing than it was when the season started is Florence.

In a win over the Augusta Colts on June 14, the Phantoms drew a then franchise-record crowd of 2,946. The crowd for the championship game eclipsed that.

"To sit here tonight and see all these people here honestly gives me chills," Morris said. "Before the season started, there were questions whether or not the Phantoms would play this year. I spent six months here in Florence just looking for the right ownership.

"For sure, I'd have to say the Phantoms are the biggest surprise we've had this year."

LONG WAY FROM HOME: Jim Tetrault and his family made a more than 1,800-mile trek from St. Onge, S.D., to Florence to see son and Wyoming defensive back Tanner Tetrault play for the AIFA title.

The Tetrault's were among about 50 Cavalry fans in attendance.

"We got up at 1 in the morning on Wednesday, drove to Denver from South Dakota, flew from Denver to Raleigh, N.C., and drove down from Raleigh to Florence on Wednesday night," Jim Tetrault said. "We got to Florence about 10 o'clock Wednesday night, so it was a long, long day."

It's the first time the Tetrault's have ever been to the East Coast.

"We went over to Myrtle Beach (on Thursday) and we just kind of hung out around the hotel (on Friday)," Tetrault said. "It's a pretty nice area here. There are a lot of trees. We're used to hills and prairies out where we live."

Melissa Camp and her son, Brian Camp, made a 330-mile trip up from Warner Robins, Ga., to support Brian's friend and Wyoming defensive lineman Jon Smit.

Last year, the Camps made a trip to Fayetteville, N.C., to watch Smit and the Cavalry play for the unaffiliated Professional Indoor Football Championship.

"When we heard this game was going to be in Florence, we were real excited," Melissa Camp said. "Had the game been in Casper, we wouldn't have gotten to go."

GOTTA GET LOW: Cavalry defensive back Brian Anderson was one of several defenders who had a tough time bringing down Florence quarterback Omar Jacobs.

Midway through the first quarter, the 6-foot-4, 235-pound Jacobs gave Florence a 14-0 lead when he went around the left side on a rush and plowed through the 6-foot, 190-pound Anderson and into the end zone.

"(Jacobs) is a big guy," Anderson said. "Guess I should have taken him lower."

AIFA BOWL II TRACKER

FRIDAY: Florence 48, Wyoming 12, in AIFA Bowl II in Florence, S.C.

RECORDS: Phantoms (13-4); Cavalry (13-4).

SOUTHERN UNCOMFORT: The Cavs, who are used to blowing out opponents, saw the other end of the spectrum for the first time this season in the blowout loss.

HE SAID IT: "This was easily the worst game we've played all year. We just didn't see the field well and finish plays. There were a lot of little things we didn't do right." Cavs coach Dan Maciejczak.