Wranglers edge VooDoo, 56-55
Published on April 2, 2005 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
New Orleans VooDoo News Release
AUSTIN, Texas--FB/LB Dane Krager's two-yard TD run with six seconds remaining lifted Austin to a 56-55 victory over New Orleans in the Frank Erwin Center.
The Wranglers (4-6) trailed, 55-49 after a 16-yard TD pass from VooDoo QB Andy Kelly to OS Aaron Bailey with 1:16 to play, but K Brian Schmitz missed the extra point as New Orleans led by six.
QB John Fitzgerald drove the Wranglers 45 yards in six plays and capped the drive as he pitched to Krager, who went over the left side for the score. K Todd Seivers' extra-point try was good as Austin took a one-point lead.
The VooDoo (6-4) had a chance to win on the final play of the game, but Schmitz' 53-yard field goal attempt went just wide as time expired.
Fitzgerald was 35-of-45 passing for 344 yards, five TDs and one interception for the Wranglers. Austin OS Ira Gooch, who caught 12 passes for 138 yards and one TD, was selected as the U.S. Army Ironman of the Game. Wranglers WR/LB Darren Chiaverini, who caught 12 passes for 96 yards and three second-half TDs and added one tackle on defense, was selected as the ADT Defensive Player of the Game. New Orleans OS Aaron Bailey, who had nine receptions for 135 yards and four TDs was selected as Offensive Player of the Game.
Austin took a 7-0 lead on their first possession as Fitzgerald threw a 15-yard TD pass on a crossing pattern to Gooch with 11:39 remaining in the opening quarter.
New Orleans tied the game the first time they had the ball as Kelly completed a three-yard TD pass to WR/LB Thabiti Davis with 6:26 to play in the quarter.
Later in the quarter, the Wranglers re-took a 14-7 lead on a 18-yard TD pass from Fitzgerald to WR/DB Charlie Davidson with 2:48 to go. With one second to play in the period, the VooDoo tied the contest at 14-14 when WR/DB Lamont Moore caught a 13-yard scoring strike from Kelly.
The Wranglers had a chance to go by three points early in the second quarter, but Seivers' 20-yard field goal attempt hit the right upright with 11:44 to go. The VooDoo took advantage four plays later when Davis caught his second TD of the night, a 26-yarder with 9:53 remaining as New Orleans led for the first time, 21-14.
Austin went on the ground to tie the game with 5:51 before halftime as Davidson took a handoff from Fitzgerald and ran four yards for the score.
Kelly hooked up with Bailey on a 19-yard TD with 2:40 to go as the VooDoo went up, 28-21.
In the final minute before halftime, WR/LB Darren Chiaverini bulled over from two yards out to knot the contest at 282-28 with 36 seconds left. On the first play after the ensuing kickoff, Kelly's found Bailey down the sideline for a 45-yard TD pass with 28 seconds left as New Orleans led, 35-28.
The VooDoo defense stopped the Wranglers on the final play of the first half as WR/DB Calvin Spears intercepted a Fitzgerald pass in the end zone.
New Orleans took the second half kickoff and extended their advantage to 42-28 on a two-yard scoring pass from Kelly to Bailey with 11:09 left. The Wranglers cut that lead back to seven at 42-35 on a three-yard TD reception by Chiaverini with 6:26 to go in the period.
The Wranglers got their first takeaway of the contest when DS Kelvin Hunter intercepted Kelly four yards deep in the end in the final minute of the third quarter. Austin turned the miscue into a 42-42 tie as Chiaverini caught a nine-yard pass from Fitzgerald with 11:13 remaining.
Kelly gave the VooDoo a 49-42 lead with 6:43 to play as he tossed a 11-yard TD pass to WR/DB Carl Bond to complete a six-play, 40-yard drive after the Wranglers had tied the contest.
Chiaverini helped the Wranglers tie the game at 49-49 with 4:26 to go as he made a diving catch of a 17-yard pass down the middle from Fitzgerald for his third TD catch of the second half.
Kelly was 28-of-44 passing for 338 yards, eight TDs and one interception for the VooDoo. Bond had 10 receptions for 112 yards for New Orleans.
The VooDoo are off next week and will return to action on Saturday, April 16 in the New Orleans Arena vs. the Columbus Destroyers (7 pm CT). The Wranglers will travel to the Georgia Force next Friday (7:30 pm ET) in Phillips Arena.
Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from April 2, 2005
- Storm Get Back on Track - Tampa Bay Storm
- Dragons Come Up Short vs. Rush - New York Dragons
- Rush slays Dragons, 44-43 - Chicago Rush
- Nation's spotlight on Preds - Orlando Predators
- Wranglers edge VooDoo, 56-55 - New Orleans VooDoo
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
