Iowa spoils Amarillo comeback, Dusters lose 71-42
May 23, 2009 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Amarillo Venom News Release
Des Moines, IA 5/23/09 - The Amarillo Dusters could not complete the comeback Saturday night at the Wells Fargo Arena, dropping the 71-42 match to the Iowa Barnstormers.
The scoring began just 1:18 into the first quarter, when Iowa quarterback BRAIN VILLANUEVA tossed a 10-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver ERICK MCCOWN. The Amarillo offense would counter with their own scoring drive just 1 minute later, as Dusters quarterback COLIN DRAFTS tossed a 16-yard strike to wide receiver ALEX WATSON. On the following Barnstormers possession, Villanueva would throw another touchdown pass, this time to wide receiver DUSTY KAIN. Following an Amarillo turnover on downs, Erick McCown received a shuffle-pass from a scrambling Villanueva, ending the first quarter with the lead, 21-7.
Amarillo would score in the second quarter via a KELTA IIZUKA season-long 51-yard field goal. Iizuka went 1-3 on his field goal attempts, and 3-6 on PAT's. Iowa would then put together two drives that would end in touchdowns. 335-pound CHARLES JOHNSON rumbled into the endzone on a 2-yard run, and Brain Villanueva snuck his way in on a 1-yard run as well. At the half Iowa 35, Amarillo 10.
The third quarter began when DUVAUGHN FLAGLER catching a Colin Drafts 26-yard catch-and-run. Flagler would end the game with 5 catches for 69 yards. Although Iowa offensive standout TIM DODGE did not catch a touchdown pass in the game, he did zing-zag his way through the Amarillo kickoff team for his first kickoff return for a touchdown this season. After Iowa's defensive back TANNER VARNER returned a Colin Drafts interception for a score, the tides turned. Amarillo backup quarterback MATT BASSUENER entered the game, and led the Dusters to three unanswered scores. Wide receiver BRENT CRAFT was the beneficiary, catching two of the three Bassuener touchdown throws. Amarillo would recover an onside kick, and Alex Watson would score to draw Amarillo closer to Iowa, 49-35.
But the Barnstormers were too much for the Dusters despite two touchdown catches by Amarillo in the fourth. A touchdown grab by Iowa's Erick McCown, a safety credited to Charles Johnson, and a Tim Dodge touchdown run stifled Amarillo's comeback.
Amarillo (1-7) will play their next game on Saturday, May 30 in Boise, Idaho against the Boise Burn. Iowa (5-3) will suit up on Saturday, May 30 at home against Peoria.
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