Georgia forces its hand

Saturday April 9, 2011

 DULUTH, GA- The Dallas Vigilantes lose their second-straight game of the season to the Georgia Force, 55-48, Friday night
at the Arena at the Gwinnett Center. Vigilante quarterback Dan Raduabaugh went 36 of 20 for 228 yards and one touchdown,
but like his performance last week in Salt Lake City, he would again throw three costly turnovers that ended up being the
difference in tonight’s game.

After trading turnovers early in the first quarter, the Vigilante offense finally got into rhythm with a one-yard Derrick
Ross touchdown run. Dallas would not have the lead for long, though, as the Force would respond with a 37-yard bomb from
quarterback Bill Elliott to receiver Larry Shipp, knotting the score at 7-7 with 4:24 to go in the first.

But the Vigilantes decided to hit right back on their next possession, scoring off of a five-play drive with a 29-yard fade to
receiver Tiger Jones, setting the score at 13-7 after a missed Remy Hamilton PAT.

The turnover woes would continue for Dallas at the beginning of the second quarter. After a Georgia touchdown, Vigilante
defensive back and kick returner would fumble the ensuing kickoff, allowing the Force to recover the ball in the endzone for a
quick six points. In the next Vigilante possession after the Georgia go ahead touchdown, Ross would strike again, taking a oneyard sweep to the house to cut the Force lead to 20-21.

"We have to be able to read the defense better," Dallas Vigilante head coach Clint Dolezel said. "All of our turnovers this
season have been because we didn't execute."

Georgia's Maurice Purify would help the Force find the endzone with 3:04 left in the second, scoring on a redzone run after the
catch.

Before the quarter's end, Derrick Ross would bring home his third touchdown of the game, scoring on a two-yard draw that
would put the Vigilantes down by one at 28-27 with 48 seconds left in the half. But that would not be Vigilantes' last touchdown
of the second, as defensive end Justin Warren would sack Elliott, forcing the quarterback to fumble and allowing defensive end
Luis Vasquez to score the go-ahead touchdown on a 34-yard return.

Georgia would receive the football to begin the third quarter, scoring on its opening drive to go ahead, 35-34. After an
elusive run to the redzone by Raudabaugh on the Vigilantes' first possession of the half, Raudabaugh would throw his second
interception of the game.
But, from there, the Vigilante defense would come up big. Purify would fumble near Dallas 10-yard line, allowing Warren to
make the recovery. The Vigilantes took advantage of their good fortune, as receiver Matt Fields would take a three-yard pitch
for six points.www.DallasVigilantes.com

Thanks to a missed PAT by the Force, both teams began the fourth quarter deadlocked at 41 a piece. In the Vigilantes'
first possession of the quarter, Ross would make his presence felt for a fourth time, scoring on 20-yard run at 13:17.

At 8:01, Raudabaugh threw his third interception of the night, setting Georgia up in the Dallas redzone. However, the Dallas
defense would take matters into its own hands with an interception by jack linebacker Joe Goosby.

But the Force retained possession after a missed field goal by Hamilton. From there, Elliott would find Shipp for a 29-yard
touchdown strike that would put the Force up 55-48 with 11 seconds to go.

In its next possession after the Georgia go-ahead score, Dallas drove to the Georgia 10-yard line. With only three seconds to
go, The Vigilantes had one last chance to force a tie, but Dallas could not capitalize, as Fields would catch a Raudabaugh pass
just shy of the goalline.

"We played good enough to win," Dolezel said. "We just didn't make enough plays at the end of the game to win; that's the
bottom line. We have to get better. We have to get a win next week."

The loss in tonight's game moves Dallas to 2-2 on the season. A short week is ahead of the Vigilantes, as the team will prepare
for a Thursday, April 14th bout with the Milwaukee Mustangs at the American Airlines Center. Kickoff for Thursday night is
slated for 7:30 p.m.