KATS BEAT ARSENAL 92-76 TO ADVANCE TO ARENA CROWN

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - The Nashville Kats will return to the Arena Crown championship game after scoring a team record for points to defeat the Michigan Arsenal 92-76 in the semifinal on Sunday at F&M Bank Arena before 3,583 fans.

The Kats’ 92 points were the most scored by an AF1 team this season. It broke the previous high of 86 scored by Michigan against Oceanside on July 10. The league record is 100 set by Albany in 2025 against Corpus Christi and is the third most in league history.

The Kats will host Albany in the AF1 Arena Crown league championship on Saturday, Aug. 8 at 3 p.m. The Firebirds beat Nashville 60-57 in last year’s championship game in Albany.

Tyler Kulka passed for 371 yards and 9 touchdowns for the Kats. Kendyl Williams and BK Smith Jr. each scored four touchdowns. Williams (124), Smith (107) and Malik Honeycutt (100) all had at least 100 yards receiving. Nashville’s defense also forced three turnovers.

The Kats scored seven touchdowns on their first 10 plays on offense.

The Kats scored on their third play on offense when Tyler Kulka hit Malik Honeycutt for a 33-yard touchdown pass. Kyle Kaplan kicked the extra point and added the first of his two rouges on the ensuing kickoff.

On the Arsenals’ second offensive play, Derrick Maxwell Jr. intercepted a Malik Henry pass and returned it 14 yards for a touchdown. After Kaplan’s kick and rouge, Nashville led 18-0 just 3:30 into the game.

After a Michigan touchdown, a failed onside kick set up the Kats with possession at the Arsenal 4. BK Smith Jr. followed on the first play with a 4-yard scoring run.

Kulka was efficient in the first half, completing 9-of-11 passes for 222 yards and 5 touchdowns. Kendyl Williams hauled in two of the touchdown passes. Malik Honeycutt, BK Smith Jr. and Jordan Gandy also caught scoring passes.

Nashville’s only miscue allowed Michigan to cut the score to 54-46 at halftime.

The Kats had driven the ball to the Michigan 12. Kulka was hit as he threw the ball and Berdale Robins intercepted the ball at the 10 and returned it to the Arsenal 13 with 39 seconds remaining. The Arsenal scored on the final play of the half and converted the 2-point conversion after a defensive penalty against Nashville.

Michigan started the second half with a chance to tie Nashville. However, Kyle Kaplan’s opening kickoff was through the uprights for a deuce to extend the Kats’ lead to 56-46. On the Arsenal’s first play, Jaquan Artis forced Malik Henry to fumble and Dejon Walden recovered the loose ball for a touchdown. Kaplan added a second deuce to start the second half to extend the lead to 64-46.

Michigan wasn’t able to get any closer than 12 points in the second half.

GAME NOTES

KATS KAPTAINS: Former Tennessee Titans linebacker Tim Shaw was one of the honorary captains along with Kats co-owners Jeff Jarrett and Jeff Fisher, who is also the AF1 Commissioner. Shaw was diagnosed with ALS in 2014.

NATIONAL ANTHEM: Multi-Grammy award winning musician and saxophonist Jeff Coffin, a member of The Dave Matthews Band, performed the National Anthem before the game.

KATS HONORED: Montgomery County Mayor Wes Golden proclaimed Sunday as Nashville Kats Day in Montgomery County. The Tennessee State Senate also honored the Kats for their 2026 season.