SAN JOSE-The San Jose Sabercats and Dallas Desperados traded momentum back and forth very freely, but the Sabercats maintained just enough momentum to pull out a 37-30 victory in a Week 2 AFL contest.
The Desperados began the game by moving the ball 64 yards on 7 plays. Heinie Voorhees put a cap on the drive by tossing a 14-yard touchdown pass to Horace Evers with 11:20 to go in the first quarter to go up 7-0. San Jose responded in kind, as the Sabercats drove 70 yards on 8 plays. Tim Carey threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Ramon Counce to tie the game at 7 with 8:10 to go in the first. Dallas would move the ball on their next drive for 25 yards on 7 plays, but Greg Hall would miss a 51-yard field goal with 4:44 left in the first. San Jose and Dallas would then trade punts. Late in the first quarter, Golden Reinhart would intercept a Carey pass and return it to the Sabercats' 14-yard line. Three plays later, Voorhees would throw a 3-yard touchdown pass to J.J. Hawes to give the Desperados a 14-7 lead just 10 seconds into the second quarter.
San Jose took just 5 plays to drive 64 yards on their next possession, and Carey threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Turk Costigan to tie the game at 14 with 12:25 to go in the half. The Desperados would fumble the ensuing kickoff, and the Sabercats recovered at the Dallas 32. Ethan Wycoff would kick a 53-yard field goal with 11:13 to go to pull ahead 17-14. Then Dallas would fumble the ensuing kickoff again, and San Jose's Montrose Whitfield returned it to the Desperados' 27-yard line. Four plays later, Wycoff would drill a 26-yard field goal, and the Sabercats went up 20-14 with 9:54 remaining in the half. After the teams traded punts, Voorhees was sacked by Rod Gaines and fumbled. Mac Shockley recovered at the Desperados' 44. Six plays later, Alan Sale ran it it for an 8-yard touchdown run, and the Sabercats had a seemingly commanding 27-14 lead with 2:50 left in the half. But after Evers returned the ensuing kickoff into Sabercats territory, Dallas moved the ball 42 yards on 3 plays. Voorhees threw a 31-yard strike to Hawes for his second touchdown of the game to make it 27-21 with 1:47 remaining. San Jose drove into position for Wycoff to kick a 45-yard field goal with 55 seconds left, but it was partially blocked and Wycoff missed it. From there, the Desperados quickly advanced the ball for Hall to kick a 43-yard field goal with 11 seconds left in the half, and the score was 27-24 Sabercats at the half.
The second half was comparatively tame, scoring-wise. Wycoff missed a 52-yard field goal on San Jose's first possession. The Desperados would punt on their first possession, but were in business when Teddy Stacy fumbled a catch and Jose Moore recovered at the Sabercats' 24-yard line. From there, Hall would kick a 42-yard field goal to tie the game at 27 with 7:29 to go in the third quarter. The Sabercats would take the ensuing kickoff and drive 64 yards on 6 plays. Stacy would atone for his fumble by catching a 7-yard TD pass from Carey to put San Jose up 34-27 with 5:47 to go in the third. The teams would trade punts twice to end the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Chuck Wleborn intercepted a Voorhees pass and returned it to his own 35. Five plays and 28 yards later, Wycoff made his third field goal of the game, this one from 54 yards out, to put the Sabercats up 37-27 with 10:56 to go in the game. The teams would again trade punts, and Dallas would drive 48 yards on 11 plays, settling for a Hall 49-yard field goal with 2:33 remaining to close the deficit to 37-30. San Jose went three-and-out and the Desperados got the ball on their own 20 with 1:10 left in regulation. Dallas managed to get to the San Jose 48-yard line with 2 seconds left, but Russ Bird would intercept Voorhees' final pass attempt to seal the win for the Sabercats.
San Jose (2-0) gained 410 yards of total offense. The Sabercats gained 109 yards rushing, with Sale leading the team with 89 yards rushing on 15 carries and a TD. Carey was 28-for-48 passing for 311 yards, 3 TD and 2 INT. He was sacked once, losing 10 yards. Costigan was the Sabercats' leading receiver with 7 catches for 113 yards and a TD. Stacy made 6 catches for 50 yards and a TD. Counce caught 3 passes for 36 yards and a TD. Next week, the Sabercats will travel to Milwaukee to tangle with the Mustangs.
Dallas (1-1) gained 337 yards of total offense. The Desperados were held to 46 yards rushing, Gregson leading the team with 42 yards on 12 carries. Voorhees went 30-for-47 passing for 320 yards, 3 TD and 2 INT. He was sacked four times, losing 29 yards. Hawes was Dallas' leading receiver, with 11 catches for 102 yards and 2 TD. Evers caught 7 passes for 61 yards and a TD. The Desperados will host the Colorado Crush next week.
No comments:
Post a Comment