Law Escape Blowout and Defeat with 42-40 win over Dorados
Published on May 23, 2004 under arenafootball2 (af2)
Rio Grande Valley Dorados News Release
Laredo Law quarterback Rocky Perez tossed a five yard touchdown completion to Trey Merkins as time expired to lift the Laredo Law over the Rio Grande Valley Dorados 42-40 in another controversial home finish for the Dorados Saturday night at the Dodge Arena.
Perez, who finished the game as the Baby Ruth Offensive Player of the Game, marched the Law 40 yards for game winning scoring drive with 1:00 remaining in the contest. On third and goal from the nine yard line, Perez was sacked by Spencer Conley, but a Dorados penalty gave the Law a fresh set of downs and placed the ball on the four yard line. The next play, Perez was sacked while scrambling by Bowie McKinley, but McKinley tackled Perez into the boards, stopping the clock with four seconds remaining. On second down from the five, the 25-second playclock hit zero, but the play took place and Perez fired a pass intended to Martino Theus, which was broken up by Bowie McKinley. The Dorados thought they won and stormed the field in celebration, while the sellout crowd of 5,600 went into jubilation. The officials interrupted the celebration by adding 1.6 seconds to the gameclock and giving the Law one last chance. It was the chance they needed, as Perez took the quick drop back and slung a pass to a wide open Merkins, who walked in for the win.
The game was pushed to an 8:15 start after the Law suffered a tire blowout on the bus an hour outside of town, but both teams came out to a quick start. Abel Gonzalez, starting in his first game with the Dorados, connected with Manwell Talbert for a three-yard touchdown on the opening drive of the game. The Law responded in their opening drive with a six-yard touchdown completion by Perez to Martino Theus.
It was back-and-fourth from then on and neither team completed consecutive scoring drives without the other team getting a scoring drive in between. Three touchdowns were tallied in the final minute of the second quarter. It began as Perez hit B'Jay Jones for an 11 yard touchdown completion with 52-seconds remaining. The Dorados responded with a two-play drive that was capped by a 16-yard touchdown pass from Abel Gonzalez to US Army Ironman of the Game selection Bowie McKinley. The touchdown by the Dorados left just enough time on the clock, as the Law responded on a two-play drive of their own that was ended with a 30-yard touchdown pass from Perez to P.J. Winston with just over a second remaining to cut the Dorados halftime lead to 21-19.
The second half started out back-and-fourth as well, but it was the kickers playing a little game of "anything you can do I can do better." After Eric Houle chipped in 23 yard field goal to extend the Dorados lead to 24-19, Laredo's Brian Hegnauer hit a field goal from 37 yards. Houle responded on the following drive by nailing a 40 yard field goal to place the Dorados lead at 27-22.
Instead of responding with a field goal, the Law responded with a 19-yard touchdown pass to James Dawson from Perez to give them their first lead of the game 29-27. The teams traded scores and Gonzalez, facing third and goal 27 yards away from the goalline, flung a deep pass to the endzone to Donte Wells, which resulted in what the Dorados thought would be the game winning touchdown with one minute remaining.
Gonzalez was 17 of 29 passing for 168 yards and 5 touchdowns with no interceptions in his starting debut, but the Dorados record will fall to 3-4 with the loss and move them into fourth place of the National Conference's Southwest Division. Oklahoma City moved into a first place tie with Wichita at 5-2 after a 53-25 win over the Stealth. Tulsa (4-3) jumped into sole possession of third place in the division with a 61-53 win over Arkansas.
The Dorados now prepare for a home-and-home series with the Tulsa Talons, which begins next Friday night in Tulsa. Laredo continues on the road next week looking for their third consecutive win of the season as they head to Wichita.
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