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Dorados Weekly

May 31, 2005 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Rio Grande Valley Dorados News Release


NATIONAL CONFERENCE'S HOTTEST SQUAD TO FACE HOT "DAWGZ" THIS WEEK IN OKLAHOMA

GAME #9 SATURDAY FORD CENTER 7:30 PM VS. OKLAHOMA CITY YARD DAWGZ (4-4)

BROADCAST: RADIO: ESPN RADIO 1240 AM VIDEO WEBCAST: www.af2tv.com

How many af2 teams can say they have won a contest when scoring zero points in the first half? The Rio Grande Valley Dorados (5-3) can after coming back from a 16-0 halftime deficit to defeat the South Georgia Wildcats 39-37, and now remain on the road this week looking for their fifth consecutive win as they face the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz Saturday night. Rio Grande Valley and Oklahoma City are former division foes that were part of the Southwest Division last season. The Dorados are 3-1 this season on the road and have won their previous two contests against non-division opponents (after going 0-7 in that department), but the Ford Center holds bad memories for the Dorados. They suffered their worst loss last season, in their only ever venture to the Ford Center, with a 55-17 loss. The Yard Dawgz, like the Dorados, had a slow start but have won their previous two games to climb to a 4-4 record at the halfway point. Their passing offense ranks sixth in the af2 with 2,057 pass yards and veteran quarterback Craig Strickland ranks fifth in total offense with 2,095 yards (261.9 per game). This contest is a "must win" if they want an opportunity to get a hold of first place in the West Division. First Place Tulsa (6-2) faces Central Valley (5-3) this week, meaning a Dorados win would keep them a game back from Tulsa and in sole possession of second place if Tulsa wins, but a win by Central Valley would force a three-way tie for first place.

DORADOS DROPBACK

The Rio Grande Valley Dorados overcame a scoreless first half with 31 fourth quarter points to eventually hold off the South Georgia Wildcats 39-37 in arenafootball2 action Saturday night in front of 6,112 fans at the Albany Civic Center.

The scoreless first half for the Dorados was just their second in franchise history and it was highlighted by 13 consecutive incomplete passes by Josh Kellett. South Georgia could not get their offense going as well in the half. Former University of Colorado quarterback Bobby Pesavento of South Georgia completed a 42-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Beard, who was playing in his first game, on Pesavento's first pass attempt to open the game with a 7-0 lead, but then turned the ball over twice (fumble, interception) in the half. Matt Burstein, who earned Baby Ruth Real Deal Offensive Player of the Game honors, tallied the half's only other touchdown by catching a 13-yard pass from a scrambling Pesavento with 6:17 remaining in the half to place the 'Cats with a 14-0 lead. Kellett stumbled into his own endzone on a snap from his own two yard line with four-seconds remaining in the half to give the Wildcats a 16-0 halftime lead.

After going nowhere on their opening second half possession, Rio Grande Valley got a break that led to a boost of confidence. Dorados defensive specialist Norman Mason, who played two games earlier in the season for South Georgia, picked off Pesavento for a second time in the game and the Dorados converted the turnover with a Dave Morrill four-yard rushing touchdown with 6:59 remaining in the third quarter to end the longest scoreless drought in Dorados history. Dorados Coach Kevin Guy then used a little trickery on the PAT, by pitching the kick-fake to John Bradley, who walked in the endzone unattended to cut the 'Cats lead to 16-8. The Dorados defensive forced the Wildcats to turn the ball over on downs on the ensuing possession and then used the rushing skills of Chris Robinson to power them into the endzone with a one-yard run just 53-seconds into the final quarter. Travis McAlpine ran in the two-point conversion to tie the contest 16-16. Mason tied a franchise record and clinched the ADT Defensive Player of the Game on the next series with his third interception of the game and his fifth in the last two games. Rio Grande Valley took their first lead of the game with 11:14 remaining on a trick play the had Kellett toss a lateral pass to Marquis Floyd, who fired a 23-yard completion to tight end Ben McCombs for a touchdown and a 23-16 lead.

It was a see saw battle from there, as Travis McAlpine's 46-yard touchdown catch from Kellett answered Torrey Day's 21-yard touchdown catch from Pesavento to give the Dorados a 30-23 edge. The ensuing kickoff from Eric Houle of the Dorados hit the upright and bounced around the turf before eventually being recovered by Norman Mason to give the Dorados possession. It led to a Houle 30-yard field goal for his league-leading tenth field goal of the season.

The Wildcats scored on their next drive with an 18-yard connection from Pesavento to Burstein with 3:03 remaining to get cut the Dorados lead to 33-30. Rio Grande Valley answered with an 18-yard touchdown of their own, as Kellett found Floyd deep in the corner of the endzone. Houle's PAT was blocked and the Dorados lead was held to 39-30.

