Dawgz Surrender 73 Points in Fifth Straight Loss

June 1, 2009 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz News Release


OKLAHOMA CITY - The Tulsa Talons (8-1) traveled to Oklahoma City to take on Central Division foe Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz. The game was supposed to be a hotly contested matchup of in-state archrivals, however the Talons were too much for the Dawgz, pulling away early in a 73-46 rout.

The Dawgz got the crowd fired up early when rookie DB Davion Mitchell picked off Talons QB Justin Allgood's second pass attempt of the game. Unfortunately, Oklahoma City gave the ball right back three plays later, when QB Robert Kent fumbled as he scrambled out of the pocket. The Talons were able to convert the turnover into seven points on a 4-yard Jeff Hughley TD grab. The Dawgz were only able to muster a field goal on their next possession, and Tulsa scored once more to take a 13-3 lead into the second quarter.

The Talons added a quick 10 points before the Dawgz were able to put their first touchdown on the board, a 17-yard catch and run by WR Matt Fields with 5:57 to go in the second quarter. The Talons added two more touchdowns and left the Dawgz only twenty seconds to try and add points before halftime. Oklahoma City was able to drive the field and set up a last second trick play from the Talons 2-yard line. The play had Robert Kent split out wide as a receiver with af2 veteran WR Al Hunt taking the snap. Hunt faked a run to the left to draw the Talons defense in as Kent slipped behind. Hunt lobbed a shovel pass over the Tulsa secondary to a wide open Kent, who made a diving catch against the wall as time expired. Kent's TD grab earned him The Big Game Catch of the Game. The Dawgz headed into the locker room down twenty to the Talons, 37-17.

Oklahoma City took the first possession of the second half, but Tulsa deflated any momentum the Dawgz may have gained from Kent's heroics at the end of the second quarter. On the Dawgz first play, James McClinton sacked Kent in the endzone, giving the Talons a safety and the ball. The 9-point swing was too much for Oklahoma City to overcome, as Tulsa stretched their lead to 46-17 in less than three minutes. Tulsa's strong second half kept the Dawgz at bay, as Russell Offensive Player of the Game Jeff Hughley added four touchdowns in the final two quarters, bringing his total touchdowns for the game to seven, a Talons single game record. McClinton also tied a Talons record with his game high 4 sacks, earning him the Aaron's Defensive Player of the Game.

Dawgz WR Al Hunt continued to show off his versatility, catching 2 TDs, running for one, and passing for another. Hunt became the first player in af2 history to eclipse the 1,200 point mark in a career and stretched his lead as the af2's all-time leading scorer (1,204 points). Oklahoma City will have to hope for another rematch in the playoffs if they want to get a win over their biggest rivals this year, as the Talons swept the Dawgz in the season series 2-0, and take a 73-46 road win back to Tulsa.

Game Note - Saturday night's game was also Military Appreciation night. The U.S. Army swore in 43 recruits during halftime and the new soldiers received a prolonged standing ovation as they took their Oath of Enlistment.

The Yard Dawgz take on the Milwaukee Iron on Saturday, June 13th at the Cox Convention Center. Flex Packs are now on sale starting at just $50! Single game tickets starting at only $10! The Yard Dawgz Block Party begins every home game at 5:00 PM on Reno. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:05 PM. For additional information, please call (405) 228-3294 or visit www.okcyardawgz.com.



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