ALBANY, NY-The New York Dragons were able to pull out an 18-12 victory over the Albany Firebirds in Week 8 of the AFL season.
The Dragons started the game with the ball at their own 20-yard line, and drove down to the Firebirds' 2-yard line. New York went for it and fourth-and-goal from the 2, but Paden Caspar was stuffed at the line. On the next play, Kirk Redden tried to get breathing room for Albany, but Emmett Romine corralled him in the end zone for a safety to give the Dragons a 2-0 lead with 11:37 left in the first quarter. After Pepe Kell intercepted a Faron Emerson pass for the Firebirds, Albany finished a three-play, five-yard drive ending with a 51-yard field goal by Wally Dancer to take a 3-2 lead with 8:59 left in the first. New York would subsequently drive 50 yards on 10 plays, ending with a 33-yard field goal by Jose Trust to take a 5-3 lead with 4:07 left in the first quarter.
After an ill-fated fake punt attempt by Albany's Flint Percell late in the first, the Dragons went 20 yards on 7 plays. Trust finished it off with a 46-yard field goal to make it 8-3 with 12:55 left in the second quarter. Vance Bicker would pick off a Redden pass on the Firebirds' next possession. New York would punt, then Bicker would pick Redden off again. George Larron would finish off a 6-play, 26-yard drive with a 7-yard touchdown run to make the score 15-3 with 5:05 left in the half.
The Firebirds would open the second half with a 14-play, 57-yard drive. Dancer would kick a 30-yard field goal to make it 15-6 with 6:59 remaining in the third quarter. The Dragons would punt, then Albany moved downfield again, going 81 yards on 6 plays. Dancer would put the finishing touch on the drive with a 24-yard field goal to make it 15-9 with 1:34 remaining in the third.
New York would answer with a 5-play, 40-yard drive of their own. Trust hit on his sixth field goal of the game, this one from 42 yards out, to make it 18-9 with 13:40 to go in the fourth quarter. Dancer missed a 48-yard field goal on Albany's ensuing possession. Then after a Dragons' punt, the Firebirds ended an 8-play, 41-yard drive with Dancer kicking a 36-yard field goal to make it 18-12 with 6:28 left in the fourth. Following a New York punt, Albany tried for the end zone but were turned away on fourth down in Dragons territory. The Firebirds had one more chance, but Abdul Fowler's 33-yard gain after catching a Sinbad Gargaro pass still left them far short of the goal line.
New York (2-6) gained 250 yards of total offense. The Dragons ran for 122 yards on 32 carries. Freddy Ashercraft led the team with 55 yards on 9 carries. Emerson was 14-of-22 passing for 163 yards and 1 INT. He was sacked three times, losing 35 yards. Ardell Ashmore led the receivers with 5 catches for 55 yards. Next week, the Dragons visit the San Jose Sabercats.
Albany (4-4) gained 350 yards of total offense. The Firebirds ran for 153 yards on 25 carries. Fowler led the team with 103 yards on 10 carries. Redden started 2-of-9 passing for 22 yards and 2 INT. Gargaro came in at the start of the second half and went 17-of-24 for 205 yards. He was sacked four times, losing 30 yards. Tico Ponder was the leading receiver with 5 catches for 48 yards. The Firebirds visit the Colorado Crush next week.
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