Baker, Ford Lead Fayetteville to 47-34 win
May 14, 2005 - National Indoor Football League (NIFL)
Fayetteville Guard News Release
KISSIMMEE, Fla. Brian Baker passed for five touchdowns and fashioned a balanced attack for Fayetteville, who won its first road game of the season, Friday night as the Guard defeated the Kissimmee Kreatures, 47-34, in a National Indoor Football Game.
The Guard (2-6) led from the beginning and got some balanced running from Wayne Davis and Walter Ford, who had a spectacular 49-yard missed field goal return at 7:43 of the fourth quarter that put Fayetteville in command, 39-20.
The Kreatures (2-7) have lost three in a row and are 2-4 at home with the final game at Silver Spurs Arena against the Lakeland ThunderBolts on Saturday, June 18.
Baker, at 6-foot-5, received excellent protection from his offensive line and he was 11 for 18 and 98 yards. Three of his TD passes went to Brandon McDowell, the last being a 29-yard bomb with 2:34 left in the game.
McDowell, who leads the team in receiving, had only four catches for 40 yards. His other touchdowns were a 4-yarder to open the game and a 3-yard toss to start the 3rd quarter when Fayetteville built a 27-6 lead.
Brandon Walker nine yard run at 5:47 and quarterback Rob Harding's one-yard plunge with 3:49 remaining closed the Guard gap to 39-34, the closest the Kreatures were all night.
Harding ended uyp 13 of 28 but was picked twice and had only 125 yards and no TDs. His backup, out of Eastern Michigan, Rick Pyle, was four of 9 and had touchdown passes to Brock Jones and TJ Simmons for seven and 25 yards, respectively.
Davis had 14 carries and 49 yards and Ford only five carries for 45 yards, including a 32-yuard scamper with 3:16 left in the 3rd quarter that gave Fayetteville a 33-13 margin.
Quarterback Joe Davis spelled Baker for a time and was four of seven for 13 yards. Jammie Deese and Tuati Wooden each had the other receiving scores.
Kissimmees LaFann Williams, the teams leading rusher with 303 yards coming into the game, collected only 16 in six carries. He had averaged more than 14 carries a game until this point.
Defensively, the Guard had eight pass breakups and a pair of interceptions. Al Dubose had the only sack for the Guard but also had two quarterback hurries.
On the Kreatures side, Bishlar Penson had a tackle for loss, two interceptions and two pass break ups. He had one interception and one breakup in his inaugural game last week at Lakeland.
The River City Rage travel to Fayetteville on Saturday, May 21 for the Guards next game.
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National Indoor Football League Stories from May 14, 2005
- Hawks defeat Hawgs - Daytona Beach Hawgs
- Guard Never Relinquish Lead in 47-34 Win over Kissimmee - Fayetteville Guard
- Baker, Ford Lead Fayetteville to 47-34 win - Fayetteville Guard
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