Gatto Leads Copperheads to Win
May 13, 2007 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Texas Copperheads News Release
HOUSTON - The Texas Copperheads have watched defense make up for its scoring deficiency early in its inaugural af2. It added a bit of kicking to the mix on Sunday.
The Copperheads rode the leg of kicker Nick Gatto most of the game before defense and a late touchdown helped Texas keep Laredo winless with a 42-34 victory at the Richard E. Berry Center on Sunday afternoon in front of a crowd of 1,886.
The Copperheads (2-4) got help from nearly every side of the ball as the hot leg of Gatto put Texas ahead 26-14 at halftime. Gatto split the uprights from 31, 36, 44, 19 and 29.
Laredo defensive back Eddie Giddings benefited from the Copperheads' slow offensive day when he picked off a Tony Eckert pass and returned it 40 yards for a touchdown late in the third quarter. Giddings also recorded 10.5 tackles on the day.
Just when it seemed Laredo gained momentum and the lead, the Texas defense took it back as Byron Hugley picked off a Daniel Forrest lob pass on a fourth-and-1 and returned it 18 yards for paydirt. The game came down to the final seconds, though, as Forrest missed on a last-second pass into the end zone that could've put the Lobos (0-6) within a two-point conversion of tying the game.
Copperheads return man Jarrod Fuller had another stellar all-around game, stutter-stepping his way to a 50-yard return of a missed Laredo field goal in the first quarter and recording 96 yards on 8 catches and a touchdown.
Forrest was 18-of-37 for 225 yards and two scores but threw three crucial interceptions.
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