Dragons lassoed in Austin
March 20, 2005 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
New York Dragons News Release
The New York Dragons saw their four-game winning streak snapped as they fell to the Austin Wranglers 57-47 at the Frank Erwin Center on Saturday night. QB Aaron Garcia threw two first-half interceptions which allowed the Wranglers to take control of the game early on. With the loss, the Dragons' record drops to 5-2.
Although Austin held the lead for much of the game, the Dragons made a contest out of it in the fourth quarter. Trailing by 14 points, New York was able to tie the game with two touchdowns in a matter of just a couple of seconds. Following WR Markeith Cooper's 19-yard touchdown, WR/DB DaShane Dennis recovered the live football off K Rob Bironas' ensuing kickoff. The pigskin hit off the rebound net iron and into the arms of a charging Dennis, who ran it in for a touchdown. At that point, the game was tied 47-47.
"Frankly, we made it too hard on ourselves tonight," said Dragons head coach Weylan Harding following the game. "We made too many mistakes early on and they didn't. We didn't create the opportunities to put ourselves in a position to win and Austin did."
After scoring a go ahead touchdown, Austin OS Ira Gooch recovered an onsides kick which was the turning point of the game. The Wranglers went on to add a field goal to open a 10-point lead to seal the game.
Next week the Dragons wrap up their two-game road swing with a divisional contest in Columbus. In two weeks the team returns home to the Nassau Coliseum to take on the Chicago Rush on Saturday, April 2nd.
FOURTH QUARTER TURNING POINTS:
With the Dragons surging, the Wranglers risked an onsides kick with two minutes remaining the fourth. Their risk paid off as the recovery sealed the victory for them.
THIRD QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS:
The third quarter was relatively quiet with the Dragons closing the Wranglers lead to seven points, 40-33. Austin was held to one touchdown and a 21-yard field goal, while Mike Horacek and Chris Anthony scored for the Dragons on 13 and 11 yard passes from Garcia, respectively.
FIRST HALF RECAP:
After the Dragons scored first to open a 6-0 lead, the Wranglers took control for the rest of the half. Garcia threw two interceptions and a Rob Bironas extra point was muffed due to a bad snap. WR/LB Darrin Chiaverni caught two touchdowns to lead the Wranglers. Dragons OL/DL Chad Pegues blocked a Todd Sievers extra point in the second quarter. Through the first two quarters of play Austin led 30-20.
GAME BALLS:
QB John Fitzgerald (AUS) - Fitzgerald was on his game all night long as he routinely found gaps in the Dragons' defense. He finished with 322 yards and five touchdowns.
WR/LB Darrin Chiaverni (AUS) - The Ironman of the Game caught three touchdowns and made a key first half interception. He finished the game with 11 receptions for 103 yards, while recording an assisted tackle defensively to go along with his interception.
WR/LB Mike Horacek - The OS was a bright spot for the Dragons as he recorded seven receptions for 103 yards and two touchdowns.
NOTES:
With Austin just a short three-hour drive away, nineteen family members of head coach Weylan Harding attended the game. It was "Seventies Night" at the Frank Erwin Center, which had a crowd of 13,049. Due to the small size of the Frank Erwin Center, the playing service is a couple of yards short. The 50-yard field is squeezed into an area about 46-yards long. Markeith Cooper, who played the receiving side of WR/DB, caught his first touchdown pass as a Dragon on the team's first drive of the game. Before the game, the Dragons placed OL/DL John Thomas on Injured Reserve and activated WR/DB DaShane Dennis, who made his Dragons' debut.
Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from March 20, 2005
- Turnovers lead to sixth loss of season for Destroyers - Columbus Destroyers
- Soul light up scoreboard in 69-63 win over Storm - Philadelphia Soul
- Rush succumbs to VooDoo in overtime, 46-40 - Chicago Rush
- Gladiators pull out victory in Arizona, 66-63 - Las Vegas Gladiators
- Rattlers fall to Gladiators, Bonner hurt - Arizona Rattlers
- Dragons lassoed in Austin - New York Dragons
- Wranglers shock Dragons, 57-47 - Austin Wranglers
- Preds lose McEntyre, game - Orlando Predators
- Force continue to dominate the South, beat Predators 49-47 - Georgia Force
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