NASHVILLE-The Iowa Barnstormers struck early and often and never looked back as they cruised to a 37-3 shellacking of the Nashville Kats in a Week 4 AFL game.
On the Barnstormers' first possession, they moved the ball 55 yards on 6 plays. Norm Damron would fire a 45-yard touchdown pass to Chesley Miller taking a 7-0 lead with 12:50 to go in the first quarter. Nashville's first drive was snuffed out when Oliver Osler fumbled after making a catch and Seth Waltrip recovered for Iowa at his own 30-yard line. Three plays later, Damron threw a 70-yard touchdown pass to Miller to extend the lead to 14-0 with 10:20 to go in the first. The Kats would go three-and-out, and Red Hull's punt was blocked by Damon Derr who scooped it up for a 7-yard touchdown return to make it 21-0 with 9:06 to go in the first quarter. Shelton St. Johns would pick off a Curt Wardlaw pass and return it 12 yards to the Barnstormers' 44-yard line. After a 6-play, 37-yard drive, SB Rhoads kicked a 36-yard field goal to make it 24-0 with 4:50 to go in the first.
The Kats again tried to drive for a score, but Wardlaw was picked off by Austin Teel who took it back 12 yards to the Iowa 25-yard line. Rhoads would end a 12-play, 72-yard drive with a 20-yard field goal, extending the lead to 27-0 with 8:42 remaining in the second quarter. The teams would trade punts until late in the half, when Damron finished a 7-play, 42-yard drive with a touchdown pass to Ryan Travers covering 13 yards to make it 34-0 with 51 seconds remaining in the half.
The Kats again had a chance to get on the board early in the second half, but Leif Whitten picked Wardlaw off at the Barnstormers' 3-yard line. Iowa would punt, and Nashville moved downfield again, lining up for an apparent 37-yard field goal attempt. But the attempt was faked, and Brewster Brickhouse's pass for Vince Caselli fell incomplete. The Barnstormers might have gotten a little greedy, as Lando Reynolds picked off Damron and ran it back 17 yards to the Kats' 19-yard line. Nashville then drove 56 yards on 12 plays, and Daniel Stevenson kicked a 42-yard field goal to make it 34-3 with 2:52 left in the third quarter.
Iowa would answer back with a 9-play, 31-yard drive. Rhoads completed the drive with a 48-yard field goal to make it 37-3 with 14:16 to go in the fourth quarter. The teams traded punts, then St. Johns intercepted Wardlaw again at the Barnstormers' 46-yard line. But Lincoln Bingham would pick Damron off at the Kats' 38-yard line. Nashville would be turned away on fourth down in Iowa territory. The Barnstormers would punt, then Wardlaw would eventually be victimized again by the interception, as Teel picked him off in the end zone and ran it back 28 yards to the Iowa 26-yard line. The Barnstormers would then run out the clock.
Iowa (2-2) gained 422 yards of total offense. The Barnstormers ran for 78 yards on 26 carries. Powell Ramos led the team with 32 yards on 10 carries. Damron was 17-of-35 passing for 349 yards, 3 TD and 2 INT. He was sacked once for a 5-yard loss. Travers was the leading receiver with 6 catches for 49 yards and a TD. Miller caught 3 passes for 128 yards and 2 TD. The Barnstormers host the Dallas Desperados next week.
Nashville (2-2) gained 366 yards of total offense. The Kats ran for 77 yards on 24 carries. Osler led the team with 41 yards on 12 carries. Wardlaw was 24-of-46 passing for 320 yards and 5 INT. He was sacked four times, losing 31 yards. Vittorio Swane led the receivers with 7 catches for 121 yards. The Kats host the Georgia Force next week.
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