Tuesday, December 27, 2016

AFL: Dragons Edge Kats, 17-15

UNIONDALE, NY-The New York Dragons held off the Nashville Kats in a Week 12 AFL contest by the score of 17-15.

The game started with George Larron fumbling the ball at the Dragons 32. Lando Reynolds recovered for the Kats, and after a 6-play, 18-yard drive, Daniel Stevenson kicked a 31-yard field goal to take a 3-0 lead with 10:13 remaining in the first quarter. Both teams traded punts, and the Kats would move the ball 62 yards on 8 plays. Stevenson would kick a 35-yard field goal to give Nashville a 6-0 lead with 1:01 left in the first.

Both teams would punt again, and Hugh Stirckland returned it 30 yards to the Nashville 34-yard line. Six plays later, Faron Emerson threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Barry Starr to give the Dragons a 7-6 lead with 9:34 to go in the half. The Kats went three-and-out, then Emerson had a pass intercepted by Verlin Winfrey at midfield. Stevenson would miss a 48-yard field goal attempt. Following another New York punt, Nashville moved down the field, going 55 yards on 11 plays. Stevenson finished the drive with a 35-yard field goal with 5 seconds to go in the half, and the Kats took a 9-7 lead into the locker room.

The Kats got the ball to open the second half, but Stevenson missed a 40-yard field goal attempt. New York then went on a 6-play, 70-yard drive, ending with Emerson throwing a 29-yard touchdown pass to Booker Starling to give the Dragons a 14-9 lead with 7:25 to go in the third quarter. Nashville went three-and-out, and New York was on the move again with a 12-play, 45-yard drive. Burt Hamrick ended the drive with a 52-yard field goal to put the Dragons up 17-9 with 43 seconds remaining in the third.

Nashville answered with a 2-play, 72-yard drive. Brewster Brickhouse hit Vittorio Swane with a 62-yard pass to end the third quarter, then they connected again for a 10-yard touchdown to start the fourth quarter. The Kats missed a 2-Point Conversion attempt and were down 17-15 with 14:52 remaining in the fourth quarter. Reynolds intercepted Emerson again and returned it 19 yards to the Kats' 49-yard line. But the Kats were forced to punt. The teams would trade punts until late in the game. The Kats drove into position for Stevenson to attempt to win the game with a 53-yard field goal with 1:01 left, but the kick sailed wide and the Dragons held on for the win.

New York (6-6) gained 256 yards of total offense. The Dragons ran for 97 yards on 25 carries. Larron led the team with 68 yards on 15 carries. Emerson was 17-of-30 passing for 183 yards, 2 TD and 2 INT. He was sacked three times, losing 24 yards. Ardell Ashmore was New York's leading receiver with 4 catches for 40 yards. The Dragons host the Grand Rapids Rampage next week in a rematch of a 23-17 victory for New York back in Week 1.

Nashville (5-6-1) gained 360 yards of total offense. The Kats gained 75 yards rushing on 28 carries. Oliver Osler led the team with 52 yards on 18 carries. Brickhouse went 24-of-36 passing for 298 yards and a TD. He was sacked twice, losing 13 yards. Swane was Nashville's leading receiver with 10 catches for 124 yards and a TD. Next week, the Kats visit the Georgia Force, a team they lost to in Week 1 by a score of 47-24.

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