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Destroyers Suffer Tough Losses In Colorado

May 19, 2007 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Columbus Destroyers News Release


DENVER - The Columbus Destroyers (6-5), presented by Germain, suffered a tough defeat at the hands of the Colorado Crush (8-4) in front of 15,326 fans on Frontier Airlines Field at Pepsi Center Friday night.

Destroyers quarterback Matt Nagy was injured in the first quarter as he threw an interception in the corner of the end zone and fell on his left elbow spraining it in the process. X-ray's on the elbow are negative and his status for next weekend's game is questionable. Nagy completed 7-of-8 passes for 87 yards and one interception before Scott Driesbach filled in and completed 30-of-45 passes for 269 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions. The Destroyers turned the ball over four times on the night, three interceptions and one fumble, the Crush were able to capitalize on two of the costly mistakes and turn them into 14 points.

Crush quarterback John Dutton earned Offensive Player of the Game honors as he completed 28-of-40 passes for 293 yards, eight touchdowns and one interception. His main target of the night, the reigning Arena Football League Player of the Year Damian Harrell, caught 13 passes for 117 yards and four touchdowns. Defensive Player of the Game Rashad Floyd dealt the Destroyers a serious blow as he intercepted two passes, including one in the fourth quarter to put a halt to a Destroyers comeback. Floyd added 14 tackles and four pass breakups.

The Crush opened the scoring as Dutton found wide receiver Willie Quinnie for a 15-yard touchdown. The Destroyers answered right back as Harold Wells rumbled in from 2-yards for the touchdown, his ninth rushing touchdown of the season. Quinnie caught his second score of the night on a 19-yard strike from Dutton. On the ensuing Destroyers drive Nagy completed four passes until he was intercepted by the Crush's Jason Harmon in the end zone. On the play Nagy injured his left elbow and did not return to the game. At the end of the first quarter the Crush led 14-6.

Harrell caught his 32nd touchdown of the season on a Dutton five-yard pass. Dreisbach relieved the injured Nagy, in his first action of the season under center, and completed six of eight passes culminating in a four-yard touchdown pass to Wells. Following a Crush one play drive that consisted of a 44-yard touchdown pass to Brad Pyatt, Dreisbach found B.J. Barre for an 11-yard score completing a seven play drive spanning 48 yards. Harrell gave the Crush a 35-20 advantage at the half as he hauled in an 11-yard offering from Dutton with :04 seconds to play.

The third quarter was littered with turnovers. The Destroyers Jason Hilliard rumbled nine yards on a tight end pass and fumbled the ball into the arms of Crush defensive back Chris Angel. On the following Crush drive, Dutton threw a ball into the arms of Brandon Hefflin in the end zone, Hefflin's second interception of the season. On the next Destroyers drive Dreisbach threw his first interception of the season to Rashad Floyd. The only score of the third quarter went to Harrell who caught his third touchdown of the game on a 16-yard pass from Dutton. At the end of three stanzas the Crush led 41-20.

On fourth and goal from the 7-yard line, Dreisbach found Barre at the front of the end zone to cut the Destroyers deficit to 15 points with 11:32 remaining in regulation. Dutton threw his seventh touchdown of the night as he found Pyatt on a 3-yard slant. Groce was left wide open for a 37-yard touchdown with six minutes on the clock. Groce led all receivers with 14 receptions for 168 yards and two touchdowns. A two-point conversion to Barre made the score 48-34 in favor of the Crush. After a failed onside kick attempt by Columbus, Harrell caught two passes for 12 yards and put the Crush back on top by 21. Groce and Dreisbach kept the hope alive with 2:12 remaining as the two hooked up for the second time in the quarter on a 18-yard touchdown down the left sideline.

The Destroyers will return to Huntington Field at Nationwide Arena Saturday, May 26 as they host the league leading Dallas Desperados (10-1) kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. (ET). The Destroyers will host Youth and Amateur Football Night as the first 5,000 children in attendance will receive an instructional CD compliments of USA Football. Germain Racing's NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series drivers, Todd Bodine and Ted Musgrave, will be in attendance. They will sign autographs at halftime and on display will be the #30 Lumber Liquidators Toyota Tundra race truck.

The Huntington $10 Ticket Blitz continues for every home game during the 2007 Destroyers season. A minimum of 225 lower bowl seats will be available for $10 at the Nationwide Arena Box Office two hours prior to every home game. The regular price on lower bowl seats is $26.

The Destroyers and Giant Eagle are teaming up with the Mid-Ohio FoodBank to TACKLE HUNGER in Central Ohio. Last year, with the help fans, the Destroyers raised enough resources to provide over 27,000 meals to those in need. Fans are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items to all Destroyers home games to receive a raffle ticket. In addition to the food drive, if fans bring a Giant Eagle branded non-perishable food item they will receive a voucher for $3 off a regularly priced ticket.

WE BELIEVE that you can never get enough football. Single game tickets for the 2007 season are available starting at $12 by visiting www.ColumbusDestroyers.com . For information on season tickets call (877) COLS-AFL. Groups of 10 or more are eligible for group rates by calling (614) 246-HITS.

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