Dragons and Blaze Put on a Show
Josh Fisher
Sunday February 12, 2006
The game was entertaining from the very beginning. New York scored a touchdown on its very first play when Aaron Garcia found Mike Horacek for 23 yards score. The teams continued to match scores, until a Steve Videtich missed field goal late in the first quarter. New York then took advantage and pushed the lead to as much as 13. With 2:55 remaining in the first half, the Dragons led 34-21. That is when Utah took control.
Joe Germaine found Siaha Burley from 34 yards to cut the lead to six. Utah then recovered an on-side kick and turned that into a 12-yard touchdown pass from Germaine to Burley. The ensuing kickoff was recovered off the net by Ryan Dennard of the Blaze at the New York 5-yard line. That was turned into a touchdown pass from Germaine to Tom Pace. Just for fun the next kickoff was recovered off the net by Kevin Moffett of the Blaze for a touchdown. When all the chaos was done Utah had scored 42 points in the second quarter and 28 points in the last 1:43.
The teams continued to trade touchdowns until late in the third quarter. Following a 54-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Kevin Swayne, the Dragons recovered a Germaine fumble at the Blaze 1-yard line. The next play saw Bruce Blue punch it across the goal line and tying the game at 62 as the third quarter ended.
New York took its final lead of the game with 22 seconds remaining on a 26-yard touchdown strike from Garcia to Horacek. Utah was moving the ball down field going for the win, but with five seconds left Germaine threw incomplete to Orshawonte Bryant on what turned out to be the game’s final play. There was a flag thrown on the final play, but after a brief discussion the officials picked it up and ended the game. Not a popular decision with the 15, 213 fans that filled the Delta Center.
The game saw several records fall or challenged. Besides all the scoring records the teams set a record for most combined first downs, 55. Utah‘s 32 first downs is the second most in AFL history, as well as the 27 first downs by pass. The two quarterbacks combined for a league record 20 touchdown passes, each throwing 10, tied for third best.
Germaine finished with 35 completions, third most, and 444 yards, seventh most. Garcia was named the games Offensive Play of the Game with his 24-of-26 night. He compiled 354 yards. Neither quarterback threw an interception.
Blaze offensive specialist Siaha Burley had a big night also. Burley hauled in 16 receptions, sixth most in league history. He turned that into 259 yards and six touchdowns. The 259 yards is the third highest total in AFL history. Burley’s 345 all-purpose yards is good for 10th all-time.
Josh Fisher has been a fan of the AFL for as long as he can remember. He followed the Arizona Rattlers since they began playing. Josh works for the University of Utah
as their head statistician. He is also the media contact for Klub Boom
Volleyball Club and the head volleyball coach at Park City High School.
