Louisville Burns Dorados with 28-unanswered points
April 10, 2005 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Rio Grande Valley Dorados News Release
Hidalgo, Tx - The Louisville Fire opened up the 2005 af2 season scoring 28-unanswered points to scorch the Rio Grande Valley Dorados 56-42 in front of 5,011 fans Saturday night at Chase Field inside the Dodge Arena. The loss gives the Fire a 1-0 record to begin the season, while giving the Dorados a 0-1 record and handing Dorados new head coach Kevin Guy his first opening night loss (3-1) in his af2 coaching career.
The comeback was led by a trio of fourth quarter touchdown receptions by Fire offensive specialist Cesare Manning, who found the endzone five times on the night and earned Baby Ruth Real Deal Offensive Player of the Game honors with a game-high 10 receptions for 198 yards. The Dorados had a 42-29 lead with 1:46 remaining in the third quarter after Ben McCombs picked up his first af2 touchdown reception of his career, but the touchdown would end up being the final one for the Dorados on the night. The next offensive possession for the Dorados led to a Craig Cole, followed by two drives that combined for minus-two yards on eight plays.
Fire quarterback Matt Sauk, who spent the 2003 season playing under Guy in Tennessee Valley, hit Manning for strikes of 25, 26 and 35 yards in the comeback march. He finished the night 18 of 25 for 280 yards and 6 touchdowns. Meanwhile, it was long night for Dorados quarterback Josh Kellet. He started the night 2 of 7 in the first quarter and tossed two of his four interceptions in the quarter. Kellet was 17 of 44 passing for 219 yards and three touchdowns in the game, and resorted to most of his success on the ground. He set a single-game franchise mark with two rushing touchdowns. Also finding success on the ground was fullback Chris Robinson for Rio Grande Valley. Robinson set the Dorados single-game rushing record with 35 yards on four carries, including a scamper of 22 yards.
Marquis Floyd earned the US Army Ironman of the game for the Dorados with a Dorados single-game record of 140 receiving yards on six catches. He also led the Dorados with 6.5 tackles (5 solo). ADT Defensive Player of the Game honors went to Tony Stallings, who nabbed two of the Fire's four interceptions. Arkee Thompson, who co-led the Fire with three pass break-ups, registered the Fire's first interception of the game to extend his af2 all-time mark for interceptions to 28 in his career.
The Dorados will return to action Saturday in the Fort Myers, FL area for their first road test of the season, as the face the Florida Firecats. Louisville will seek to remain perfect on the young season as they return home to prepare for a contest with the South Georgia Wildcats.
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