DENVER-The Georgia Force scored three touchdowns in a 4-minute span in the first quarter, and it enabled them to cruise to a 42-21 victory over the Colorado Crush in Week 9 of the AFL season.
Georgia started the game at midfield, and drove 50 yards on 7 plays. Norm Damron finished the drive with a 2-yard touchdown pass to Walter Halley to give the Force a 7-0 lead with 13:04 left in the first quarter. On the ensuing kickoff, Gitch Wild fumbled the return at the 6-yard line and Darl Rose scooped it up for the touchdown to put Georgia up 14-0 with 12:49 remaining in the first. The fumble bug hit Colorado again, as JC Holman had the ball stripped away, and Sonny Warick recovered for the Force at the 30. Seven plays later, Damron threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Paden Bonewell, making the score 21-0 in favor of Georgia with 9:04 remaining in the first quarter. The Crush finally held on to the ball, but Earl Ginger would miss a 53-yard field goal attempt. Damron would throw an interception on the next play, as Eric Adcock picked him off at the Colorado 46-yard line. Seven plays later, Howton Thom completed the drive with a 7-yard touchdown pass to Turk Dill to make the score 21-7 with 1:51 remaining in the first.
Both teams would punt, and then the Force would drive 62 yards on 5 plays, with Clem Foulks putting the exclamation point on the drive with a 38-yard touchdown run, putting Georgia up 28-7 with 11:42 left in the half. Punting would dominate much of the second quarter, until Thom was sacked by Horatio Chipman who would recover the subsequent fumble at the Crush 39-yard line. Three plays later, Damron threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Richard Gerard, and the Force were up 35-7 with 2:34 remaining in the second quarter. The Crush would respond with a 10-play, 64-yard drive that ended with Thom throwing a 20-yard touchdown pass to Dill with 29 seconds to go, and Colorado trailed 35-14 at halftime.
On the first play of the second half, Thom was intercepted by Alfred Pinkston. But the Force would go three-and-out, and Colorado would drive 86 yards on 9 plays. Thom would complete the drive with an 18-yard touchdown pass to Sandy Kelley to get the score to 35-21 with 9:05 left in the third quarter. After Georgia punted, Thom would get picked off again, this time by Ward Hilton, who returned it 18 yards to the Georgia 37-yard line. After a 7-play, 63-yard drive, Damron threw his fourth touchdown pass of the game, a 12-yard pass to Gevan Crafton, and the Force went up 42-21 with 1:45 remaining in the third. Not much of note happened after that, as Colorado couldn't move downfield through the air, and Georgia was content to run out the clock.
Georgia (5-4) gained 295 yards of total offense. The Force gained 130 yards rushing on 28 carries. Foulks led the team with 76 yards on 14 carries and a TD. Damron went 19-of-28 passing for 177 yards, 4 TD and 1 INT. He was sacked once for a 12-yard loss. Bonewell was Georgia's leading receiver with 6 catches for 84 yards and a TD. The Force will visit the Tampa Bay Storm next week, looking to avenge a 26-13 loss to the Storm in Week 4.
Colorado (5-4) gained 351 yards of total offense. The Crush ran for 65 yards on 11 carries. Thom led the team with 27 yards on 4 carries. He went 31-of-50 passing for 318 yards, 3 TD and 3 INT. He was sacked four times, losing 32 yards. Dill caught 6 passes for 82 yards and 2 TD. Tyler Howell also caught 6 passes for 58 yards. Colorado is on the road against the Arizona Rattlers next week, a team they defeated in Week 4 by a score of 28-20.
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