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Vigilantes win third-straight

April 30, 2011 - Arena Football League (AFL)
Dallas Vigilantes News Release


KANSAS CITY- The Dallas Vigilantes (5-2) win their third-straight game, 72-63, tonight at the Sprint Center versus divisional foe Kansas City Command (2-5). The win keeps Dallas on top of the Central Division and sets up another important divisional game with the Iowa Barnstormers next week. Vigilante quarterback Dan Raudabaugh went 29 of 35 for 377 yards and seven touchdowns. The 72-point effort is the first 70+ point game by the Vigilantes this season.

"We executed well on offense tonight," Raudabaugh said. "I believe we were only stopped twice, and those were self-inflicted. Our defense stepped up and did a good job, too. They made stops when they needed to. We were just resilient tonight."

Beginning the game with the ball, Kansas City quarterback JJ Raterink started his night strong, leading a three-play scoring drive that ended in a six-yard touchdown strike to receiver Aaron Hosack. But it would not take long for Dallas to answer. Raudabaugh would knot the game at seven with a 45-yard bomb to receiver DeAndrew Rubin in the Vigilantes' first snap at offense.

Immediately after the quick strike by Raudabaugh, Raterink would throw the go ahead touchdown to receiver Bret Smith, good for 18 yards. In the ensuing kickoff, the Command would find more good fortune, recovering a muffed return in the end zone for six more points. The fumble would put Kansas City up, 20-7, with 9:28 to go in the first quarter. To add insult to injury, Raudabaugh would fumble the first snap of the Vigilantes' next drive. Dallas offensive tackle Tony Washington would recover the ball in the Vigilantes' own end zone, but would give the Command two points in the process.

After the Dallas safety, Raterink decided to mash his foot on the accelerator, finding receiver Steven Savoy off of a five-yard fade. In the next Vigilante possession, Raudabaugh would get the Dallas offense back on track, hooking up again with Rubin for a nine-yard touchdown pass. A Remy Hamilton PAT would put the Vigilantes behind, 29-14 with 3:37 left in the first quarter.

Defensive lineman Justin Warren and the Vigilante defense would stuff Kansas City on fourth down of the Command's next possession. From there, the Dallas offense would set up shop in Command territory. At 14:56 of the second quarter, receiver Matt Fields would take a pitch to the house for 11 yards, cutting the Kansas City lead to 29-21.

With a textbook cut-back move, Vigilante fullback Derrick Ross would go six yards to find the end zone for the 14th time this season on Dallas' next possession. The Ross TD would move the Vigilantes within one point of the Command, surviving the onslaught that was unleashed on them in the first quarter.

"The line blocked great on that play," Ross said. "None of us gave up. Everybody was working to the left, so I thought there may not be anybody on the back side. I made the cut, and the rest is history."

But the Command offense would finally get back to its scoring ways. With 47 seconds left to go in the half, Raterink would find Smith again for six, this time on a two-yard screen. A missed Command PAT would Dallas down, 35-28.

In Dallas' next possession, the Command defense would earn its second safety of the night, this time from an eighth-yard sack up the middle by defensive lineman Tyus Jackson. A missed field goal by Kansas City's Brian Umstead would slate the score at halftime, 37-28, in favor of the Command.

Receiving the ball to start the third quarter, Ross would score his second touchdown of the night, hammering in a one-yard draw at 11:04. The score would bring the Vigilantes within three points at 37-34. But it wouldn't take long for the Command to earn their first points of the second half. In the ensuing Command possession, Raterink would lead a one-play scoring drive, ending with a 35-yard lob to Hosack, the receiver's second of the night.

For the Dallas offense's next at bat, Raudabaugh would find Rubin again on a 38-yard deep ball, Rubin's third touchdown of the game. The Command would get the ball back up by a score of 44-42, and that is where the Dallas defense would come up big. With Kansas City knocking on the door, Vigilante defensive back Chris Brown would snag his first interception of the season on an end zone fade. The Brown pick would allow Raudabaugh and the Vigilante offense to set up on their own two-yard line.

"We took advantage of what the defense gave us tonight," Rubin said. "When the opportunity presents itself, I just have to go out there make the play." That's what I did tonight. We had a great team effort."

A 35-yard strike to receiver Tiger Jones at 1:30 of the the third quarter gave Dallas its first lead of the game, up by five at 49-44. But the five point advantage would be short-lived, as Raterink connected with receiver Christian Wise for the quarterback's sixth touchdown pass of the game, ending a one-play scoring drive with four seconds left go in the quarter.

In the Vigilantes' next crack at offense, Raudabaugh would fire a four-yard laser across the middle of the end zone to Fields, capping off a six-play, 36-yard drive. The go ahead touchdown would inch Dallas ahead by six at 56-50. Like clockwork, Dallas would take the lead and lose it again, as Raterink found Smith for a 12-yard touchdown. A missed Umstead PAT would tie the game at 56 a piece with 8:12 left in the game.

For the third time of the night, Dallas would regain the lead, this time off of a another Ross rushing touchdown, taking a pitch 14 yards to pay dirt. But on cue, Raterink would tie the game at 63 on Kansas City's next possession, throwing his eighth touchdown pass of the night to Hosack on a 31-yard completion.

With 14 seconds to go in the game, Raudabaugh would answer Raterink with a six-yard slant to Jones, leap-frogging the Vigilantes to a 70-63 lead.

A clutch one-yard sack by Vigilante linebacker Dusty Bear with eight seconds to go would put the Command in trouble. Right after, Bear would force Raterink to intentionally ground the ball with two seconds left. The Command would have one more play, but Bear would fittingly put the nail in the coffin, forcing his hand again to end the game with a Dallas safety.

The win moves the Vigilantes to 5-2 on the season. Up next for Dallas is another divisional battle, this time versus the Iowa Barnstormers (2-4). The Saturday, May 7 match-up is set to kickoff from the American Airlines Center at 7:30 p.m.



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