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Dragons Breathe Fire; Defeat Detroit 44-37

May 24, 2002 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Detroit Fury News Release


UNIONDALE, NY-Danny Kanell completed 14-of-18 passes and three touchdowns in a relief role, and Steve Papin caught nine balls for 65 yards and three TDs, as the New York Dragons burned the Detroit Fury 44-37 Saturday night at the Nassau Coliseum. New York improved to 2-4 while the Fury sank to 1-5.

In the opening quarter, Detroit got on the board first when Chuck Winters pulled in a 21-yard pass from Drew Miller at 10:21. Detroit kept New York off the board on the next series and Miller was able to connect to Bernard Williams giving the Fury a 12-0 lead. The Fury defense continued their strong play, forcing the Dragons to accept a Clay Rush 41-yard field goal at 5:40. In the next series, Miller twisted his left ankle, forcing Charles Puleri into action. Puleri's first pass was completed to Chuck Levy for a 27-yard TD at 1:21.

Rush scored the only points of the second quarter for either team, the first from 40 yards at 4:45 followed by a 24-yard boot as time expired in the half. The Detroit defense held the Dragons to just three field goals in the opening half.

In the third quarter, both teams started to pile on the points. Igancio Brache drilled a 29-yard field goal at 11:07 before NY's Rodney Filer ran one in from the one at 7:49. Rush nailed a perfect kickoff that bounced off the iron, eluding Winters, and into the hands of Donevits Franklin who scored on the play at 6:57. On the very next play, Winters returned a 56-yard kickoff for a touchdown, his third in the last two games, at 6:01 that brought the score to 28-23 in favor of Detroit. AFL newcomer Danny Kanell replaced starting QB Matt Nagy at the start of the second half, and connected with Steve Papin for a three-yard score at 4:19. Brache hit a 37-yard field goal that proved to be the final scoring play for the third frame.

In the final quarter, Papin scored struck twice and Detroit's Ty Grovesteen intercepted a Kanell pass and scampered into the endzone for the final scoring play.

The Fury return to the friendly confines of the Palace of Auburn Hills on Saturday, June 1 when they host the Georgia Force at 7:30 PM. Tickets are available by calling (248) 377-0100 or by logging onto www.detroitfury.com.

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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from May 24, 2002


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