AFL: Dallas Defeats Iowa, 20-6

DALLAS-The Dallas Desperados defeated the Iowa Barnstormers in Week 3 of the AFL season by the final score of 20-6.

The game opened with the teams trading punts, then Dallas would drive 67 yards on 6 plays. Elson Gregson finished it off with a 9-yard touchdown run to give the Desperados a 7-0 lead with 5:39 to go in the first quarter.

The exchange of punts continued into the second quarter when the Desperados would go on a 7-play, 28-yard drive ending with a 50-yard field goal by Greg Hall to take a 10-0 lead with 11:55 to go in the second quarter. The Barnstormers would finally get a drive going, only for Norm Damron's pass to get intercepted by Guy Dudson at the Dallas 12-yard line. The Desperados would punt, then Iowa would drive again, only for Dudson to thwart the opportunity again, recovering a Ryan Travers fumble at the Dallas 26-yard line. The Desperados would drive into scoring range, but Hall missed a 55-yard field goal attempt. Not much else of note happened in the second quarter.

Iowa finally got on the board at the start of the second half, driving 45 yards on 11 plays. SB Rhoads would end the drive with a 48-yard field goal to make it 10-3 with 10:45 remaining in the third quarter. But Dallas would respond with a 12-play, 68-yard drive. Helmut Briley finished it in style with a 22-yard touchdown run to pull ahead 17-3 with 5:38 left in the third. The Barnstormers would punt, but J.J. Hawes fumbled on the return, and Jordan Vadino recovered for Iowa at the Iowa 42-yard line. The Barnstormers then drove 27 yards on 6 plays, ending with a 48-yard field goal by Rhoads to make it 17-6 with 1:37 remaining in the third quarter.

Dallas attempted to put the game out of reach early in the fourth quarter, but Hawes would fumble on a catch, and Terace Glascock recovered for the Barnstormers at the Iowa 22-yard line. The subsequent Iowa drive was then thwarted by a Travers fumble recovered by Diron Imboden at the Desperados 44-yard line. But on the next play, Heinie Voorhees was picked off by Farrell Companis who ran it back 13 yards to the Barnstormers' 35-yard line. Iowa would punt the ball away, then Dallas methodically drove 76 yards on 17 plays. Hall ended the drive with a 21-yard field goal to make it 20-6 with 4:14 to go in the fourth quarter.

Dallas (1-2) gained 350 yards of total offense. The Desperados ran for 186 yards on 37 carries. Gregson led the team with 78 yards on 16 carries and a TD. Voorhees was 11-of-35 passing for 143 yards and 2 INT. He was sacked three times, losing seven yards. Holt Leash (86 yards) and Clem Shaffer (6 yards) each caught 3 passes. Next week, the Desperados visit the Orlando Predators.

Iowa (1-2) gained 254 yards of total offense. The Barnstormers ran for 116 yards on 23 carries. Lars Witt led the team with 42 yards on 6 carries. Damron was 15-of-35 passing for 173 yards and 1 INT. He was sacked five times, losing 35 yards. Travers was the leading receiver with 6 catches for 71 yards. The Barnstormers visit the Nashville Kats next week.