Dorados to host Alabama in the first round

Sunday July 29, 2007

HOUSTON, TX – The Rio Grande Valley Dorados wrapped up the No. 1 seed in the National Conference, as well as the best record in arenafootball2 at 15-1, with a 40-19 victory over the Texas Copperheads Saturday night at the Richard  E. Berry  Center. The Dorados also became just the third team in af2 history to go a perfect 8-0 on the road while winning their 13th overall game in a row.

The Dorados racked up 219 yards and scored five touchdowns. They also added to their af2 record sack with three in the game to give them 64 overall.

Quarterback Josh Kellett, who finished the game 23-of-47 for 200 yards and four TDs, connected with Coco Blalock in the end zone twice in the first half and hit Dwight Counter to open up a 14-point lead with 2:29 left in the third quarter.

The Copperheads, though, showed some promise for their 2008 campaign through the leg of Nick Gatto. Gatto captured the af2 title in field goals made (20) and attempted (53) by hitting from 40 and 42 yards. He once again picked up for an offense that struggled the entire season, which included being shutout by Bossier-Shreveport in the first month of the season and a 10-yard offensive output late in the year.

Texas’ season finale was no different as it recorded only 93 total offensive yards. Quarterback Tony Eckert was 10-of-27 for 103 yards and one rushing touchdown. He was also picked off three times.  A fumble by Eckert late in the game cost the Copperheads an opportunity to tie the game late in the loss.

After Gatto’s two field goals, the Copperheads broke a touchdown-drought of 160 minutes and 18 seconds with a one-yard push with 42 seconds left in the first half.

A 14-yard screen pass to Booker Jenkins gave the fullback his first touchdown of the year and helped Texas pull back to within one possession early in the fourth, but Jermaine Carpenter took away all of the Copperheads’ momentum with a 50-yard return of the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown.

With the win, Rio Grande Valley clinched the top seed in the National Conference playoffs and will host the Alabama Steeldogs next Sunday at 4:05 PM.

LEADERS

Score by Quarters       1       2        3          4          Score
Rio Grande Valley          6      14    7        6        40               Record: (15-1)
Texas Copperheads       3      9      7        0        19               Record: (2-14)

First Quarter
RGV – Coco Blalock 6 pass from Josh Kellett (kick failed), 6:18
TEX – Nick Gatto 40 field goal, 1:59
RGV – Williams 16 pass from Kellett, :00
Second Quarter
RGV – Blalock 5 pass from Kellett (kick good), 6:27
RGV – Gatto 42 field goal, 3:01
TEX – Tony Eckert 1 run (kick failed),:42
Third Quarter
RGV – Dwight Counter 7 pass from Kellett (kick good), 3:03
Fourth Quarter
TEX – Booker Jenkins 14 pass from Eckert (kick good), 12:00
RGV – Jermaine Carpenter 50 kick return (kick good), 11:07
RGV – Al Gatlin 10 run (kick failed), 4:32

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing
Rio Grande, Al Gatlin 6-24; George Williams 1-0. Texas, Booker Jenkins 3-9; Tony Eckert  1-1.
Passing
Rio Grande, Josh Kellett 23-47-1-200; Orrick Watkins 1-2-0-5. Texas, Eckert 10-27-3-103.
Receiving
Rio Grande, Jermaine Carpenter 10-75; Coco Blalock 7-69; George Williams 6-54; Dwight Counter 1-7. Texas, Jarrod Fuller 5-59; Booker Jenkins 1-14; Kris Smiley 1-6; Kenneth Williams 2-18.

Offensive Player of the Game: Josh Kellett (RGV)
Ironman of the Game: Ahmaad Smith (TEX)
Defensive Player of the Game: Chris Canty (RGV)
Cutters Catch of the Game: Booker Jenkins (TEX)