The missed PAT made things interesting, as South Georgia made it a two-point game with a 38-yard pass from Pesavento to Chris McKinney with 24-seconds remaining. Montrail Pittman recovered Wes Virgilio's onside kick attempt for the 'Cats, giving them an opportunity to win the game with a drive starting at their own 14 yard line. Only penalties moved the ball towards the Wildcats endzone and three consecutive incomplete passes by Pesavento led to a 39-yard field goal attempt to seal the 'Cats win, but Virgilio, who entered the contest 0 for 4 on the season in field goal attempts, sent the kick wide-right and Mason clinched the net-return to seal the Dorados fourth consecutive win and their first road win in franchise history against a non-division opponent.

Rio Grande Valley fought through adversity to improve their record to 4-0 when trailing at the half. They suffered 18 penalties (for 128 yards) to South Georgia's five. Kellett was 17 for 41 passing for 185 yards and 2 touchdowns and completed his third consecutive game without an interception thrown. South Georgia's Bobby Pesavento was 14 for 36 in passing with 5 touchdowns and 254 yards. Pesavento's three interceptions thrown placed him with a league-high 13 on the year. Floyd earned US Army Ironman of the Game honors with a game-high eight receptions for 69 yards and a touchdown. He also had his first career touchdown pass (complete to McCombs) in the contest and three tackles.

‘DAWGZ REPORT (a look at the opponent's previous game) Courtesy of Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz

The Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz got past the Quad City Steamwheelers 56-49, as Al Hunt caught a 35-yard touchdown pass from Craig Strickland with :28 seconds left in the game to move the Yard Dawgz to 4-4 on the season. The Dawgz move into sole possession of third place in the Midwest Division and are only one game out of second place in the division. The two teams went back and forth in the first half the only difference in the two sides were two missed extra point conversions by the Dawgz and the Steamwheelers getting a 24-yard field goal by Nick Gatto as time expired in the first half, making the score 24-19 in favor of Quad City. The Dawgz would get their first lead of the game in the third quarter as they scored the first 10 points of the second half. The first score was a 34-yard pass to Brandon Daniels from Strickland and the next was a 28-yard field goal by Jason Ball, giving the Dawgz a 29-24 lead. The Steamwheelers would inch closer to the Dawgz with a 30-yard field goal in the third to pull them to within two points at 29-27. The fourth quarter was fast and furious for both teams as they combined to put up 49 points in the quarter. The Dawgz would open the scoring as Eric Butler would notch his second touchdown of the night with a one-yard run giving the Dawgz the 36-27 lead with 14:11 left in the game. The Steamwheelers would later tie the game with a 41-yard pass from Sam Clemons to Tim Dodge and they converted the two-point conversion play to tie the game at 42-42. The Dawgz would get the next score on a 32-yard pass from Strickland to Daniels putting them up 49-42 at the 2:09 mark. The Steamwheelers would not go away though as they tied the game one more time on a 24-yard pass from Clemons to Jack Walker Jr. with :49 seconds in the game, but they could not keep the Dawgz down as Strickland found Hunt for the winning score to give the Dawgz their second consecutive win. Daniels would finish the night with six catches for 118 yards and three touchdowns to pace the Dawgz. Craig Strickland finished the game 20-of-36 for 317 yards and six touchdowns. Jarrail Jackson was named Offensive Player of the Game for his performance. Jackson would finish the night with five catches for 77 yards and two touchdowns. Jackson would also add five kickoff returns for 111 yards and two missed field goals for 57 yards.

RECORD THIS

The following team records were set in the Dorados win over South Georgia Saturday night:

Individual
Most Interceptions in a Game: Norman Mason (tied the team record)

Team
Most Interceptions in a Game: 3 (third time)
Most Fumbles Recovered in a Game: 2 (third time)

Misc.
The Dorados won four consecutive games and three consecutive road games for the first time in franchise history

af2 WEEK 9 REVIEW

Friday, May 27
Manchester 46, W-B/SCRANTON 33 (4,422)
LOUISVILLE 62, Albany 55 OT (6,072)
Saturday, May 28
Rio Grande Valley 39, SGW 37 (6,112)
FLORIDA 69, Amarillo 63 (6,057)
MACON 67, Arkansas 45 (2,566)
TULSA 56, Bakersfield 43 (4,522)
BIRMINGHAM 55, Green Bay 26 (4,967)
Oklahoma City 56, QUAD CITY 49 (5,244)
CENTRAL VALLEY 83, San Diego 70 (3,279)

af2 WEEK 10 PREVIEW

Friday, June 3
W-B/Scranton at Green Bay 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, June 4
Bossier-Shreveport at Albany 6:30 p.m.
Macon at Manchester 6:30 p.m.
Birmingham at Florida 6:30 p.m.
Memphis at Arkansas 7:00 p.m.
South Georgia at Amarillo 7:00 p.m.
Rio Grande Val. at Oklahoma City 7:30 p.m.
Louisville at Quad City 7:30 p.m.
Bakersfield at San Diego 9:00 p.m.
Tulsa at Central Valley 9:30 p.m.

NEXT HOME GAME

The Dorados next home game will be Saturday, June 11, as the Dorados host the Tulsa Talons at Chase Field inside the Dodge Arena. Individual tickets for the game and all other home games are already on sale. Season ticket packages and advertising opportunities are still available by contacting the Dorados offices at 956-843-7825. Additional info can also be found by visiting the Dorados online at www.doradosfootball.com.

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