DES MOINES, IA-Ev Blansett fired four touchdown passes in helping the Iowa Barnstormers defeat the Georgia Force 48-17 in a Week 15 AFL game.
Iowa stormed out early with a 12-play, 72-yard drive. Blansett would finish it off with a 3-yard touchdown pass to Aaron Huggins to give the Barnstormers a 7-0 lead with 8:56 remaining in the first quarter. Georgia would answer back with a 9-play, 33-yard drive that ended with Wilbur Ahmad kicking a 53-yard field goal to make it 7-3 with 5:09 remaining in the first. The Barnstormers would respond with a 7-play, 70-yard drive that ended with a 5-yard touchdown pass from Blansett to Davlin Coggins to give Iowa 14-3 lead with 1:47 to go in the first quarter.
Shelton St. Johns would intercept Norm Damron on Georgia's next possession at the Iowa 45-yard line, but Blansett would be victimized by a fumble after a Tyrone Pickney sack that was recovered by Conroy Spencer at the Force 26-yard line. After trading punts, Georgia would drive 50 yards on 8 plays. Walter Halley finished it off with a 9-yard touchdown run to make it 14-10 with 5:32 left in the half. The Barnstormers would answer with a 10-play, 63-yard drive finished off with a 4-yard touchdown run by Weldon Taber making it 21-10 with 1:47 remaining in the second quarter. Georgia tried to drive for a score, but time ran out on the first half.
Georgia would punt to open the second half, and the Barnstormers started to pull away with a 7-play, 60-yard drive. SB Rhoads finished it off with a 24-yard field goal to extend Iowa's lead to 24-10 with 10:19 remaining in the third quarter. Stew Fugundo would pick Damron off on the next possession and took it to the Force 13-yard line. Three plays later, Blansett tossed a 13-yard stirke to Isaiah O'Connell to make it 31-10 with 9:07 to go in the third. On the ensuing Georgia drive, Damron was sacked and fumbled, and Terace Glascock recovered for the Barnstormers at the 27-yard line. Blansett hit Coggins for a 22-yard touchdown pass two plays later, and the score was 38-10 with 7:22 remaining in the third quarter. The Force tried to get back in the game, but Ahmad would miss a 52-yard field goal attempt. Rhoads would also missed a 52-yard attempt.
Following Iowa's missed kick, Georgia would go 58 yards on 7 plays. Damron would throw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Raven Bannon to cut the lead to 38-17 with 14:50 to go in the fourth quarter. An onside kick failed, and following a 12-play, 28-yard drive, Rhoads would kick a 29-yard field goal to make it 41-17 with 9:49 to go. Bo Bull fumbled the ensuing kickoff at the Georgia 31-yard line, and Clarence Bragg recovered for the Barnstormers. Following a 10-play, 31-yard drive, Powell Ramos bulled in from the 1 to mercifully put an end to the scoring at 48-17 with 4:24 to go in the game.
Iowa (8-7) gained 401 yards of total offense. The Barnstormers ran for 132 yards on 36 carries. Ramos led the team with 65 yards on 18 carries and a TD. Blansett went 22-of-31 passing for 292 yards and 4 TD. He was sacked three times, losing 23 yards. Coggins led the receivers with 6 catches for 105 yards and 2 TD. The Barnstormers will finish their regular season on the road against the Nashville Kats.
Georgia (8-7) gained 319 yards of total offense. The Force gained 79 yards rushing on 19 carries. Clem Foulks led the team with 47 yards on 11 carries. Damron went 20-of-35 passing for 265 yards, 1 TD and 2 INT. He was sacked three times, losing 25 yards. Paden Bonewell led the receivers with 8 catches for 112 yards. He is also the first receiver to catch 100 passes this season (100 REC, 1,236 YDS, 7 TD). Next week, the Force will host the Dallas Desperados to wrap up their regular season.
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