Dusters drop fourth straight in OKC, 41-28
April 25, 2009 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Amarillo Venom News Release
Oklahoma City, OK - Despite a superlative defensive effort, the Amarillo Dusters fell victim to the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz Saturday night at the Cox Convention Center, 41-28.
Amarillo got the game started on the right foot, earning a red zone stop of the Yard Dawgz and inheriting the ball at their own 12. After several Oklahoma City penalties, ALEX WATSON hauled in a nine yard touchdown reception from COLLIN DRAFTS to put the Dusters up 7-0 after the KEITA IIZUKA extra point. Oklahoma City answered with a scoring drive of their own, tying the game at seven following a 12-yard touchdown catch by AL HUNT from ROBERT KENT with 2:56 left in the first quarter. The two teams would head into the second frame tied, 7-7.
Only five seconds into the second quarter, the Yard Dawgz struck again, this time on a 20-yard DANNY HOWARD touchdown reception, putting the hosts up 14-7 following the DAVID HENDRIX extra point tally. After an Amarillo three-and-out, Oklahoma City built a two touchdown lead after Kent found AGIM SHABAJ for a nine-yard touchdown strike. With 9:16 left in the second quarter, the Dusters trailed 21-7.
Dusters receiver CRAIG FULTON, JR. would come down with the Big Game Catch of the Game under three minutes later when he tracked down a 34-yard pass from Drafts and jaunted into the end zone for the score. The extra point was missed, setting the Dusters down by just eight. On the next drive, Kent would convert on a quarterback sneak from the one-yard line, bullying his way down the left side of his offensive line and into paydirt. An onside kick attempt from the Yard Dawgz would prove fruitful, with the kick recovered by former Duster BRYCE REED-cut from Amarillo after the first game of the season-at his own 12-yard line. Despite the scoring opportunity with under two minutes left, Oklahoma City was stopped cold after T.J. NICKLEBERRY and JARED WILLIAMS combined to sack Kent with no time remaining in the half.
With Amarillo trailing 27-13 beginning the third quarter, the âDawgz attempted another onside kick-this time, the kick was knocked out of bounds and the Dusters would start from Oklahoma City's 12-yard line. Moments later, Drafts competed a touchdown pass to Watson from five yards out. Drafts would run in the two point conversion, placing the Dusters back within six. Oklahoma City's high-powered, league-leading offense would be held scoreless in the third quarter, with the Dusters coming up with deft defensive stops on each drive. However, Amarillo failed to score themselves on their final two drives of the quarter, and so moved into the fourth down 27-21.
FREDDIE ROLLINS would rush in a touchdown for Oklahoma City from nine yards out less than a minute into the fourth quarter, setting the Yard Dawgz lead back to 13. XAVIER HAIR would catch a Drafts touchdown pass on the next Dusters drive, once again placing Oklahoma City within six points. However, Howard would haul in another OKC touchdown with 7:47 left in the fourth, putting the home squad up 41-28. Amarillo could not muster a touchdown on their final drive of the game, turning the ball over on downs with under 50 seconds remaining.
Despite great play from the Amarillo native Nickleberry (7.5 tackles, 1.5 tackles-for-loss) and others on defense for Amarillo, the Dusters (0-4) could only muster 161 yards of total offense in the loss. Still, the visitors held Oklahoma City to just 41 points, their lowest total of the season. Oklahoma City (4-0) got solid quarterback play from Hunt in the game, as their starting signal caller went 21-25 through the air, and accounted for five total touchdowns.
Amarillo will next host the Tulsa Talons next Saturday at 7:00 PM inside the Amarillo Civic Center. The team is offering discounted tickets for military and civic service personnel-call (806) 350-7277 for details.
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