Wranglers wrap up Fury, 70-58
Published on March 20, 2004 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Austin Wranglers News Release
DETROITâWith the QB John Kaleo connecting seven times with deep threat OS Tacoma Fontaine for five touchdowns and a strong goal-line rushing attack accounting for three touchdowns, the Wranglers wrapped up the Fury in Detroit Thursday night, 70-58. Kaleo completed 16-30 passes for 282 yards, seven touchdowns and one interception. He hit seven different receivers in the contest that brought the Wranglers record to 4-2 on the season.
The Wranglers took the opening kickoff and the offense stalled on the first drive of the game, turning the ball over to the Fury on downs. WR/DB Charlie Davidson came through on defense, snagging Fury QB Andy Kelly's first pass of the game. The Wranglers were able to convert on a two play, 42-yard drive that was boosted by three Detroit penalties, contributing 18 yards to the Wranglers offense. Kaleo hit a wide-open Davidson for 21 yards while FB/LB Jeremy Beutler rounded-out the drive with a three-yard rush into the right corner of the endzone giving the Wranglers the first score of the game. Kicker Tony Dodson came through on the PAT making the score 7-0.
The Fury took over and the Wranglers defense successfully kept them from the endzone on four tries, but a pass interference call against the Wranglers gave Detroit a first down which they finally converted into six points to begin the second quarter. The Wranglers took over and Dodson was called to attempt his sixth field goal of the season and nailed the 50 yarder to post his first AFL field goal giving the Wranglers the lead again, 10-7.
The Fury answered again with a touchdown and the Wranglers began a run of short scoring drives that took them into halftime. Kaleo found Offensive Player of the Game OS Tacoma Fontaine on a 33-yard pass that he took into the endzone on the first play of the drive. Dodson's PAT extended the Wranglers lead 17-14.
The Fury answered with a touchdown, but Kaleo and Fontaine worked the Detroit DBs hard, connecting again for a 45-yard pass on a one-play touchdown drive that gave the lead back to the Wranglers, 23-21. The Fury answered with another scoring drive that took the contest into one-minute timing rules. The Wranglers offense capitalized, crafting a four-play, 27-second drive that ended in a 14-yard scoring pass to WR/LB Brandon Daniels. A two-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful. Leaving only 10 seconds in the half, the ensuing drive resulted in a Fury field goal, which gave them the lead at the half, 31-29.
The Wranglers started off the second half with another deep pass from Kaleo to Fontaine for 33 yards. The four-play, 38-yard drive was capped with an eight-yard pass to OL/DL Tom Briggs for his first touchdown of the season. Dodson's PAT shot the score to 36-31, with the Wranglers ahead.
Detroit answered with a scoring drive, but the Wranglers offense was hot and put another seven points on the board on the ensuing drive with another two-play scoring possession. After stuffing a rushing attempt at the line, Kaleo then worked the Fontaine connection downfield with a 24-yard scoring pass. The Wranglers took over the lead for the rest of the game with the score hitting 43-38, after Dodson's extra point.
The Wranglers defense began to capitalize on Detroit's second-half mistakes on the ensuing drive when OL/DL Tony Bowick picked up a Kelly fumble giving Austin the ball on their own 10-yard line. Again, the offense converted quickly, picking up a touchdown on a five-yard run by FB/LB Dane Krager, and extending the Wranglers lead, 40-38.
The Wranglers defense was again attentive on Detroit's next possession. Kelly fumbled the ball on a sack by Briggs, the Defensive Player of the Game. Wranglers lineman Eric Thomas recovered the loose ball and set the Wranglers up on the Detroit four-yard line. However, Kaleo threw his only pick of the game on the ensuing possession giving the ball back to the Fury for a scoring drive.
The Detroit touchdown tightened the score 49-45 with the Wranglers still ahead. They then began a push to pull-away from the Fury scoring again on a four-play drive with Kaleo hitting Krager for 12 yards and Fontaine for 20 and a touchdown. Dodson added a point and widened the Wranglers lead, 63-52.
The third Fury fumble of the game was forced by TE/DE Aaron Humphrey and recovered by WR/LB Darrin Chiaverini on the first play of the ensuing drive. The Wranglers crafted their longest scoring drive of the game, a six-play 18-yard drive that was complete with a one-yard touchdown run by Beutler who pounded his way through the middle. Dodson again connected on a PAT that secured a 18-point margin and the victory for the Wranglers.
The Fury scored on their final drive, but the Wranglers lead was too large and with time running out, the Wranglers got the ball back a final time to run the clock out and collect the win.
The Wranglers will return to the Frank Erwin Center Sunday, March 28th, to take on 2004 expansion team, the Philadelphia Soul, under the infamous ownership of rock star Jon Bon Jovi and former NFL quarterback Ron Jaworski. Single-game tickets are available through Texas Box Office be calling 512.477.6060 or visiting www.texasboxoffice.com, HEB grocery stores, or the Frank Erwin Center Box Office.
Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from March 20, 2004
- Defense paces Firebirds to 73-36 victory - Albany/Indiana Firebirds
- Dragons upend Destroyers, 62-41, at Nassau Coliseum - Columbus Destroyers
- Dragons Destroy Columbus, 62-41 - New York Dragons
- Wranglers wrap up Fury, 70-58 - Austin Wranglers
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