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Battle Wings fall to Talons, 61-51

April 10, 2005 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings News Release


BOSSIER CITY, LA - Donovan Morgan hauled in his fifth touchdown reception of the night with 0:04.5 remaining to rally Tulsa past Bossier/Shreveport, 61-51. The Talons then earned a little lagniappe, forcing and recovering a fumble for a touchdown on the Battle Wings last-gasp attempt to pull out a win.

Losers one week ago on a last-second touchdown pass at Amarillo, the Talons (1-1) turned the tables on Bossier (0-2) in the 'Wings second straight loss at home. Caleb Slover recovered from a forgettable debut last week to to complete 21 of 33 passes for 238 yards and five touchdowns, adding a pair of his own the ground including a one-yard plunge that set up a 51-48 Battle Wing lead with 1:56 remaining.

Tulsa drove nearly the length of the field, however, and used up nearly all the clock before Ben Bowling found Morgan for the game winner. Bowling, in his first start of the year, completed just 16 of 34 passes with one interception. The second-year QB made those connections count, however. He hooked up 10 times with Donovan - five times for scores - and threw for a game-high 240 yards with seven touchdowns.

Tulsa and Bossier battled to a 21-21 half-time knot, then opened up the game in the second half. The Battle Wings drew first blood on Slover's first one-yard dive to take a 27-21 lead. Tulsa answered with a Bowling-to-Morgan connection of 19 yards and after Nick Browne's PAT, led 28-27. The Talons' defense held off the 'Wings next drive, forcing the hosts to settle for Brian Hazelwood's 40-yard field goal and a 30-28 lead.

The two teams traded a pair of scores to end the third quarter, then Tulsa went up 41-36 with 14:12 left in the game on OS Robert Reed's lone scoring grab, a 24-yarder down the left boards. The Talons caught the first turnover break of the game on Bossier's next possession when McKinley Bowie lost the ball after a reception, allowing Tulsa to drive 29 yards for a two-possession lead, 48-36, with 9:02 left in the game.

The 'Wings stormed back however and made their own bit of turnover stew. Following a Slover-to-Adrian Burnette TD pass of 13 yards, Bossier's kick coverage unit trapped Tulsa at its own two yard line. On first down, Bowling's pass attempt was batted in the air and veteran DE Kendal Shello hauled in the ball for an interception and the 'Wings golden opportunity.

Tulsa benefitted from 12 Battle Wing penalties, including two in the final drive that gave the Talons crucial first downs.

Morgan, named the Offensive Player of the Game, finished with 105 receiving yards on 10 catches, none longer than 25 yards. Shello's play on the line and his interception earned him Defensive Player of the Game honors while Tulsa's Aleric Clark was named the U.S. Army Ironman. Clark caught just one pass for 18 yards but also had seven kick returns for 158 yards. He was credited too with a forced fumble as well as one pass break-up.

Bossier's Reggie Perkins finished with eight receptions for 88 yards and two touchdowns. Burnette hauled in six passes for 53 yards and Bo Smith grabbed four passes for 71 yards and a pair of TD's - one of them a 43-yard speed route that electrified the crowd of 2,128 shortly before the end of the first half.

Smith finished with a team-high 161 all-purpose yards, returning three kick-offs for 90 yards. Perkins added 21 MFG return yards and 41 KO return yards to finish with 150 all-purpose steps.

The Battle Wings head out on their first road trip of the season next week, seeking their first win at Quad City. Tulsa wraps up a tough season-opening three-game road trip at San Diego.

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