Dragons Open in Grand Fashion
February 9, 2004 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
New York Dragons News Release
The New York Dragons started off the 2004 season on the right foot as they defeated the Georgia Force 54-28 on Sunday afternoon at the Arena at Gwinnett Center to move to 1-0 on the season. Aaron Garcia, the Offensive Player of the Game, threw for 241 yards including five touchdown passes and a rushing a score. William Holder was named the Defensive Player of the Game as he heavily contributed to a fourth quarter where the Dragons shutout the Force (0-1) 21-0. The game also marked the first time since the franchise was relocated from Iowa that the Dragons were victorious on the opening weekend of play.
The Dragons came out of the gates fast to begin the 2004 season. QB Aaron Garcia looked like his old self by quickly driving the offense down the field. Uncharacteristically, Garcia ran the ball for the first touchdown of the year to open up a 7-0 lead over the Force. Todd Shells defense then picked up right where they left off last season as they stuffed Georgia at their goal line for a defensive stop. In the tail end of the first quarter, the Dragons offense grinded their way down the field in a penalty filled drive. The drive continued in the opening minute of the second quarter. Rodney Filer ran the pigskin for a score and the Dragons increasing their lead to 14-0.
The rest of the second period would belong to Georgia. On their second possession of the game, OS Markeith Cooper would score the Force's first points of the season with a three yard rushing touchdown. On the Dragons ensuing possession, the offense would be guilty of turning the ball over. Georgia's defense showed their teeth by forcing Garcia out of the pocket on several occasions. With his offense at the defenses five-yard line, the former All-Arena player fumbled the ball on a broken-play-scramble. The Force would eventually tie the game at 14 with a 13-yard pass from QB Leon Murray to Cooper.
However the Dragons would come back to score before the end of the first half. With only: 34 left on the clock, Garcia orchestrated a three play drive with all of his passes going to OS Lincoln DuPree. Kicker Pete Elezovic missed the subsequent extra point attempt, but the Dragons went into the locker room up by six points with a 20-14 lead.
New York built off of the momentum they created at the end of the first half in the beginning of the second half. The defense came up with another defensive stop as they held Georgia to a 47-yard field goal attempt, which K Steve McLaughlin missed wide right. The offense then went right back to work as Will Holder reeled in a nice over-the-shoulder touchdown reception. With the Force trailing 26-14, their offense answered with a touchdown of their own. Before the quarter was out, Garcia drove his team down the field for another score as rookie WR Curtis Fagen brought down his first AFL touchdown. At the end of three quarters, the Dragons found themselves up 12 points, 33-21.
Although they gave up a touchdown in the early parts of the fourth quarter, the final frame belonged to the Dragons. Holder had a series of plays within a minute of each other that opened up the contest in favor of the Dragons. First, the second-year pro caught a four-yard touchdown pass to increase the New York lead back to 12 points. Then on Georgia's next offensive possession, Holder jumped into a pass for the first Fire Breathin' interception of the new season. FB Joey Dozier would catch a screen pass to finish off that drive and the Dragons quickly found themselves up 47-28. The Dragons defense did not rest as DS Corey Johnson picked off another pass from Murray. Johnson retuned the interception for a touchdown, which spanned 42-yards. The play, which sealed the game for the Dragons, gave them a 26 point lead, 54-28.
Next Week the Dragons open their home season with a playoff rematch against the Chicago Rush. The Dragons defeated the Rush 48-45 in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs in 2003.
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